I switched from a giant docker compose file to podman quadlets on my homelab. IIRC it look me a little while to translate the first couple of services because there wasn't (at the time, at least) as much documentation/examples of quadlets as compose files, but after that it was a piece of cake. I highly recommend them.
The only issue I have is validation, there isn't a convenient built-in command to validate quadlet files and systemd doesn't warn you if any fail to generate. You either have to do a --dry-run first (and probably alias the full command to something reasonable) or check the journal for errors.
Yes. 99% of things just worked, zero modifications.
The few cases where something was not directly translatable was <10 minutes with a coding agent to make some minor config changes, and then it just worked.
I have switched on production and QA servers. I used AI tools to help with the migration. Easy peasy. On the desktop, I am still using docker. Old habits die hard. Eventually I plan to switch on the desktop as well.
I've been coding solutions against each. I'm currently having issues extracting progress from the current Podman on my TUI build pane, but now switching versions to see if it addresses it and continue working the issue.
I have zero issues with it doing the builds I need. Works same same as Docker from what I can tell.
I took Docker completely off my Macbook which has a tiny drive in it. Hardly ever use it, except for testing. Podman is super lightweight and using a project I'm developing, launches containers with dev agents in it, just the same as Windows running Docker.
I switched a few years back and use Quadlets instead of compose now. Converting compose files to Quadlets is pretty mechanical once you get the hang of it.
Highly recommend Podman overall; there are some quirky edge cases, but for the most part it’s a smooth replacement for Docker.
If you don’t want to give up compose entirely, podman-compose exists. I just prefer Quadlets so I haven’t used it much myself.
I set up my stuff as all Podman when I moved from a VPS to my home server and it's been pretty simple. I didn't use any of the compose functionality because I have a single DBMS of each type and just have multiple DBs on them etc. and I use podman through the systemd quadlet system. Honestly, it's been pretty flawless.
I have the feeling the docker company is communicating a lot with Apple because virtualisation got better and better over the years. I wonder if podman would be a speed downgrade here?
I switched everything over to rootless podman a year or two back. Some containers ended up with permissions issues when trying to read their old data - caused by being run with a different UID. This was really the only problem I ran into, but I would have had the same issue switching from rootful docker to rootless docker.
What I have observed through my limited experience, primarily testing docker-based development env setups in podman, is that it's usually not a straight swap.
I switched from Docker to rootless Podman for our build server. Completely positive experience so far. Our builds went _down_ from 1 minute to 2 seconds.
I'm also using podman-compose that is small and delightful (I had to fix a few bugs there). It's just one Python file that you can copy.
I've never interacted with anyone that knew them by another name. It's always (docker) container, where they may leave out the docker term, but if questioed what kind of container they mean theyll say it.
And the times I've called them OCI container (or image when talking about those) nobody knew what I meant until I clarified to docker
I mean for local dev I like that I can just press one button and have Kubernetes available. Podman Desktop had something approaching that simplicity but I have found Docker Desktop more stable in my limited experience with it.
Rootless was the reason I switched to Podman years ago. It's just so smooth and I don't have to worry about obscure permissions and services errors anymore.
Anyone have experience switching from Docker to Podman?
I have a lot of compose files in my homelab/automation setup and those are what I’m most concerned about.
I switched from a giant docker compose file to podman quadlets on my homelab. IIRC it look me a little while to translate the first couple of services because there wasn't (at the time, at least) as much documentation/examples of quadlets as compose files, but after that it was a piece of cake. I highly recommend them.
The only issue I have is validation, there isn't a convenient built-in command to validate quadlet files and systemd doesn't warn you if any fail to generate. You either have to do a --dry-run first (and probably alias the full command to something reasonable) or check the journal for errors.
The biggest differences for me were related to non trivial network setups. Is just that you find docs and how tos for docker, but less so for podman.
Other than that, I haven't found anything that makes me consider using docker again.
Yes. 99% of things just worked, zero modifications.
The few cases where something was not directly translatable was <10 minutes with a coding agent to make some minor config changes, and then it just worked.
You don't have to fully switch. I use podman in socket mode with the docker cli as a frontend.
I have switched on production and QA servers. I used AI tools to help with the migration. Easy peasy. On the desktop, I am still using docker. Old habits die hard. Eventually I plan to switch on the desktop as well.
I've been coding solutions against each. I'm currently having issues extracting progress from the current Podman on my TUI build pane, but now switching versions to see if it addresses it and continue working the issue.
I have zero issues with it doing the builds I need. Works same same as Docker from what I can tell.
I took Docker completely off my Macbook which has a tiny drive in it. Hardly ever use it, except for testing. Podman is super lightweight and using a project I'm developing, launches containers with dev agents in it, just the same as Windows running Docker.
I switched a few years back and use Quadlets instead of compose now. Converting compose files to Quadlets is pretty mechanical once you get the hang of it.
Highly recommend Podman overall; there are some quirky edge cases, but for the most part it’s a smooth replacement for Docker.
If you don’t want to give up compose entirely, podman-compose exists. I just prefer Quadlets so I haven’t used it much myself.
I set up my stuff as all Podman when I moved from a VPS to my home server and it's been pretty simple. I didn't use any of the compose functionality because I have a single DBMS of each type and just have multiple DBs on them etc. and I use podman through the systemd quadlet system. Honestly, it's been pretty flawless.
Would be great to know if I can uninstall docker on Mac and just install https://github.com/containers/podman/releases and be good to go with my docker compose files ?!
I have the feeling the docker company is communicating a lot with Apple because virtualisation got better and better over the years. I wonder if podman would be a speed downgrade here?
I switched everything over to rootless podman a year or two back. Some containers ended up with permissions issues when trying to read their old data - caused by being run with a different UID. This was really the only problem I ran into, but I would have had the same issue switching from rootful docker to rootless docker.
Absolutely zero regrets, would never go back.
Good for the most part, I appreciate them being pretty much a drop in replacement (mostly so tools that reference docker can just work usually).
Regardless it works enough for me to run local Kubernetes and Tilt
Not a power user but compatibility has been excellent.
What I have observed through my limited experience, primarily testing docker-based development env setups in podman, is that it's usually not a straight swap.
I switched from Docker to rootless Podman for our build server. Completely positive experience so far. Our builds went _down_ from 1 minute to 2 seconds.
I'm also using podman-compose that is small and delightful (I had to fix a few bugs there). It's just one Python file that you can copy.
I mean I should probably also say it’s good enough that Bazzite ships with it enabled (not something I’d have expected)
No idea why Docker is still so much more popular than Podman. Podman is obviously the better implementation.
The new network stuff is a welcome improvement.
it has a stronger brand, probably because it was created first. I still hear the term "docker container" (sometimes).
> sometimes
I've never interacted with anyone that knew them by another name. It's always (docker) container, where they may leave out the docker term, but if questioed what kind of container they mean theyll say it.
And the times I've called them OCI container (or image when talking about those) nobody knew what I meant until I clarified to docker
I mean for local dev I like that I can just press one button and have Kubernetes available. Podman Desktop had something approaching that simplicity but I have found Docker Desktop more stable in my limited experience with it.
Sanctuary! mercy from grey font
Agreed. My first thought after that page loaded was, "why is this page harder to read?"
You've come to the wrong website to complain about contrast issues, my friend.
Quadlets and rootless containers are two major reasons I'll be switching from Docker to Podman.
Rootless was the reason I switched to Podman years ago. It's just so smooth and I don't have to worry about obscure permissions and services errors anymore.
I love the naming of their new networking tools. Now there's pesto to go along with pasta