Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

CoreOS VS boot2docker

Compare CoreOS VS boot2docker and see what are their differences

CoreOS logo CoreOS

CoreOS platform provides the components needed to build distributed systems to support application containers.

boot2docker logo boot2docker

boot2docker is a lightweight Linux distribution made specifically to run Docker containers.
  • CoreOS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-25
  • boot2docker Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-24

CoreOS features and specs

  • Lightweight and Minimalistic
    CoreOS is designed to be a minimalistic operating system, which reduces overhead and optimizes performance by focusing on running containers efficiently.
  • Automatic Updates
    It provides automatic updates for the entire OS, ensuring up-to-date security patches and system enhancements without disrupting the running applications.
  • Container-Optimized
    CoreOS is built for containerized environments, making it highly suitable for organizations adopting Docker or Kubernetes for scalable and consistent application deployment.
  • Distributed Key-Value Store
    Includes etcd, a distributed key-value store for shared configuration and service discovery, enabling easy coordination among applications and services.
  • Security
    CoreOS enforces strong security practices by deploying applications in containers, leveraging automatic updates, and using SELinux policies to provide robust security mechanisms.

Possible disadvantages of CoreOS

  • Learning Curve
    Users familiar with traditional Linux distributions might face a learning curve due to CoreOS’s unique approach and reliance on container orchestration.
  • Limited Use Cases
    As CoreOS is optimized for containerized applications, it may not be suitable for traditional workloads or environments that do not leverage containers.
  • Dependency on Cloud Infrastructure
    CoreOS often relies on cloud infrastructure features for orchestration and deployment, which may not fully align with the needs of on-premise environments.
  • Reduced Customization
    The minimalistic design might limit system-level customizations, making it less flexible for users who need specific custom configurations at the OS level.
  • Fragmented Ecosystem
    Following its acquisition by Red Hat, there might be uncertainties or fragmentation related to its integration into Red Hat’s ecosystem and ongoing support.

boot2docker features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Boot2docker is lightweight and has a small footprint, as it's built on Tiny Core Linux, which makes it fast and efficient to run on various systems.
  • Quick Setup
    It offers a quick and straightforward setup for Docker on non-Linux systems, allowing developers to get started with containerization rapidly without extensive configurations.
  • Portable
    Being a VM that runs Docker, boot2docker can be easily moved or recreated on different machines, ensuring environment consistency across development systems.

Possible disadvantages of boot2docker

  • Limited Features
    Boot2docker may not have all the features and functionalities of a full Docker installation on a native Linux environment, which might limit advanced operations.
  • Deprecated
    Boot2docker has been deprecated in favor of Docker Desktop, which means it might not receive updates or support, potentially leading to security risks.
  • Requires Virtualization
    Since it runs Docker inside a VM, it requires virtualization support on the host machine, which may not be available or optimal in all environments.

CoreOS videos

CoreOS Container Linux on the Desktop!

More videos:

  • Review - Red Hat OpenShift: Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS
  • Review - Intro to Fedora CoreOS Benjamin Gilbert Ben Breard Red Hat OpenShift Commons Briefing

boot2docker videos

Installing VirtualBox, and Boot2Docker to run Docker Containers in OSX/Windows

More videos:

  • Demo - boot2docker v0.2 demo

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to CoreOS and boot2docker)
Developer Tools
52 52%
48% 48
Containers And Microservices
Cloud Hosting
46 46%
54% 54
Cloud Computing
50 50%
50% 50

User comments

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing CoreOS and boot2docker, you can also consider the following products

Docker - Docker is an open platform that enables developers and system administrators to create distributed applications.

Amazon ECS - Amazon EC2 Container Service is a highly scalable, high-performance​ container management service that supports Docker containers.

Google Kubernetes Engine - Google Kubernetes Engine is a powerful cluster manager and orchestration system for running your Docker containers. Set up a cluster in minutes.

Apache Karaf - Apache Karaf is a lightweight, modern and polymorphic container powered by OSGi.

OpenShift Container Platform - Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform is the secure and comprehensive enterprise-grade container platform based on industry standards, Docker and Kubernetes.

Tutum - Run, monitor, and scale Docker containers. Simply.