Join us for the Best Free & Open Source Tool for Containers & Kubernetes
The best free and open source tool for developers to work with containers and Kubernetes. Simplify container management, streamline Kubernetes workflows, and transition from local development to production with ease.
A Community-Driven Project Designed for Developers
Built by a community of developers and shaped by user feedback, Podman Desktop offers a vendor-neutral platform that empowers Containers and Kubernetes workflows without lock-in. Trusted as part of the CNCF, it delivers flexibility, reliability, and innovation tailored for developers.
Essential Features for Containers
Simplify Container Management and Boost Developer Productivity
Podman Desktop enhances developer productivity by integrating with popular container runtimes, registries, and developer tools, making it easier to handle containerized applications locally. Whether you're building, debugging, or deploying, Podman Desktop provides robust features and seamless controls, empowering you to work smarter and faster with containers.
Intuitive Graphical Interface
Podman Desktop provides a simple and user-friendly interface for managing containers, making it easier for developers to focus on writing code rather than manually handling container configurations.
Containers with Security
Podman is a secure container runtime through its focus on daemonless, rootless containers, SELinux support, network policy enforcement, immutable containers. This ensures robust security foundations for running Linux containers and Kubernetes workloads.
Cross-Platform Support
Available on Linux®, macOS, and Windows, Podman Desktop lets developers create, manage, and delete containers without the need for complex scripting or manual intervention.
Built with Container Standards
Podman supports industry-standard container technologies like OCI, and Compose. This compatibility ensures a smooth transition without disrupting existing workflows or requiring extensive retooling.
Crafted for Kubernetes
Streamline Kubernetes workflows
Podman Desktop isn't just a container manager; it's built with Kubernetes at its core. This deep integration means seamless workflows for developers. Work with Podman's native Kubernetes support or effortlessly spin up local Kind or Minikube clusters, bridge to remote environments, and manage your Kubernetes deployments directly through Podman Desktop's intuitive graphical interface. Inspect, configure, and orchestrate your pods, services, and deployments with ease, making Kubernetes management both powerful and user-friendly.
Develop and Test
Iterate faster with streamlined workflows enabling developers to develop locally and reducing turnarounds cycles.
Grow Skills at Your Pace
Start with containers and seamlessly transition to Kubernetes concepts with Podman capabilities. Podman Desktop makes learning and adoption Kubernetes easy.
Troubleshoot with Ease
Whether working natively with Kubernetes objects or managing local or remote clusters, Podman Desktop streamlines your workflows with its intuitive graphical interface.
Troubleshoot with Ease
Directly access logs, metrics and debug tools with Podman Desktop intuitive graphical interface to resolve issues efficiently.
And Many More Features ✨
Learning center
Demystify complex topics and expand knowledge of crucial technologies and components, through tutorials, videos and documentation resources.
Extensions
Podman Desktop extends its capabilities through extensions, allowing developers to tailor the tool to their unique needs and eventually build their own solutions.
GPU Acceleration
To support any of your local AI development workflows, Podman Desktop enables GPU acceleration and optimizes performance when running models with containers locally.
Multi-arch Support
Cross-platform multi-architecture support, to build and run containers for multiple hardware platforms, from ARM to x86_64.
Enterprise Ready
Extensive integrations, including VPN and Proxy support for secure networking configurations, streamlined image registry management, and options for air-gapped installations.
What People Are Saying ✨
@Ayush Pande
XDA Developers , April 20 2025
Unlike its rival, Podman Desktop not only supports multiple container runtimes (including Docker Desktop), but also includes a ton of extensions to boost your workstation's capabilities.
@DonSchenck
X , April 25 2025
Dude ... podman. And Podman Desktop. Seriously. Open Source and doesn't run as root.
@anonymous
GitHub discussions , April 5 2024
I have spent a lot of hours trying out various projects in the past few months for my homelab to test some custom workloads.... OpenStack (Devstack), k3s, rancher, portainer, minikube, docker desktop, etc. and I have found what I needed with your Podman Desktop.
@José Bayoán Santiago Calderón
I'm pleasantly surprised by how well Podman Desktop integrates with the Visual Studio Code Dev Containers extension. #dev #opensource #containers