Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Podman VS OrbStack

Compare Podman VS OrbStack and see what are their differences

Podman logo Podman

Simple debugging tool for pods and images

OrbStack logo OrbStack

Fast, light, simple Docker & Linux on macOS
  • Podman Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-30
  • OrbStack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-22

Podman features and specs

  • Daemonless Architecture
    Podman does not require a daemon to run containers, which simplifies its architecture and minimizes the potential attack surface.
  • Rootless Containers
    Podman allows running containers as a non-root user, enhancing security by reducing the risk associated with running processes as the root user.
  • Kubernetes Support
    Podman has built-in support for Kubernetes, enabling easier transition and orchestration of containers at scale.
  • Compatibility with Docker CLI
    Podman provides a Docker-compatible command line interface, making it easy for users to migrate from Docker with minimal changes to their workflows.
  • Enhanced Security
    With features like user namespaces and no central daemon, Podman offers improved security compared to traditional container runtimes.
  • Open Source
    Podman is an open-source project, which provides transparency and community-driven development.

Possible disadvantages of Podman

  • Limited Ecosystem
    The ecosystem around Podman is not as extensive as that of Docker, potentially limiting the availability of third-party tools and integrations.
  • Learning Curve
    Users familiar with Docker may face a learning curve when adapting to some of Podmanโ€™s unique features and CLI differences.
  • Performance Overhead
    Running rootless containers can introduce some performance overhead due to the additional layers of user namespace translation.
  • Less Mature
    Podman is relatively newer compared to Docker, which means it might not be as battle-tested in enterprise environments.
  • Inconsistent Behavior
    Certain Podman features may behave differently than Docker, which might lead to unexpected issues during container management and automation.

OrbStack features and specs

  • Performance
    OrbStack is optimized for high performance, providing faster boot times and efficient resource usage compared to other virtualization platforms.
  • User Interface
    The platform offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface that simplifies management and set up of virtual machines and containers.
  • Integration
    OrbStack integrates well with various development tools and environments, enhancing workflow efficiency for developers.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    It supports multiple platforms, making it versatile and accessible for users across different operating systems.
  • Security
    The platform is designed with robust security features to protect virtualized environments and ensure data integrity.

Possible disadvantages of OrbStack

  • Limited Documentation
    Some users might find the available documentation scarce, making it harder to find solutions to specific issues or advanced configurations.
  • Learning Curve
    While the interface is user-friendly, there may still be a learning curve for users who are new to virtualization technologies.
  • Pricing
    Depending on the licensing model, OrbStack can be costly for individual developers or small teams with limited budgets.
  • Resource Intensity
    Though efficient, the platform may require significant system resources, which could be a drawback for users with less powerful hardware.
  • Compatibility Issues
    While OrbStack supports various platforms, there might be occasional compatibility issues with specific hardware or software configurations.

Analysis of Podman

Overall verdict

  • Podman is a solid option for users seeking a secure, flexible, and rootless alternative to Docker. It performs efficiently and provides strong compatibility with existing container management workflows.

Why this product is good

  • Podman is considered a good tool due to its daemonless architecture, which enhances security and provides more flexibility in container management. Unlike Docker, Podman can run containers under rootless mode, allowing non-root users to manage containers and reducing the attack surface. Podman's compatibility with Docker command-line interface (CLI) and its ability to run in a Kubernetes-like environment using pods make it versatile for diverse container management tasks.

Recommended for

  • Developers and system administrators who require a rootless container management solution.
  • Teams focused on security and minimal permissions for container management.
  • Organizations looking to integrate container management closely with Kubernetes without relying on Docker.
  • Users who are comfortable with command-line interface tools and container technologies.

Podman videos

PODMAN vs DOCKER - should you switch now?

More videos:

  • Review - Actually, podman Might Be Better Than docker
  • Review - Container (Podman) Review - Kominfo PROA Training Lab 2

OrbStack videos

OrbStack: A Lightweight Alternative for Docker

More videos:

  • Review - Practices for Docker on Mac Mini M2 Pro with OrbStack #mac #orbstack #docker #container

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Podman and OrbStack)
Developer Tools
83 83%
17% 17
Cloud Computing
90 90%
10% 10
Design Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Podman and OrbStack

Podman Reviews

Podman vs Docker: Comparing the Two Containerization Tools
Rootless processes. Because of its daemonless architecture, Podman can perform truly rootless operations. Users do not have to be granted root privileges to run Podman commands, and Podman does not have to rely on a root-privileged process.
Source: www.linode.com

OrbStack Reviews

We have no reviews of OrbStack yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Podman should be more popular than OrbStack. It has been mentiond 125 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Podman mentions (125)

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OrbStack mentions (29)

  • I Ditched Docker for Podman (and You Should Too)
    I have used Podman before, and it just works. However, for the past 8 months, I've been using https://orbstack.dev/, and I can confidently say that it's much better. - Source: Hacker News / 26 days ago
  • I Ditched Docker for Podman (and You Should Too)
    If you are on a Mac, I have been using OrbStack[1] and it has been fantastic. I spin up few containers there, but my biggest use is just spinning up Alpine linux and then running most of my Docker containers in there. [1] https://orbstack.dev/. - Source: Hacker News / 26 days ago
  • Using Podman, Compose and BuildKit
    I replaced my Docker usage entirely with OrbStack[1] a few months ago, and have had zero issues with it so far. Great product that I happily pay a license for. My usage is fairly basic though and I'm sure mileage varies, but for my basic web dev setup it's been perfect. [1]: https://orbstack.dev/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • How to Properly Clean Up Docker (and Save Your Sanity)
    On Mac/Linux and you still want a GUI? โ†’ Check out OrbStack. Way lighter, way faster. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Apple Announces Foundation Models Framework for Developers to Leverage AI
    One of the reasons OrbStack is so great is because they implement their own hypervisor: https://orbstack.dev/ Appleโ€™s stack gives you low-level access to ARM virtualization features, and from there they have high-level convenience frameworks on top. OrbStack implements all of the high-level code themselves. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Podman and OrbStack, you can also consider the following products

containerd - An industry-standard container runtime with an emphasis on simplicity, robustness and portability

Kata Containers - Lightweight virtual machines that seamlessly plug into the containers ecosystem.

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

Flox - Manage and share development environments with all the frameworks and libraries you need, then publish artifacts anywhere. Harness the power of Nix.

Podman Desktop - Containers and Kubernetes for application developers

CRI-O - Lightweight Container Runtime for Kubernetes