Podman or Docker, and why?

Back when I was running stuff on podman, it's API isn't entirely Docker Engine compatible. Little things like being unable to handle gzip image streams got me once:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions...

Using docker compose with it back then was also hit or miss. It would mostly work with warnings.

I'm pretty familiar with the Docker API at this point. I've written my own build tools against it:

https://github.com/sumdog/bee2

It's pretty complex. There was a native FreeBSD implementation of Docker that used ZFS+Jails but it went unmaintained a decade ago.

I'm sure podman has gotten a lot better. It's been years since I've seriously used it. But I guess all the comparability issues have made me stick with Docker for a while.

@djsumdog Would it have been different if you did not have to be compatible with Docker?

Is jumping from a bridge an option?

@Lensflare Maybe for a different poll.

@torbuntu It's honestly about the same. There's more general information/tutorials for Docker, so there's always a chance you run into a podman specific issue (you likely will at some point).

Podman also has the advantage of being able to run containers as a regular unprivileged user, if that matters to you (but if you end up do needing certain CAPs, you'll have to run it in system mode anyway).

It is good to help support and give feedback to the Podman team though. Having multiple mature container runtimes is a good thing for the opensource eco system in general.

Neither Podman nor Docker is considered best practice. Issue closed.

/jk

/* Sorry... Stack Overflow flashback. Don't mind me, do go on.*/

Podman, you very rarely need stuff that needs root. There are some annoying compatibilities agreed there, e.g. postgres docker image doesn't work nicely because of the way rootless works with virtual volumes (as it can't map the custom uid to an account). And docker changed it's compose spec to do stuff with json which podman doesn't yet support meaning it doesn't work right with spring.

But if you just need to run things going podman pod your-mom:fat works great :D

Docker if you run Linux. It has fewer compat issues and you can watch files.

If you can afford it and brings benefits also docker for desktop on other platforms. They are both similar tools if they em work for you they work.

On windows, I use docker for windows images, podman for Linux images.

@djsumdog I love coming across people that just know shit about shit that I don't know about. The ability for someone to pull out an extremely specific example because they've been there is such a pleasant thing to see. Bravo, and no homo.