head to head · open source
kubernetes vs Docker
kubernetes has 128,660 GitHub stars, 45,728 forks, 3,072 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Docker has 72,240 stars, 19,301 forks, 3,902 open issues and last shipped yesterday. kubernetes leads on adoption by 78% (128,660 vs 72,240 stars). kubernetes is written in Go under Apache-2.0; Docker is written in Go under Apache-2.0. kubernetes has attracted 36% as many forks as stars, Docker 27%. kubernetes was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (containers, go), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| kubernetes | Docker | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 129K | ★ 72K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Go | Go |
| Last push | 2026-11-04 | 2026-11-04 |
| Forks | ⑂ 46K | ⑂ 19K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick kubernetes if
- You weight community size — 129K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Docker if
- You want the Docker feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You evaluated both and Docker fits your workflow better
About kubernetes
Kubernetes (K8s) Kubernetes, also known as K8s, is an open source system for managing [containerized applications] across multiple hosts. It provides basic mechanisms for the deployment, maintenance, and scaling of applications. Kubernetes builds upon a decade and a half of experience at Google running production workloads at scale using a system called [Borg], combined with best of breed ideas and practices from the community. Kubernetes is hosted by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation ([CNCF]). If your company wants to help shape the evolution of technologies that are container packaged, dynamically…
read the full kubernetes overview →
About Docker
The Moby Project ================ Moby is an open source project created by Docker to enable and accelerate software containerization. It provides a "Lego set" of toolkit components, the framework for assembling them into custom container based systems, and a place for all container enthusiasts and professionals to experiment and exchange ideas. Components include container build tools, a container registry, orchestration tools, a runtime and more, and these can be used as building blocks in conjunction with other tools and projects. Principles Moby is an open project guided by strong principles, aiming to be…
read the full Docker overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is kubernetes or Docker more popular?
kubernetes has 128,660 GitHub stars and Docker has 72,240. kubernetes has the larger community by that measure.
Are kubernetes and Docker free?
Both are open source. kubernetes is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Docker under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between kubernetes and Docker?
kubernetes is written in Go and Docker in Go. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, kubernetes or Docker?
Choose kubernetes if you want the larger community (128,660 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose Docker if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.