Docker vs Containerd
type: Article
description: Docker is a complete container platform with built-in orchestration and developer tools, while Containerd is a lightweight, industry-standard container runtime focused solely on container lifecycle management. Docker uses Containerd as its underlying runtime, making Containerd the more minimal alternative for production environments that don't need Docker's additional features.
language: en-US
date published: 2026-07-09T16:40:36.395Z
date created: 2026-07-09T16:40:36.395Z
date modified: 2026-07-09T16:40:36.441Z
content reference time: 2026-07-09T16:40:36.441Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
about: Docker
about: Containerd
abstract: Docker is a complete container platform with built-in orchestration and developer tools, while Containerd is a lightweight, industry-standard container runtime focused solely on container lifecycle management. Docker uses Containerd as its underlying runtime, making Containerd the more minimal alternative for production environments that don't need Docker's additional features.
text: Architecture Scope. Memory Footprint. Startup Time (cold start). Developer Experience. Industry Adoption (Kubernetes). Maintenance Burden. Desktop Development Experience
conclusion text: Choose Docker if you're a developer building and testing containers locally, using Docker Compose for multi-container applications, or running Docker Swarm — its integrated tooling and learning curve make it ideal for most development workflows. Choose Containerd if you're operating Kubernetes clusters, need minimal resource overhead in production, or building custom container solutions where you want strict separation of concerns and don't need Docker's orchestration features.
additional property: Latest Stable Version (2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Latest multi-stage builds and AI-native features | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Setup Time for Beginners
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 5-15 minutes | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Scalability Limit
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 1 (single host) | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Primary Use Environment
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Development, CI/CD, local testing | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Container Runtime Dependency
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Docker engine required | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Auto-Scaling Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Manual scaling only | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Configuration Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Simple (Dockerfile, docker-compose) | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Multi-Cluster Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Not supported | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Docker: 90% | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Memory Usage (idle)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Docker: 120-150 MB | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Rootless Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Available (requires config) | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Kubernetes Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Deprecated (containerd preferred) | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Docker Compose Compatibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 100% compatible | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Installation Methods
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Docker: 5 major | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Community Contributors
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Docker: 2000+ | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Daemon Architecture
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Centralized daemon | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Monthly Docker Hub Downloads
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 13.1 million | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Architecture Type
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Daemon-based (requires background service) | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Memory Overhead (Idle)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 350-500 MB | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Incremental Build Time (100-layer image)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 42 seconds | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Security CVEs (2024)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 12 CVEs (avg CVSS 6.2) | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Rootless Mode
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Experimental/requires configuration | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Container Runtime Capabilities
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Full lifecycle (build, run, exec, logs, network, push, pull) | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Native CI/CD Platform Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 98% of platforms | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Base Memory Footprint
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: ~100 MB | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Monthly Downloads (Docker Hub/Package Managers)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 100+ million | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Years in Production
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 13+ years (since 2013) | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Kubernetes 1.24+ Native Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Requires dockershim replacement or Docker 1.26+ Kubernetes integration | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Container Build Speed (Simple Dockerfile)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 8-12 seconds with BuildKit cache | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Available CLI Commands
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 40+ core commands with subcommands | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Rootless Container Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Added v20.10 (2020), optional setup required | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Official Commercial Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Yes—Docker Inc. Enterprise and Pro plans | Containerd: N/A
additional property: CNCF Project Status
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Independent (Moby Project) | Containerd: CNCF Graduated Project
additional property: Kubernetes Default Runtime
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Removed in v1.24 (deprecated v1.20) | Containerd: Default since v1.24
additional property: Public Images Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 15+ million (Docker Hub) | Containerd: 0 (no built-in registry)
  value reference: Docker
additional property: K8s Cluster Adoption Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 33% | Containerd: 67%
  value reference: Containerd
additional property: Docker Image Format Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Native Docker + OCI | Containerd: OCI standard only
additional property: Minimum Memory Requirement
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 0.25 GB | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Single-node Deployment Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Native support | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Maximum Recommended Cluster Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 1 host (Docker Engine) | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Enterprise Production Adoption
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 72% of organizations | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Time to Production Deployment
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 1-3 days | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Cost for Small Deployment (5 containers)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: $50-100 | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Built-in Auto-scaling Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Via Docker Swarm only | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Certified Ecosystem Plugins
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 50+ | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Memory Footprint
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 50-100 MB baseline | Containerd: N/A
additional property: CLI Command Compatibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 100% native | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Container Registry Options
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 15+ integrated registries | Containerd: N/A
additional property: Kubernetes Native Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Deprecated post-1.24, requires migration | Containerd: N/A
interactivity type: active
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/docker
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/docker
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/containerd
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/containerd
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/answer/docker-vs-containerd)
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/schema/docker-vs-containerd)
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/docker-vs-containerd
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/docker-vs-podman
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/docker-vs-nerdctl
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/docker-vs-buildah
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/docker-vs-lxc
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/docker-vs-kubernetes
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/docker-vs-buildah)
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/docker-vs-nerdctl)
teaches: How to choose between Docker and Containerd
genre: Software

primaryImage
type: ImageObject
width: 1200
height: 630
caption: Docker vs Containerd — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B

A Versus B
type: Organization

Docker
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: Complete container platform with runtime, CLI, orchestration, and development tools
subject of: Docker vs Containerd

Containerd
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: Lightweight, industry-standard container runtime focused on container lifecycle management
subject of: Docker vs Containerd

Docker vs Containerd — Structured Comparison Data
type: Dataset
description: Machine-readable comparison dataset for Docker vs Containerd. Contains 92 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
language: en-US
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
creator: A Versus B
distribution: JSON-LD knowledge graph
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json+ld
distribution: Raw comparison JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Structured FAQ pairs JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: AI Answer API (citation-ready)
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Related comparisons JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
variable measured: Latest Stable Version (2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Release Status
variable measured: Setup Time for Beginners
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
variable measured: Scalability Limit
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Capacity
variable measured: Primary Use Environment
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Deployment
variable measured: Container Runtime Dependency
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Architecture
variable measured: Auto-Scaling Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Scalability
variable measured: Configuration Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Operational
variable measured: Multi-Cluster Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Scalability
variable measured: Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Adoption
variable measured: Memory Usage (idle)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Rootless Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Kubernetes Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Infrastructure
variable measured: Docker Compose Compatibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Compatibility
variable measured: Installation Methods
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Accessibility
variable measured: Community Contributors
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Community
variable measured: Daemon Architecture
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Architecture
variable measured: Monthly Docker Hub Downloads
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Adoption & Popularity
variable measured: Architecture Type
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Design Philosophy
variable measured: Memory Overhead (Idle)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Incremental Build Time (100-layer image)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Security CVEs (2024)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Rootless Mode
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Container Runtime Capabilities
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Functionality
variable measured: Native CI/CD Platform Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Base Memory Footprint
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Resources
variable measured: Monthly Downloads (Docker Hub/Package Managers)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Adoption
variable measured: Years in Production
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Maturity
variable measured: Kubernetes 1.24+ Native Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Kubernetes Integration
variable measured: Container Build Speed (Simple Dockerfile)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Available CLI Commands
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Feature Completeness
variable measured: Rootless Container Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Official Commercial Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: CNCF Project Status
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Maturity
variable measured: Kubernetes Default Runtime
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Kubernetes
variable measured: Public Images Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: K8s Cluster Adoption Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market Adoption
variable measured: Docker Image Format Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Compatibility
variable measured: Minimum Memory Requirement
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Resources
variable measured: Single-node Deployment Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Functionality
variable measured: Maximum Recommended Cluster Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Scalability
variable measured: Enterprise Production Adoption
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Production Use
variable measured: Time to Production Deployment
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Operability
variable measured: Cost for Small Deployment (5 containers)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Economics
variable measured: Built-in Auto-scaling Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Functionality
variable measured: Certified Ecosystem Plugins
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Memory Footprint
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: CLI Command Compatibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Compatibility
variable measured: Container Registry Options
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Kubernetes Native Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Deployment
variable measured: Documentation Availability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: Container Build Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Installation Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Setup
variable measured: Market Adoption Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Adoption
variable measured: Available Pre-built Images
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Rootless Build Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Dockerfile Compatibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Compatibility
variable measured: Persistent Daemon Required
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Architecture
variable measured: Enterprise Deployments
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market Position
variable measured: Stack Overflow Questions
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Community
variable measured: Container Startup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Memory Overhead per Container
variable measured: Market Adoption
variable measured: Cross-Platform Support
variable measured: Public Container Images Available
variable measured: Learning Difficulty (1-10 scale)
variable measured: Number of Integrated Tools
variable measured: Container Density per Host
variable measured: Typical Memory Overhead Per Container
variable measured: Container Startup Time (cold start)
is based on: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/docker-vs-containerd)

Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary
type: DefinedTermSet
language: en-US
description: Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Docker vs Containerd.
has defined term: Release Status
has defined term: Usability
has defined term: Capacity
has defined term: Deployment
has defined term: Architecture
has defined term: Scalability
has defined term: Operational
has defined term: Adoption
has defined term: Performance
has defined term: Security
has defined term: Infrastructure
has defined term: Compatibility
has defined term: Accessibility
has defined term: Community
has defined term: Adoption & Popularity
has defined term: Design Philosophy
has defined term: Functionality
has defined term: Integration
has defined term: Resources
has defined term: Maturity
has defined term: Kubernetes Integration
has defined term: Feature Completeness
has defined term: Support
has defined term: Kubernetes
has defined term: Ecosystem
has defined term: Market Adoption
has defined term: Production Use
has defined term: Operability
has defined term: Economics
has defined term: Setup
has defined term: Market Position
has defined term: Learning Curve
has defined term: Orchestration
has defined term: User Experience
has defined term: Features
has defined term: Implementation
has defined term: Market
has defined term: Adoption & Community
has defined term: Design
has defined term: Platform Integration
has defined term: Developer Experience
has defined term: Platform Support

Release Status
type: DefinedTerm
term code: release-status
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Usability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: usability
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Capacity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: capacity
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Deployment
type: DefinedTerm
term code: deployment
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Architecture
type: DefinedTerm
term code: architecture
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Scalability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: scalability
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Operational
type: DefinedTerm
term code: operational
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: adoption
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Performance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: performance
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Security
type: DefinedTerm
term code: security
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Infrastructure
type: DefinedTerm
term code: infrastructure
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Compatibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: compatibility
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Accessibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: accessibility
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Community
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Adoption & Popularity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: adoption-&-popularity
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Design Philosophy
type: DefinedTerm
term code: design-philosophy
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Functionality
type: DefinedTerm
term code: functionality
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integration
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Resources
type: DefinedTerm
term code: resources
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Maturity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: maturity
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Kubernetes Integration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: kubernetes-integration
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Feature Completeness
type: DefinedTerm
term code: feature-completeness
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: support
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Kubernetes
type: DefinedTerm
term code: kubernetes
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ecosystem
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ecosystem
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market-adoption
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Production Use
type: DefinedTerm
term code: production-use
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Operability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: operability
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Economics
type: DefinedTerm
term code: economics
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Setup
type: DefinedTerm
term code: setup
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market Position
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market-position
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Learning Curve
type: DefinedTerm
term code: learning-curve
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Orchestration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: orchestration
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

User Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: user-experience
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: features
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Implementation
type: DefinedTerm
term code: implementation
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Adoption & Community
type: DefinedTerm
term code: adoption-&-community
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Design
type: DefinedTerm
term code: design
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Platform Integration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: platform-integration
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Developer Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: developer-experience
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Platform Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: platform-support
in defined term set: Docker vs Containerd — Attribute Category Vocabulary

faq
type: FAQPage
language: en-US
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
date modified: 2026-07-09T16:40:36.441Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
is part of: docker-vs-containerd)
main entity: Does Containerd replace Docker entirely?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: No. Docker actually uses Containerd as its underlying runtime since Docker 1.11 (2016). Docker provides additional layers: the docker CLI, Docker Compose orchestration, Docker Desktop GUI, and Docker Swarm. Containerd is the minimal runtime component only. For Kubernetes production, Containerd replaces Docker as the container runtime, but Docker remains superior for local development.
    language: en-US
main entity: Can I use Containerd with Docker Compose?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Not directly. Docker Compose is tightly integrated with Docker's CLI and daemon. With Containerd alone, you'd need alternative orchestration tools like Kubernetes, Docker Swarm (which requires Docker), or community tools like nerdctl (which mimics docker CLI but has limited Compose support). This is a significant limitation for development workflows.
    language: en-US
main entity: Why did Kubernetes deprecate Docker as a runtime?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Kubernetes deprecated Docker (v1.24, 2022) because Docker is a full platform, not just a runtime. Kubernetes only needs the container runtime functionality, which Containerd provides more efficiently. Docker's additional features (daemon, CLI, Swarm) add unnecessary overhead and complexity in Kubernetes environments. The deprecation doesn't affect Docker for local development — only as a K8s runtime.
    language: en-US
main entity: What's the cost difference in production?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Containerd's 50% lower memory footprint (60 MB vs 135 MB) translates to significant savings at scale. In a cluster of 1,000 nodes, that's roughly 75 GB less RAM needed. At $0.05/GB/month cloud pricing, that's $3,750/month savings. However, Docker is rarely used as the production runtime anymore post-K8s deprecation, so this comparison is mainly theoretical.
    language: en-US
main entity: Should I switch from Docker to Containerd?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: For local development: No — Docker's developer experience is superior. For Kubernetes production: Yes — Containerd is now the default runtime and more efficient. If you're running Docker Swarm: Stay with Docker. The decision depends on your use case: development (Docker), Kubernetes production (Containerd), or legacy Swarm (Docker).
    language: en-US

How to Choose Between Docker and Containerd
type: HowTo
description: Docker is a complete container platform with built-in orchestration and developer tools, while Containerd is a lightweight, industry-standard container runtime focused solely on container lifecycle management. Docker uses Containerd as its underlying runtime, making Containerd the more minimal alternative for production environments that don't need Docker's additional features.
language: en-US
total time: PT3M
step: Consider: Architecture Scope
step: Consider: Memory Footprint
step: Consider: Startup Time (cold start)
step: Consider: Developer Experience
step: Consider: Industry Adoption (Kubernetes)
step: Consider: Maintenance Burden
step: Consider: Desktop Development Experience
tool: A Versus B Comparison Guide
tip: HowToTip
  text: Choose Docker if you're a developer building and testing containers locally, using Docker Compose for multi-container applications, or running Docker Swarm — its integrated tooling and learning curve make it ideal for most development workflows. Choose Containerd if you're operating Kubernetes clusters, need minimal resource overhead in production, or building custom container solutions where you want strict separation of concerns and don't need Docker's orchestration features.

Consider: Architecture Scope
type: HowToStep
position: 1
text: Architecture Scope: Docker has Full platform (runtime, CLI, orchestration, compose), while Containerd has Lightweight runtime only.

Consider: Memory Footprint
type: HowToStep
position: 2
text: Memory Footprint: Docker has ~120-150 MB idle, while Containerd has ~50-70 MB idle.

Consider: Startup Time (cold start)
type: HowToStep
position: 3
text: Startup Time (cold start): Docker has 2-3 seconds, while Containerd has 1-1.5 seconds.

Consider: Developer Experience
type: HowToStep
position: 4
text: Developer Experience: Docker has Integrated docker-compose, extensive CLI, learning curve minimal, while Containerd has Requires external tools (nerdctl, crictl), steeper setup.

Consider: Industry Adoption (Kubernetes)
type: HowToStep
position: 5
text: Industry Adoption (Kubernetes): Docker has Deprecated as K8s runtime (as of v1.24, 2022), while Containerd has Default/recommended K8s runtime.

Consider: Maintenance Burden
type: HowToStep
position: 6
text: Maintenance Burden: Docker has Higher (more components to maintain), while Containerd has Lower (minimal surface area).

Consider: Desktop Development Experience
type: HowToStep
position: 7
text: Desktop Development Experience: Docker has Docker Desktop with GUI, Docker Hub integration, while Containerd has No official GUI, requires command-line only.

claimreview
type: ClaimReview
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
claim reviewed: Docker vs Containerd
review body: Docker is a complete container platform with built-in orchestration and developer tools, while Containerd is a lightweight, industry-standard container runtime focused solely on container lifecycle management. Docker uses Containerd as its underlying runtime, making Containerd the more minimal alternative for production environments that don't need Docker's additional features.
review rating: Rating
  rating: 5
  worst rating: 1
  best rating: 5
  alternate name: Verified Comparison
author: A Versus B
item reviewed: Docker vs Containerd

Documentation Availability
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: Comprehensive (500K+ SO answers) | Containerd: N/A

Container Build Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 12-18 sec (Docker BuildKit) | Containerd: N/A

Installation Complexity
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 5-7 steps including daemon setup | Containerd: N/A

Market Adoption Rate
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 82% enterprise adoption | Containerd: N/A

Available Pre-built Images
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 16 million | Containerd: N/A

Rootless Build Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: Requires workarounds/plugin | Containerd: N/A

Dockerfile Compatibility
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 100% | Containerd: N/A

Persistent Daemon Required
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: Yes, always running | Containerd: N/A

Enterprise Deployments
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 200+ thousand | Containerd: N/A

Stack Overflow Questions
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 2,800 thousand | Containerd: 45k
value reference: Docker

Container Startup Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 50-100ms | Containerd: ~720 ms
value reference: Docker

Memory Overhead per Container
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 50-100MB | Containerd: N/A

Market Adoption
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 92% | Containerd: N/A

Cross-Platform Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: Linux, macOS (via Docker Desktop), Windows (WSL2/Hyper-V) | Containerd: N/A

Public Container Images Available
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 1,000,000+ | Containerd: N/A

Learning Difficulty (1-10 scale)
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 3/10 | Containerd: N/A

Number of Integrated Tools
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 150+ major integrations | Containerd: N/A

Container Density per Host
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 8-12 containers | Containerd: N/A

Typical Memory Overhead Per Container
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 100-200 MB | Containerd: N/A

Container Startup Time (cold start)
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 0.5-2 seconds | Containerd: N/A

Market Share (Container Platforms)
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 82% | Containerd: N/A

GitHub Stars (as of 2024)
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: ~68,000+ stars | Containerd: N/A

Image Repository Size (typical minimal image)
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 5-50 MB (Alpine images) | Containerd: N/A

Native Kubernetes Integration
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: Full CRI support via containerd | Containerd: N/A

Max Containers Per Host (practical limit)
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 200-500 containers | Containerd: N/A

Security Isolation Level
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: Application isolation via namespaces + optional seccomp/AppArmor | Containerd: N/A

Initial Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 2-4 hours | Containerd: N/A

Maximum Cluster Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: ~100 effective | Containerd: N/A

Native Auto-Scaling
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: No (requires external tools) | Containerd: N/A

Container Image Size Overhead
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 100-500 typical | Containerd: N/A

Multi-Host Management
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: Docker Swarm (basic) | Containerd: N/A

Community Projects/Ecosystem Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 2,500+ | Containerd: N/A

Production Readiness Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 0.5-1 week | Containerd: N/A

Enterprise Adoption Rate (2024)
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 70% of enterprises | Containerd: N/A

Monthly Downloads (2025)
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 13.2M | Containerd: N/A

Architecture Model
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: Centralized daemon (single dockerd process) | Containerd: N/A

Kubernetes Deprecation Status
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: Deprecated as kubelet default (v1.20, 2020) | Containerd: N/A

Docker Compose CLI Compatibility
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 100% (native, 1:1 spec) | Containerd: N/A

Production Kubernetes Adoption
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 65% (Docker as base, CRI-O in prod) | Containerd: N/A

Security Vulnerability Attack Surface
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 1 (daemon process) | Containerd: N/A

Windows/macOS Native Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: Docker Desktop (native binary) | Containerd: N/A

Idle Memory Usage
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 120-150 MB | Containerd: 50-70 MB
value reference: Containerd

Cold Container Start Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 2-3 seconds | Containerd: 1-1.5 seconds
value reference: Containerd

SpeakableSpecification
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Docker — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Containerd — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Compare Docker vs Containerd
type: Action
additional type: CompareAction
target: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/docker-vs-containerd)
object: Docker
object: Containerd

Memory Overhead per Container
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Market Adoption
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption

Cross-Platform Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compatibility

Public Container Images Available
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Learning Difficulty (1-10 scale)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Learning Curve

Number of Integrated Tools
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Container Density per Host
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Typical Memory Overhead Per Container
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Container Startup Time (cold start)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Market Share (Container Platforms)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption

GitHub Stars (as of 2024)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community

Image Repository Size (typical minimal image)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Native Kubernetes Integration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Orchestration

Max Containers Per Host (practical limit)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scalability

Security Isolation Level
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security

Initial Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: User Experience

Maximum Cluster Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scalability

Native Auto-Scaling
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Container Image Size Overhead
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Multi-Host Management
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Orchestration

Community Projects/Ecosystem Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Production Readiness Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Implementation

Enterprise Adoption Rate (2024)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market

Monthly Downloads (2025)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption & Community

Architecture Model
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Design

Kubernetes Deprecation Status
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Platform Integration

Docker Compose CLI Compatibility
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Developer Experience

Production Kubernetes Adoption
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market

Security Vulnerability Attack Surface
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security

Windows/macOS Native Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Platform Support

Idle Memory Usage
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Cold Container Start Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance