<h2>Are there other implementations</h2>
<p><strong>Yes</strong>. The <a href="https://landscape.cncf.io/card-mode?category=container-runtime&amp;grouping=category" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Container Runtime</a> group of the Cloud-Native Computing Foundation has a list of runtimes:</p>
<p>They include:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://containerd.io" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Containerd</a></li>
<li><a href="https://cri-io.io" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CRI-IO</a></li>
<li><a href="https://firecracker-microvm.github.io" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Firecracker</a></li>
<li><a href="https://gvisor.dev" rel="nofollow noreferrer">gVisor</a></li>
<li><a href="https://katacontainers.io" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Kata Containers</a></li>
<li><a href="https://linux-containers.org/lxd" rel="nofollow noreferrer">LXD</a></li>
<li><a href="https://nabla-containers.github.io" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Nabla Containers</a></li>
<li><a href="https://github.com/alibaba/pouch" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Pouch</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.opencontainers.org" rel="nofollow noreferrer">runc</a></li>
<li><a href="https://sylabs.io" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Singularity</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.joyent.com/smartos" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SmartOS</a></li>
<li><a href="https://github.com/solo-io/unik" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Unik</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Do they have different approaches</h2>
<p>While they cannot all be compared with each other directly, they all offer a way to provide a container runtime. In some cases, this runtime leverages the kernel, in others, they are in userspace. While some are explicitly proprietary, others are explicitly Open. Some are supported by large corporations (Google, IBM, Amazon, Alibaba), others by foundations or open source communities.</p>
<p>All of these are used in production, but perhaps vary in their popularity.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-12T19:07:03.263Z
All of the listed Container Runtimes listed that implement the Container Runtime Interface (CRI), but there are also others that don't implement the CRI as well, such as systemd-nspawn
chaosaffe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-10T02:22:53.633Z
The first link is dead.
user1271772
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-12T11:32:57.640Z
2023-01-11T16:22:26.073Z
2023-01-11T16:22:26.073Z
Bruce Becker
<p>While we say "Docker is just one possible container runtime", are there other implementations used in production environments as of late 2019, and do they have different approaches? (while Docker being a console wrapper for LXC more or less, right).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-12T12:25:09.037Z
@030 how is this question for an opinion? I was not asking like "are there BETTER implementations"
Ta Mu
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-12T13:39:01.203Z
@030 the available answer fully satisfies the question, specifically by the reference to the CNF. I have not asked for a complete list of other runtimes used in production as real Docker alternatives.
Ta Mu
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-12T19:01:48.973Z
Also, Docker isn't 'a console wrapper' for LXC, they are fundamentally different, both in concept and in technical implementation
chaosaffe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-13T19:30:36.277Z
@Peter I will reopen it, but I still think that it is a little bit too broad and asking for alternatives.
030
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-13T20:02:02.057Z
thx - indeed this question came up at today's devops conference. the link in the answer to CNCF is really helpful on this context.
Ta Mu
<docker><containers>
Are there examples of other production grade container runtimes?
Ta Mu
# Are there examples of other production grade container runtimes?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-11-12)

While we say "Docker is just one possible container runtime", are there other implementations used in production environments as of late 2019, and do they have different approaches? (while Docker being a console wrapper for LXC more or less, right).

**Tags:** docker, containers

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: @username_2 how is this question for an opinion? I was not asking like "are there BETTER implementations"  
> **username_0**: @username_2 the available answer fully satisfies the question, specifically by the reference to the CNF. I have not asked for a complete list of other runtimes used in production as real Docker alternatives.  
> **username_1**: Also, Docker isn't 'a console wrapper' for LXC, they are fundamentally different, both in concept and in technical implementation  
> **username_2**: @Peter I will reopen it, but I still think that it is a little bit too broad and asking for alternatives.  
> **username_0**: thx - indeed this question came up at today's devops conference. the link in the answer to CNCF is really helpful on this context.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-11-12. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

## Are there other implementations

**Yes**. The [Container Runtime](https://landscape.cncf.io/card-mode?category=container-runtime&grouping=category) group of the Cloud-Native Computing Foundation has a list of runtimes:

They include:

* [Containerd](https://containerd.io)
* [CRI-IO](https://cri-io.io)
* [Firecracker](https://firecracker-microvm.github.io)
* [gVisor](https://gvisor.dev)
* [Kata Containers](https://katacontainers.io)
* [LXD](https://linux-containers.org/lxd)
* [Nabla Containers](https://nabla-containers.github.io)
* [Pouch](https://github.com/alibaba/pouch)
* [runc](https://www.opencontainers.org)
* [Singularity](https://sylabs.io)
* [SmartOS](https://www.joyent.com/smartos)
* [Unik](https://github.com/solo-io/unik)

## Do they have different approaches

While they cannot all be compared with each other directly, they all offer a way to provide a container runtime. In some cases, this runtime leverages the kernel, in others, they are in userspace. While some are explicitly proprietary, others are explicitly Open. Some are supported by large corporations (Google, IBM, Amazon, Alibaba), others by foundations or open source communities.

All of these are used in production, but perhaps vary in their popularity.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: All of the listed Container Runtimes listed that implement the Container Runtime Interface (CRI), but there are also others that don't implement the CRI as well, such as systemd-nspawn  
> **username_4**: The first link is dead.  

---

