Podman

Podman is an open-source tool that allows you to manage containers and container images. Unlike traditional container management tools, Podman doesn’t require a daemon running in the background. It is a daemon less container engine that can run on any system that supports the OCI (Open Container Initiative) runtime.

In this blog, we’ll explore Podman and its features.

Features of Podman

1. Daemonless: Unlike other container management tools like Docker, Podman doesn’t require a daemon running in the background. It allows you to run containers as regular processes without requiring elevated privileges.
2. Image Management: Podman provides a complete set of commands to manage container images, including pulling, pushing, and building images.
3. Security: Podman is designed with security in mind. It runs containers as non-root users, providing an additional layer of security.
4. Kubernetes Compatibility: Podman is fully compatible with Kubernetes, allowing you to manage containers using Kubernetes APIs.
5. Portability: Podman is a portable tool that can run on any system that supports OCI runtime. It allows you to run containers on a wide range of platforms, including Linux, Windows, and macOS.

Getting started with Podman

Podman is easy to install and use. You can download and install it on your system using the package manager of your Linux distribution.

Once installed, you can start using Podman to manage containers. Here are some basic commands to get started:

1. Pull an image

The podman pull command is used to pull container images from a registry. The following command will pull the latest version of the Ubuntu image from Docker Hub:

$ podman pull ubuntu:latest

2. Run a container

The podman run command is used to run a container. For example, the following command will run a container using the Ubuntu image we pulled earlier:

$ podman run -it ubuntu:latest /bin/bash

3. List running containers

The podman ps command is used to list running containers. For example, the following command will list all the running containers on the system:

$ podman ps

4. Stop a container

The podman stop command is used to stop a running container. For example, the following command will stop a container with ID container id:

$ podman stop container_id

Conclusion

Podman is a powerful tool for managing containers that doesn’t require a daemon running in the background. It provides a complete set of commands to manage container images, run containers, and stop them.