Docker vs Kubernetes
type: Article
description: Docker is a containerization platform that packages applications into isolated containers, while Kubernetes is an orchestration system that manages and scales those containers across multiple machines. Docker is simpler for single-machine deployments, whereas Kubernetes excels at managing complex, multi-node production environments.
language: en-US
date published: 2026-03-29T10:42:31.269Z
date created: 2026-03-29T10:42:31.269Z
date modified: 2026-07-02T06:04:26.275Z
content reference time: 2026-07-02T06:04:26.275Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
about: Docker
about: Kubernetes
abstract: Docker is a containerization platform that packages applications into isolated containers, while Kubernetes is an orchestration system that manages and scales those containers across multiple machines. Docker is simpler for single-machine deployments, whereas Kubernetes excels at managing complex, multi-node production environments.
text: Primary Function. Learning Curve (Hours for Proficiency). Cluster Management Capability. Auto-scaling Support. Production Enterprise Adoption Rate. Memory Overhead (Typical Installation). Setup Time for Production (Days)
conclusion text: Choose Docker if you're containerizing applications for development, testing, or single-server deployment—it's lightweight, fast to learn, and requires minimal infrastructure. Choose Kubernetes if you're running production workloads at scale across multiple servers, need automatic failover, load balancing, and auto-scaling for thousands of containers, or are building microservices architectures in enterprise environments.
additional property: Latest Stable Version (2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Latest multi-stage builds and AI-native features | Kubernetes: v1.35.2 (February 2026)
additional property: Setup Time for Beginners
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 5-15 minutes | Kubernetes: 2-4 hours
  value reference: Docker
additional property: Scalability Limit
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 1 (single host) | Kubernetes: Unlimited clusters
additional property: Primary Use Environment
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Development, CI/CD, local testing | Kubernetes: Production, multi-machine clusters
additional property: Container Runtime Dependency
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Docker engine required | Kubernetes: Runtime agnostic (Docker, containerd, etc.)
additional property: Auto-Scaling Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Manual scaling only | Kubernetes: Automatic horizontal and vertical scaling
additional property: Configuration Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Simple (Dockerfile, docker-compose) | Kubernetes: Complex (YAML manifests, declarative)
  value reference: Docker
additional property: Multi-Cluster Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Not supported | Kubernetes: Full support with Application Sets v2
additional property: Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Docker: 90% | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Memory Usage (idle)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Docker: 120-150 MB | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Rootless Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Available (requires config) | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Kubernetes Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Deprecated (containerd preferred) | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Docker Compose Compatibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 100% compatible | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Installation Methods
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Docker: 5 major | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Community Contributors
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Docker: 2000+ | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Daemon Architecture
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Centralized daemon | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Monthly Docker Hub Downloads
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 13.1 million | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Architecture Type
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Daemon-based (requires background service) | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Memory Overhead (Idle)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 350-500 MB | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Incremental Build Time (100-layer image)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 42 seconds | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Security CVEs (2024)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 12 CVEs (avg CVSS 6.2) | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Rootless Mode
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Experimental/requires configuration | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Container Runtime Capabilities
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Full lifecycle (build, run, exec, logs, network, push, pull) | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Native CI/CD Platform Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 98% of platforms | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Base Memory Footprint
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: ~100 MB | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Monthly Downloads (Docker Hub/Package Managers)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 100+ million | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Years in Production
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 13+ years (since 2013) | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Kubernetes 1.24+ Native Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Requires dockershim replacement or Docker 1.26+ Kubernetes integration | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Container Build Speed (Simple Dockerfile)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 8-12 seconds with BuildKit cache | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Available CLI Commands
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 40+ core commands with subcommands | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Rootless Container Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Experimental in Docker Desktop; limited on Linux | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Official Commercial Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Yes—Docker Inc. Enterprise and Pro plans | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Idle Memory Usage
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: ~125 MB | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Container Startup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: ~850 ms | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: CNCF Project Status
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Independent (Moby Project) | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Kubernetes Default Runtime
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Removed in v1.24 (deprecated v1.20) | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Public Images Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 15+ million (Docker Hub) | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: K8s Cluster Adoption Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 33% | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Docker Image Format Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Native Docker + OCI | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: Minimum Memory Requirement
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 0.25 GB | Kubernetes: 2 GB
  value reference: Docker
additional property: Single-node Deployment Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Native support | Kubernetes: Requires k3s or minimal clusters
additional property: Maximum Recommended Cluster Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 1 host (Docker Engine) | Kubernetes: 5000+ nodes per cluster
  value reference: Kubernetes
additional property: Enterprise Production Adoption
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 72% of organizations | Kubernetes: 89% of Fortune 500
  value reference: Kubernetes
additional property: Time to Production Deployment
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 1-3 days | Kubernetes: 7-14 days
  value reference: Docker
additional property: Cost for Small Deployment (5 containers)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: $50-100 | Kubernetes: $400-800
  value reference: Docker
additional property: Built-in Auto-scaling Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: Via Docker Swarm only | Kubernetes: Native HPA & VPA
additional property: Certified Ecosystem Plugins
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 50+ | Kubernetes: 500+
  value reference: Kubernetes
additional property: Memory Footprint
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 50-100 MB baseline | Kubernetes: N/A
additional property: CLI Command Compatibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Docker: 100% native | Kubernetes: 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/kubernetes
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/kubernetes
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/answer/docker-vs-kubernetes
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/schema/docker-vs-kubernetes
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/kubernetes-vs-aws
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/kubernetes-vs-google-cloud
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/kubernetes-vs-render
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/kubernetes-vs-heroku
teaches: How to choose between Docker and Kubernetes
genre: Software

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

A Versus B
type: Organization

Docker
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: Industry-standard containerization platform with integrated daemon, build tools, and registry ecosystem.
subject of: Docker vs Kubernetes

Kubernetes
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: Open-source container orchestration platform for automating deployment and scaling of containerized applications.
subject of: Docker vs Kubernetes

Docker vs Kubernetes — Structured Comparison Data
type: Dataset
description: Machine-readable comparison dataset for Docker vs Kubernetes. 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 Cycle
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: Features
variable measured: Configuration Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
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: Resource Efficiency
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: Idle Memory Usage
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Resource Efficiency
variable measured: Container Startup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
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: Market
variable measured: Time to Production Deployment
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Operations
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: System 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: Integration
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 & Onboarding
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
variable measured: Time to Production Setup
variable measured: Market Share (Container Orchestration)
variable measured: Cloud Market Share
variable measured: Total Cost of Ownership (3-year, 100-node cluster)
variable measured: Vendor Lock-in Risk
variable measured: Available Services
variable measured: Community Size & Documentation
variable measured: Multi-Cloud Deployment Capability
is based on: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/docker-vs-kubernetes

Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary
type: DefinedTermSet
language: en-US
description: Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Docker vs Kubernetes.
has defined term: Release Cycle
has defined term: Usability
has defined term: Capacity
has defined term: Deployment
has defined term: Architecture
has defined term: Features
has defined term: Scalability
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: Resource Efficiency
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: Resources
has defined term: Market
has defined term: Operations
has defined term: Economics
has defined term: System Performance
has defined term: Setup & Onboarding
has defined term: Market Position
has defined term: Community Support
has defined term: Deployment & Operations
has defined term: Cost
has defined term: Features & Scope
has defined term: Community & Support
has defined term: Development
has defined term: Learning & Operations
has defined term: Pricing
has defined term: Developer Experience
has defined term: Reliability
has defined term: User Experience
has defined term: Infrastructure Scale
has defined term: Strategic
has defined term: Operational Efficiency

Release Cycle
type: DefinedTerm
term code: release-cycle
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Resource Efficiency
type: DefinedTerm
term code: resource-efficiency
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Operations
type: DefinedTerm
term code: operations
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

System Performance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: system-performance
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Setup & Onboarding
type: DefinedTerm
term code: setup-&-onboarding
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

Community Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community-support
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Deployment & Operations
type: DefinedTerm
term code: deployment-&-operations
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Cost
type: DefinedTerm
term code: cost
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Features & Scope
type: DefinedTerm
term code: features-&-scope
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Community & Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community-&-support
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Development
type: DefinedTerm
term code: development
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Learning & Operations
type: DefinedTerm
term code: learning-&-operations
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

Reliability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: reliability
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

Infrastructure Scale
type: DefinedTerm
term code: infrastructure-scale
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Strategic
type: DefinedTerm
term code: strategic
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Operational Efficiency
type: DefinedTerm
term code: operational-efficiency
in defined term set: Docker vs Kubernetes — Attribute Category Vocabulary

faq
type: FAQPage
language: en-US
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
date modified: 2026-07-02T06:04:26.275Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
is part of: docker-vs-kubernetes
main entity: Do I need Kubernetes if I'm using Docker?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Not necessarily. Docker alone is sufficient for development, CI/CD, and single-server deployments. You only need Kubernetes if you're running multiple containers across multiple servers in production, need automatic scaling, or require high availability. Many teams use Docker with Docker Compose for orchestration on a single host.
    language: en-US
main entity: Can Kubernetes work without Docker?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Yes. Kubernetes can orchestrate any container runtime (containerd, CRI-O, Podman). In fact, Docker is being phased out as the default Kubernetes runtime in favor of containerd, which is lighter and purpose-built. However, Docker remains the most common tool for building and testing container images.
    language: en-US
main entity: What's the cost difference between Docker and Kubernetes deployments?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Docker is cheaper to operate—a 5-container deployment costs ~$75/month on a single VPS. Kubernetes requires more infrastructure: a 3-node cluster with 50 containers costs $400-800/month. However, Kubernetes's auto-scaling and efficiency can be more cost-effective at scale (100+ containers), reducing waste from over-provisioning.
    language: en-US
main entity: How long does it take to learn Kubernetes vs Docker?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Docker basics take 40-80 hours (1-2 weeks part-time). Kubernetes requires 200-400 hours (2-3 months part-time) to reach production proficiency. This is because Kubernetes involves cluster architecture, networking policies, persistent volumes, RBAC, and debugging distributed systems—significantly more complexity.
    language: en-US
main entity: Should startups use Kubernetes?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Most startups should start with Docker and Docker Compose, then migrate to Kubernetes only when they reach 50+ containers or need multi-region scaling. Kubernetes adds operational overhead that distracts from product development. Use managed Kubernetes (EKS, GKE, AKS) if you do adopt it—avoid managing a cluster manually.
    language: en-US

How to Choose Between Docker and Kubernetes
type: HowTo
description: Docker is a containerization platform that packages applications into isolated containers, while Kubernetes is an orchestration system that manages and scales those containers across multiple machines. Docker is simpler for single-machine deployments, whereas Kubernetes excels at managing complex, multi-node production environments.
language: en-US
total time: PT3M
step: Consider: Primary Function
step: Consider: Learning Curve (Hours for Proficiency)
step: Consider: Cluster Management Capability
step: Consider: Auto-scaling Support
step: Consider: Production Enterprise Adoption Rate
step: Consider: Memory Overhead (Typical Installation)
step: Consider: Setup Time for Production (Days)
tool: A Versus B Comparison Guide
tip: HowToTip
  text: Choose Docker if you're containerizing applications for development, testing, or single-server deployment—it's lightweight, fast to learn, and requires minimal infrastructure. Choose Kubernetes if you're running production workloads at scale across multiple servers, need automatic failover, load balancing, and auto-scaling for thousands of containers, or are building microservices architectures in enterprise environments.

Consider: Primary Function
type: HowToStep
position: 1
text: Primary Function: Docker has Container creation & runtime, while Kubernetes has Container orchestration & management.

Consider: Learning Curve (Hours for Proficiency)
type: HowToStep
position: 2
text: Learning Curve (Hours for Proficiency): Docker has 40-80 hours, while Kubernetes has 200-400 hours.

Consider: Cluster Management Capability
type: HowToStep
position: 3
text: Cluster Management Capability: Docker has Single host only, while Kubernetes has Multi-node across data centers.

Consider: Auto-scaling Support
type: HowToStep
position: 4
text: Auto-scaling Support: Docker has Manual or via Docker Swarm, while Kubernetes has Built-in horizontal pod autoscaling.

Consider: Production Enterprise Adoption Rate
type: HowToStep
position: 5
text: Production Enterprise Adoption Rate: Docker has 72% of organizations use Docker, while Kubernetes has 89% of Fortune 500 use Kubernetes.

Consider: Memory Overhead (Typical Installation)
type: HowToStep
position: 6
text: Memory Overhead (Typical Installation): Docker has 150-300 MB, while Kubernetes has 1.5-2.5 GB.

Consider: Setup Time for Production (Days)
type: HowToStep
position: 7
text: Setup Time for Production (Days): Docker has 1-3 days, while Kubernetes has 7-14 days.

claimreview
type: ClaimReview
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
claim reviewed: Docker vs Kubernetes
review body: Docker is a containerization platform that packages applications into isolated containers, while Kubernetes is an orchestration system that manages and scales those containers across multiple machines. Docker is simpler for single-machine deployments, whereas Kubernetes excels at managing complex, multi-node production environments.
review rating: Rating
  rating: 5
  worst rating: 1
  best rating: 5
  alternate name: Verified Comparison
author: A Versus B
item reviewed: Docker vs Kubernetes

Container Registry Options
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 15+ integrated registries | Kubernetes: N/A

Kubernetes Native Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: Deprecated post-1.24, requires migration | Kubernetes: N/A

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stack Overflow Questions
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: 2,800 thousand | Kubernetes: N/A

Time to Production Setup
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: 14-30 days (requires cluster setup, networking, storage, security configuration)

Market Share (Container Orchestration)
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: 96% of enterprises using container orchestration (2024)

Cloud Market Share
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: N/A - not a cloud provider

Total Cost of Ownership (3-year, 100-node cluster)
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: $400K-$600K (infrastructure + 3-5 FTE DevOps engineers at $120K-$150K/year)

Vendor Lock-in Risk
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: None—runs on any cloud provider or on-premises

Available Services
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: 1 (container orchestration) + ecosystem plugins

Community Size & Documentation
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: 110K+ GitHub stars; 3000+ contributors; CNCF project

Multi-Cloud Deployment Capability
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Oracle Cloud, on-premises, edge environments

Time to First Deployment
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: 30-120 minutes

Required DevOps Experience
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: 200-400 hours

Global Community Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: 8.5 million

Minimum Monthly Cost (Small App)
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: $50-300

Enterprise Scale Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: $500-5,000+

Maximum Concurrent Users (Native Support)
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: Unlimited

Configuration as Code Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: Full (YAML, Helm, Kustomize)

Automatic Scaling Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: 60-180 minutes

Monthly Cost (Baseline App)
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: $150-400

Maximum Deployable Scale
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: Unlimited

Learning Curve (Expert Assessment)
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: 3-6 months

Available Add-ons/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: 400+ (via Helm/operators)

Uptime SLA Guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: 99.5% (varies by provider)

Cost at 10,000 Monthly Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: $300-800

Required DevOps Team Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: 1-2+

Initial Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: 40-80 hours (self-hosted)

Global Data Center Regions
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: Deployment-dependent

Base Licensing Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: Free (open-source)

Container Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: Docker, Containerd, CRI-O, Podman

Vendor Lock-in Risk Level
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: Minimal (runs on any cloud)

Enterprise Support SLA
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: Community-dependent (varies)

Average Cluster Management Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: 30-50 hours/month (self-hosted)

Multi-cloud Deployment Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Docker: N/A | Kubernetes: AWS, Azure, GCP, on-premises, edge

SpeakableSpecification
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Docker — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Kubernetes — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Compare Docker vs Kubernetes
type: Action
additional type: CompareAction
target: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/docker-vs-kubernetes
object: Docker
object: Kubernetes

Stack Overflow Questions
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community Support

Time to Production Setup
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Deployment & Operations

Market Share (Container Orchestration)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market Position

Cloud Market Share
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market Position

Total Cost of Ownership (3-year, 100-node cluster)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Cost

Vendor Lock-in Risk
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Architecture

Available Services
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features & Scope

Community Size & Documentation
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community & Support

Multi-Cloud Deployment Capability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Architecture

Time to First Deployment
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Development

Required DevOps Experience
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Learning & Operations

Global Community Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community & Support

Minimum Monthly Cost (Small App)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Enterprise Scale Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Maximum Concurrent Users (Native Support)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scalability

Configuration as Code Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Infrastructure

Automatic Scaling Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Operations

Monthly Cost (Baseline App)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Maximum Deployable Scale
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scalability

Learning Curve (Expert Assessment)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Developer Experience

Available Add-ons/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Uptime SLA Guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Reliability

Cost at 10,000 Monthly Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Required DevOps Team Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Operations

Initial Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: User Experience

Global Data Center Regions
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Infrastructure Scale

Base Licensing Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Cost

Container Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compatibility

Vendor Lock-in Risk Level
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Strategic

Enterprise Support SLA
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Support

Average Cluster Management Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Operational Efficiency

Multi-cloud Deployment Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Architecture