Podman vs Docker Explained: Find the Best Container Tool

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Last updated on October 28th, 2024 at 10:29 pm

The choice between Podman and Docker is a common debate topic for developers. Despite providing the technology that manages and runs the containers there’s a fundamental difference in how they do it.

In this blog, let’s deep dive into the various aspects of Podman vs Docker, comparing the similarities and differences, and conclude what is the best for your needs.

What is a Container?

A container is an isolated environment for your application. Containers are small units that package all your code and required dependencies.

If you’re deploying the Python application, you need a Python version, a pip3 package manager, and various Python packages installed.

Containers package all required Python dependencies and your application code in a single unit that you can run anywhere.

To run your application in a container, you need to write a Dockerfile.

docker build image container
Docker Process Build, Ship, and Run

A Dockerfile is like a food recipe that describes what goes in the container. Such as the node.js version you want, and which GCC compiler is needed.

Once you have the Dockerfile ready with all the necessary instructions, You can build a Docker image from it.

An image is needed to run a container.

You can download ready-made Docker Images of popular software such as Ubuntu or Nginx available from DockerHub.

In summary, you write the Dockerfile, build the image from it, and lastly, run that image as a container.

docker vs podman build
Podman vs Docker: build an image
podman vs docker image
Podman vs Docker: list image
podman vs docker run container
Podman vs Docker: run the container

Let’s learn what is Docker.

What is Docker?

podman vs docker

Docker is the most popular and industry-standard containerization platform for virtualization.

Docker provides the tools to help developers build, ship, and run applications anywhere across the platform.

You can build your application’s Docker images and run on any platform like Linux, Mac, or Windows.

Docker is not the only available technology to run the containers.

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What is Podman?

podman vs docker logo

Podman is an open-source, daemonless, Linux native tool to develop, manage, and run containers using the Open Container Initiative ( OCI ) developed by RedHat.

We will explore what is daemon-less later in this chapter. But for now, let’s check the tools for the podman ecosystem.

Podman Tools and Use Cases

ToolkitUsage
PodmanA daemonless container engine for managing, running, and securing containers and pods.
BuildahA tool to build Open Container Initiative (OCI) and Docker images with a focus on creating efficient container images. Learn more: Podman Build vs Buildah
SkopeoA utility for transferring, inspecting, and managing container images across registries.
runcA CLI tool for spawning and running containers according to the OCI runtime standard.
crunA lightweight and fast OCI-compliant runtime optimized for Linux containers.
Podman vs Docker: Podman Tools Usage
podman vs docker podman tools
Podman vs Docker: Podman Toolkit

Podman Pods ( Not Kubernetes Pods )

As the name suggests, the postman can run the container inside the pod similar to Kubernetes Pods.

Multiple containers can be run in a pod as a single application. Using this method resources can be shared within the same pod.

You can run your backend application, another for the reverse proxy, and a sidecar to export the logs and metrics. All in a single pod!

Podman pods are not Kubernetes pods but they provide the out-of-the-box Kubernetes YAML configuration export.

Kubernetes Pod != Podman Pod

kubernetes pods vs podman pods
Kubernetes Pods vs Podman Pods

You can run the same application stack in Kubernetes without any issue, this increases the developer side productivity keeping the same environment in local and production.

Podman Daemonless

As mentioned before Podman is designed to work as daemon-less.

What does it mean?

A daemon is a background process or service that runs without any user interaction. 

Docker relies on `dockerd` to manage and run the containers. `dockerd` is Docker Daemon.

Podman operates without relying on such a background process or service. It follows the for-exec method to run the container as a child process.

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Podman vs Docker: Feature Comparison

Let’s learn about the Podman vs Docker with the key difference:

FeaturePodmanDocker
ArchitectureDaemonless, rootless mode supportedDaemon-based architecture with root privileges
Installation ComplexitySimple installation, fewer dependenciesPartial support mainly needs root privileges
Rootless OperationFully supports rootless containersLimited options, require additional configuration
SecurityHigher security with no central daemonSecurity tied to Docker daemon; root access issues
Kubernetes CompatibilityCompatible with Kubernetes (via CRI-O)Compatible, but not primarily CRI-O based
NetworkingGrowing community, especially in the enterpriseRobust networking capabilities, easier to set up
Image ManagementShares OCI-compliant image storage with DockerLimited options require additional configuration
System Resource UsageLower resource usage (no daemon)Uses Docker’s image storage format
Community & SupportHigher resource usage due to the daemon processLarge community, extensive support
Podman vs Docker: Key Difference & Feature Comparison

Advantages of Podman Over Docker

Podman vs Docker: Architecture 🏗️

Docker follows the client-server architecture. 

A Docker daemon ( dockerd ) and a client ( CLI ) that used the REST API to communicate.

Podman runs without a daemon. 

Podman starts the conmon ( An OCI container runtime monitor ) in the background that monitors the process and provides a communication tool.

Since the Podman and conmon processes run independently, even if the parent is responsible for one container crash will not affect the other containers. 

By default, if the Docker daemon crashes it terminates all the running containers due to its daemon-based architecture. 

You can configure the daemon to remain running even if the daemon crash by setting the Livestore value

Podman vs Docker: Security 🛡️

Both Podman and Docker implemented the rootless mode to increase security by running the container with non-root privileges.

There’s a common misconception that running a container as rootless is a Podman-only feature. Both use the common infrastructure technology under the hood like RootlessKit and slirp4netns.

So choosing either one is a safe choice for running rootless containers.

Podman vs Docker: Ease of use 👌

Docker provides a comprehensive set of CLI commands to easily create, manage, and deploy the application in the container.

Podman works out of the box without any modification and has the same CLI command.

docker command
docker ps command
podman command
podman ps command

Podman provides the alias same as docker, meaning you don’t need to change anything to work with Podman.

Same CLI interface as docker, allowing you to kickstart without any learning curve.

Podman vs Docker: Building images 🖼️

Docker has a built-in tool to build the image.

Running the `docker build` takes the Dockerfile from the current directory along with context and builds the image.

podman uses the buildah to build the docker images, though it has the same syntax and API to use use it.

Docker (BuildKit) is more advanced compared to Podman (Buildah) for image building.

Podman vs Docker: Modular vs. Monolith 🧩

Docker follows the monolith approach by packing all in one toolkit. 

It provides all tools built-in for building the docker images, running the containers, and orchestration with Docker Swarm.

Podman follows the modular approach. 

Rather than complete the toolkit, provide the set of command line options and reply on other tools.

This makes the podman lightweight and faster than Docker.

FAQs

What is the main difference between Podman and Docker?

The main difference is that Podman is daemonless, meaning it doesn’t rely on a centralized background service to run containers.

Docker uses a daemon to manage containers, which requires root privileges and can present security vulnerabilities.

Podman’s architecture allows for rootless containers, which enhances security and flexibility, especially in enterprise environments.

Is Podman faster and more efficient than Docker?

Podman can be more efficient, as it doesn’t require a daemon to operate, which reduces its resource footprint.

This difference can be advantageous in CI/CD pipelines or when running containers on systems with limited resources.

However, the actual performance difference may vary based on the specific workload and system configuration.

Which is better for Kubernetes: Podman or Docker?

Both tools work with Kubernetes, but Podman has certain advantages in Kubernetes-focused environments because it’s built to align with the Container Runtime Interface (CRI) and can work without a daemon.

This simplifies Podman’s integration with Kubernetes through CRI-O, making it an ideal choice for cloud-native and Kubernetes applications.

Conclusion

Podman is not the Docker replacement, but it targets the different challenges and provides a cloud-native approach to run the container with better security and features.

Choosing Podman vs Docker depends on specific requirements and preferences between mature ecosystems and security considerations.

If your application requires a widespread ecosystem and industry adoption, Docker is a strong choice that provides comprehensive tooling that supports major cloud providers.

If security is your top priority, Podman is the best choice, providing rootless and daemonless operations for containers.

You should carefully check the project requirements and priorities to determine which technology is the best tool for your needs.

Well, choosing Docker and Podman is not the only factor for your application’s success, other DevOps technologies matter too.

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Podman Cheat Sheet

FREE Podman Cheat Sheet (Everything You Need, In One Place)

This is the last Podman Cheat Sheet you’ll ever need. Why?
Because it’s not just a list of commands—it’s a shortcut to make your work easier, faster, and more effective.

Stop wasting time digging through documentation. With this cheat sheet, you’ll get exactly what you need, right when you need it.

Kashyap Merai
Kashyap Merai

Kashyap Merai, a Certified Solution Architect and Public Cloud Specialist with over 7 years in IT. He helped startups in Real Estate, Media Streaming, and On-Demand industries launch successful public cloud projects.

Passionate about Space, Science, and Computers, He also mentors aspiring cloud engineers, shaping the industry's future.

Connect with him on LinkedIn to stay updated on cloud innovations.