Both Docker and Podman run containers, but with different approaches to architecture and security.
Architecture¶
- Docker — client-server with dockerd daemon, root
- Podman — daemonless, fork-exec, natively rootless
Compatibility¶
Podman CLI is a drop-in replacement. alias docker=podman works in most cases.
Ecosystem¶
- Docker — Docker Desktop, Docker Compose, Docker Hub, huge community
- Podman — podman-compose/podman compose, Kubernetes pod support, RHEL default
Security¶
- Podman: rootless by default = smaller attack surface
- Docker: requires root or docker group (equivalent to root)
- Podman: no daemon = lower risk of privilege escalation
When to Use Which¶
- Docker — default choice, Docker Desktop, most tutorials
- Podman — RHEL/CentOS, security requirements, CI/CD (no DinD)
Both Are Valid¶
Docker for ecosystem, Podman for security. Migration is straightforward.
dockerpodmankontejnery