Docker vs kaniko

Overview

Docker

Stacks194.2K

Followers143.8K

Votes3.9K

kaniko

Stacks44

Followers79

Votes4

GitHub Stars15.7K

Forks1.5K

Docker vs kaniko: What are the differences?

Docker and Kaniko are two popular containerization tools that allow developers to build and manage container images. Let's explore the key differences between them.

Docker Build Process: Docker uses a monolithic build process, where the build and packaging steps are performed inside the Docker daemon. On the other hand, Kaniko uses a distributed build process, where each step of the build process is executed in a separate container. This allows Kaniko to build images without requiring privileged access to the Docker daemon.
Build Context: In Docker, the entire project directory (known as the build context) is sent to the Docker daemon during the build process. This means that any changes in the project directory will trigger a complete rebuild of the image. In contrast, Kaniko allows users to define a build context by specifying a set of files or directories. This can significantly speed up the build process by excluding unnecessary files.
Build Performance: Docker builds images by creating intermediate containers and layers, which can slow down the build process. Kaniko, on the other hand, uses an incremental build process, which only rebuilds the necessary parts of the image that have changed. This can result in faster build times, especially for large projects with many dependencies.
Build Environment: When using Docker, the build environment is tightly coupled to the host machine. This means that developers have limited control over the build environment and may encounter compatibility issues when moving images between different environments. Kaniko, on the other hand, provides a more isolated and reproducible build environment, allowing for consistent builds across different platforms.
Cache Management: Docker maintains a cache of intermediate layers during the build process, which can be reused to speed up subsequent builds. However, managing the cache can be challenging, as changes to any intermediate layer will invalidate the cache for that layer and all subsequent layers. Kaniko provides a more efficient cache management system, where only the necessary layers are invalidated, leading to better cache utilization and faster builds.
Security: Docker requires privileged access to the Docker daemon during the build process, which can pose security risks if not properly managed. Kaniko, on the other hand, eliminates the need for privileged access by executing each build step in an isolated container. This provides an additional layer of security and reduces the attack surface for potential vulnerabilities.

In summary, Kaniko offers a more distributed and efficient approach to building container images, with improved performance, better cache utilization, and enhanced security.

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Advice on Docker, kaniko

Florian

IT DevOp at Agitos GmbH

Oct 22, 2019

Decided

lxd/lxc and Docker aren't congruent so this comparison needs a more detailed look; but in short I can say: the lxd-integrated administration of storage including zfs with its snapshot capabilities as well as the system container (multi-process) approach of lxc vs. the limited single-process container approach of Docker is the main reason I chose lxd over Docker.

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Detailed Comparison

Docker	kaniko
The Docker Platform is the industry-leading container platform for continuous, high-velocity innovation, enabling organizations to seamlessly build and share any application — from legacy to what comes next — and securely run them anywhere	A tool to build container images from a Dockerfile, inside a container or Kubernetes cluster. kaniko doesn't depend on a Docker daemon and executes each command within a Dockerfile completely in userspace. This enables building container images in environments that can't easily or securely run a Docker daemon, such as a standard Kubernetes cluster.
Integrated developer tools; open, portable images; shareable, reusable apps; framework-aware builds; standardized templates; multi-environment support; remote registry management; simple setup for Docker and Kubernetes; certified Kubernetes; application templates; enterprise controls; secure software supply chain; industry-leading container runtime; image scanning; access controls; image signing; caching and mirroring; image lifecycle; policy-based image promotion	Build container images in environments that can't easily or securely run a Docker daemon, such as a standard Kubernetes cluster
Statistics
GitHub Stars -	GitHub Stars 15.7K
GitHub Forks -	GitHub Forks 1.5K
Stacks 194.2K	Stacks 44
Followers 143.8K	Followers 79
Votes 3.9K	Votes 4
Pros & Cons
Pros 823 Rapid integration and build up 692 Isolation 521 Open source 505 Testability and reproducibility 460 Lightweight Cons 8 New versions == broken features 6 Unreliable networking 6 Documentation not always in sync 4 Moves quickly 3 Not Secure	Pros 3 No need for docker demon 1 Automation using jules Cons 1 Slow compared to docker
Integrations
Java Docker Compose VirtualBox Linux Amazon EC2 Container Service Docker Swarm boot2docker Kubernetes Docker Machine Vagrant	Kubernetes Google Cloud Container Builder

What are some alternatives to Docker, kaniko?

Kubernetes

Kubernetes is an open source orchestration system for Docker containers. It handles scheduling onto nodes in a compute cluster and actively manages workloads to ensure that their state matches the users declared intentions.

Rancher

Rancher is an open source container management platform that includes full distributions of Kubernetes, Apache Mesos and Docker Swarm, and makes it simple to operate container clusters on any cloud or infrastructure platform.

Docker Compose

With Compose, you define a multi-container application in a single file, then spin your application up in a single command which does everything that needs to be done to get it running.

Docker Swarm

Swarm serves the standard Docker API, so any tool which already communicates with a Docker daemon can use Swarm to transparently scale to multiple hosts: Dokku, Compose, Krane, Deis, DockerUI, Shipyard, Drone, Jenkins... and, of course, the Docker client itself.

Tutum

Tutum lets developers easily manage and run lightweight, portable, self-sufficient containers from any application. AWS-like control, Heroku-like ease. The same container that a developer builds and tests on a laptop can run at scale in Tutum.

Portainer

It is a universal container management tool. It works with Kubernetes, Docker, Docker Swarm and Azure ACI. It allows you to manage containers without needing to know platform-specific code.

LXD

LXD isn't a rewrite of LXC, in fact it's building on top of LXC to provide a new, better user experience. Under the hood, LXD uses LXC through liblxc and its Go binding to create and manage the containers. It's basically an alternative to LXC's tools and distribution template system with the added features that come from being controllable over the network.

Codefresh

Automate and parallelize testing. Codefresh allows teams to spin up on-demand compositions to run unit and integration tests as part of the continuous integration process. Jenkins integration allows more complex pipelines.

LXC

LXC is a userspace interface for the Linux kernel containment features. Through a powerful API and simple tools, it lets Linux users easily create and manage system or application containers.

CAST.AI

It is an AI-driven cloud optimization platform for Kubernetes. Instantly cut your cloud bill, prevent downtime, and 10X the power of DevOps.

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Docker vs kaniko: What are the differences?

Docker and Kaniko are two popular containerization tools that allow developers to build and manage container images. Let's explore the key differences between them.

Docker Build Process: Docker uses a monolithic build process, where the build and packaging steps are performed inside the Docker daemon. On the other hand, Kaniko uses a distributed build process, where each step of the build process is executed in a separate container. This allows Kaniko to build images without requiring privileged access to the Docker daemon.
Build Context: In Docker, the entire project directory (known as the build context) is sent to the Docker daemon during the build process. This means that any changes in the project directory will trigger a complete rebuild of the image. In contrast, Kaniko allows users to define a build context by specifying a set of files or directories. This can significantly speed up the build process by excluding unnecessary files.
Build Performance: Docker builds images by creating intermediate containers and layers, which can slow down the build process. Kaniko, on the other hand, uses an incremental build process, which only rebuilds the necessary parts of the image that have changed. This can result in faster build times, especially for large projects with many dependencies.
Build Environment: When using Docker, the build environment is tightly coupled to the host machine. This means that developers have limited control over the build environment and may encounter compatibility issues when moving images between different environments. Kaniko, on the other hand, provides a more isolated and reproducible build environment, allowing for consistent builds across different platforms.
Cache Management: Docker maintains a cache of intermediate layers during the build process, which can be reused to speed up subsequent builds. However, managing the cache can be challenging, as changes to any intermediate layer will invalidate the cache for that layer and all subsequent layers. Kaniko provides a more efficient cache management system, where only the necessary layers are invalidated, leading to better cache utilization and faster builds.
Security: Docker requires privileged access to the Docker daemon during the build process, which can pose security risks if not properly managed. Kaniko, on the other hand, eliminates the need for privileged access by executing each build step in an isolated container. This provides an additional layer of security and reduces the attack surface for potential vulnerabilities.

In summary, Kaniko offers a more distributed and efficient approach to building container images, with improved performance, better cache utilization, and enhanced security.