STOP using Docker Desktop: Faster Alternative Nobody Uses

Ditch Docker Desktop and try this faster, lighter tool that will make your life easier!

I stopped using Docker Desktop for a while now, and I haven’t missed it at all. Docker Desktop always bottlenecked when I needed to run multiple resource-intensive microservices locally, consuming a lot of resources.

And although I’m on a 16 GB RAM MacBook, this still wasn’t enough if I spun up around 20 microservices. I got consistent crashes and couldn’t even use Chrome while using Docker Desktop.

Here’s an example of me running 20 microservices locally with Docker Desktop.

As you can see 14 GB memory is used from my system, and there is very little room for other applications.

But recently, I found a super lightweight alternative that I’m surprised I didn’t know about sooner.

Compare this to the alternative below. I can use my laptop fine, open Chrome, and any other application I need.

The alternative

This alternative is OrbStack, which is a fast, light, and simple way to run containers and Linux machines on macOS. It’s a supercharged alternative to Docker Desktop and all in one easy-to-use app.

There are several compelling reasons to use Orbstack, but the main ones are:

• ⚡️ Fast. It starts in 2 seconds, has an optimized network and file system, and fast x86 emulation.

• 💨 Lightweight. It consumes low CPU and disk usage, and it’s battery-friendly compared to Docker Desktop.

• 🍰 Simple. It’s simple to use and comes with CLI & container/image/volume file access, VPN, and SSH support.

• ⚙️ Powerful. You can run Docker containers, Kubernetes, and Linux distros and manage containers from your menu bar.

And it comes with all of the necessary features of Docker Desktop, such as checking the logs, containers, and images and viewing container logs. Everything you need is right there.

Unfortunately, it’s currently only for Mac users, but I guess there will be faster alternatives for Windows users as well, like Rancher Desktop or Podman.

So give it a try if you’re on macOS, and I’m sure you won’t regret it. It will save your operating system so much memory and CPU.

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PS. This is not sponsored by Orbstack; I’m simply sharing my experience and the tools I use in my daily development tasks.