Why I’m Not Using Docker Anymore
For years, Docker was my go-to tool for containerization.
It changed the way I built, tested, and deployed applications.
But over time, the simplicity that made Docker great became its own limitation.
After countless updates, licensing changes, and background issues, I finally decided to move on — to Podman.
Here’s why.
🧩 The Problem with Docker
At first, Docker was revolutionary.
But as my projects grew, so did the problems.
1. Docker Desktop and Licensing Fatigue
Docker Desktop used to be free and lightweight.
Now, it’s a heavy GUI with license restrictions for teams and enterprises.
If you’re on macOS or Windows, you’re forced to run a VM layer just to make Docker work.
And that means:
- Slower performance
- More RAM consumption
- Background processes you didn’t ask for
It became bloated — the opposite of what containers are supposed to be.
2. The Daemon Dependency
Docker needs a central daemon (dockerd) to run containers.
If that daemon crashes, every running container goes down with it.
This is especially frustrating on servers or CI/CD environments.
It’s like having a single point of failure baked right into your development stack.
3. Root Privileges and Security Risks
By default, Docker runs as root — meaning:
- Any container escape vulnerability is catastrophic
- It increases your attack surface
- You need extra hardening just to stay safe
For development, that’s annoying.
For production, it’s a dealbreaker.
4. The CLI “Magic” That’s Hard to Trust
Docker tries to be friendly with simple commands like:
docker run -d -p 80:80 nginx
But behind the scenes, there’s a lot of hidden behavior — networks, bridges, permissions, volumes —
that you don’t always control directly.
That “magic” often turns debugging into a guessing game.
🚀 Enter Podman
Podman (short for Pod Manager) came as a breath of fresh air.
It’s daemonless, rootless, and Docker-compatible.
Meaning — you can literally run:
podman run -d -p 80:80 nginx
and it works exactly like Docker… but cleaner.
🧱 No Daemon, No Problem
Each container in Podman runs as an independent process under your user.
No background service, no central daemon.
If one container crashes, it doesn’t take down the others.
It feels Unix-y, in the best possible way.
🔒 Rootless by Design
Podman runs containers as your normal user.
That means:
- Safer by default
- No need for
sudo - No privileged socket hanging around
It’s perfect for dev machines and servers where you care about isolation.
🧠 Docker-Compatible, Without Docker
Podman supports:
- The same CLI syntax as Docker
- The same image formats
- The same registries (like Docker Hub or GHCR)
You can even alias it:
alias docker=podman
and your existing scripts will keep working.
🖥️ Bonus: Simpler Integration for Servers
Podman integrates beautifully with systemd.
You can auto-generate a service file from a container:
podman generate systemd --name myapp
No need for Compose, no need for daemon reloads.
Your container becomes a native Linux service — exactly as it should.
🌱 Why I’m Staying with Podman
After migrating, here’s what I noticed:
- My system uses less memory
- No hidden background processes
- Faster startup for containers
- Easier debugging and cleaner logs
- Better security without any hacks
And the best part?
It feels like I’m finally back in control.
⚙️ Final Thought
Docker deserves credit for pioneering containerization.
But its ecosystem drifted from developer simplicity toward heavy commercial tooling.
Podman brought me back to the fundamentals — lightweight, secure, and transparent containers.
If you’re tired of Docker Desktop eating resources or fighting daemon issues,
give Podman a try. You might never go back.
Goodbye Docker.
You were great — but it’s time for something better.
📚 Source Reference
This article was informed and supported by insights from the following resource:
Podman vs Docker: Key Differences and Which is Better
By Anjali Udasi — 16 min read
Explore key differences in architecture, security, and tooling to choose the right containerization tool for your needs.
Covers in-depth topics including architecture, performance, orchestration, security, and migration from Docker to Podman.
View original: Podman vs Docker: Explore key differences in architecture, security, and tooling to choose the right containerization tool for your needs.