EDIT: For some context, I recently gave podman another go. I have a few services on my homelab server set up in docker containers, so I tried migrating to podman.
After the second major bug (open issue on github) I encountered looked like it would require completely dropping using compose files to work around, I gave up and went back to docker.
I like the idea of podman, but it’s just not stable. I’ll try again in a year or so.
As a bonus, docker’s CLI is significantly nicer.
What’s the benefit over Docker?
Rootless, better integrated with system, a bit faster and lighter on resources. Also it supports k8s style yaml configuration both ways and a lot of people are more familiar with them and they also provide some (minimal) interoperability.
Can’t confirm. I have two VMs with an identical image (about 200 MB).
Docker: Pulling the image takes about 10 seconds and needs about 200 MB diskspace.
Podman: Pulling the image takes about 15 minutes and needs about 110 GB diskspace.
Docker: Commands like “docker ps”, “docker stop” etc. run in a few seconds.
Podman: Commands like “podman ps”, “podman stop” etc. take at least one minute.
Company confirmed that it is lighter and faster with multiple benchmark at the time of migration. Your case sounds like extreme misconfiguration.
I did not configure anything, I just installed it from the debian repository.
If this is on Debian 12 I think the issue is that the default storage backend is VFS rather than Overlay, which burnt me as well as it is REALLY inefficient. Look up how to find out what you’re using and change it if that’s it. After doing that it’s been really good for me :)
I am on Debian 13, but the storage might be the issue.
Something is super wrong in your setup or some weird Podman bug on your side. Works flawlessly and quickly on my machine, no such issues.
And on most people’s machines too. So, this must either be an exotic Podman bug, or something not right with your setup. Not many options there, but I hope you’ll find out what’s wrong.
I’m not op. I just like to use the meme when I see the meme.
Lol
How exactly is it using four orders of magnitude more space? Did you look what the files?
It is the ~/.local/share/containers folder.
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Not requiring a service running in root context.
I don’t think I’ve ever understood the distinction in this argument.
Isn’t systemd exactly that, a service running in root context?
I mean yeah you can technically run podman containers by hand as a non-privileged user but nobody does that, let’s be serious. Everybody uses systemd for management and autostart.
I really don’t understand how running a container through docker as a non-privileged user and dropping all caps is any different from doing the same through systemd + podman.
Tons of other services do that, ssh, CUPS etc.
If anybody can explain the difference I’d appreciate it.
While I’ve never used it myself, Docker Rootless mode seems to also allow this?
10 years too late.
It isn’t that easy to setup. Podman just works
At work, avoiding surprise licensing fees. If you ever have over 250 employees or over 10 million revenue, you owe a subscription.
At the home, easy orchestration with systemd
Isn’t that only for docker desktop?
Yes. Rancher desktop exists, btw. Just an fyi.
Edit: An open source alternative to Docker Desktop. It has most of the same features. Occasionally I’ve run into something that doesn’t work, but for the most part it’s just peachy.
It is! If you want to reduce exposure to this you really have to make sure mdm disallows installing it. The numbers trigger regardless of seats, and then you’re on the hook for the licenses for every employee using it.
So even if as a matter of policy you don’t use docker desktop, it’s possible engineers still do.
if you’re asking with regards to systemd orchestration, no. i love deploying containers as Ansible -> systemd -> podman.
No, they mean the license costs. I’m pretty sure, you only have to pay a fee for Docker Desktop…
my bad