🟦 Container Runtimes
| Tool Name | Features | Pricing | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Docker Engine | Industry-standard container runtime; simple CLI/GUI, Docker Hub integration | Free / Pro: $5+/mo | docker.com |
| containerd | Industry-standard container runtime (underpins Docker); Kubernetes-ready | Open Source | containerd.io |
| CRI-O | Kubernetes-native lightweight runtime, compliant with OCI | Open Source | cri-o.io |
| runc | CLI tool for spawning and running containers; OCI-compliant | Open Source | github.com/runc |
🟧 Container Orchestration Tools
| Tool Name | Features | Pricing | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kubernetes | Leading open-source orchestration platform, auto-scaling, self-healing, rolling updates | Open Source | kubernetes.io |
| Docker Swarm | Docker-native orchestration; easy setup and management | Open Source | docker.com |
| Nomad | Lightweight workload orchestrator by HashiCorp; simple Kubernetes alternative | Open Source / Enterprise | nomadproject.io |
| Amazon EKS | Managed Kubernetes on AWS; integrated with AWS services | Pay-as-you-go | aws.amazon.com/eks |
| Azure AKS | Managed Kubernetes on Azure; deep integration with Microsoft ecosystem | Pay-as-you-go | azure.microsoft.com/aks |
| Google GKE | Fully managed Kubernetes with auto-scaling and multi-cluster support | Pay-as-you-go | cloud.google.com/gke |
🟨 Container Image Build Tools
| Tool Name | Features | Pricing | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Docker BuildKit | Advanced builds, caching, faster performance | Open Source | github.com/moby/buildkit |
| Kaniko | Builds container images in Kubernetes without Docker daemon | Open Source | github.com/kaniko |
| Buildah | OCI-compliant image builder; daemonless; works well with Podman | Open Source | buildah.io |
| Jib | Builds optimized Docker/OCI images for Java apps without Docker daemon | Open Source | github.com/jib |
| Skaffold | CI/CD workflows for Kubernetes apps; automates build-deploy cycle | Open Source | skaffold.dev |
🟥 Container Security Tools
| Tool Name | Features | Pricing | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua Security | Image scanning, runtime protection, compliance | Free Tier / Enterprise | aquasec.com |
| Twistlock (Prisma Cloud) | Full-lifecycle container security; integrates with CI/CD pipelines | Enterprise (Custom Pricing) | prisma.paloaltonetworks.com |
| Sysdig Secure | Runtime security, vulnerability management, Kubernetes threat detection | Free Trial / Enterprise | sysdig.com |
| Trivy | Simple, comprehensive vulnerability scanner for containers and K8s | Open Source | trivy |
| Anchore | Policy-based image scanning for vulnerabilities and compliance | Open Source / Enterprise | anchore.com |
🟩 Container Networking Tools
| Tool Name | Features | Pricing | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calico | Networking and network security solution for Kubernetes; supports eBPF | Open Source / Enterprise | projectcalico.org |
| Cilium | eBPF-powered networking, security, observability for Kubernetes | Open Source / Enterprise | cilium.io |
| Flannel | Simple Kubernetes networking provider; overlays network; easy to deploy | Open Source | flannel |
🟪 Container Registries
| Tool Name | Features | Pricing | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Docker Hub | Public/private container registry; image management and scanning | Free (rate-limited) / Pro $5+/mo | hub.docker.com |
| Harbor | Open-source container registry; supports replication, vulnerability scanning | Open Source | goharbor.io |
| AWS Elastic Container Registry (ECR) | Private registry integrated with AWS services; image scanning and lifecycle policies | Pay-as-you-go | aws.amazon.com/ecr |
| Google Artifact Registry | Universal repository manager; Docker and language packages supported | Pay-as-you-go | cloud.google.com |
| Azure Container Registry (ACR) | Private registry with geo-replication; Azure security and compliance integration | Pay-as-you-go | azure.microsoft.com |
✅ Summary of Categories
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Container Runtimes | The core software that runs and manages containers (Docker Engine, CRI-O). |
| Orchestration Tools | Manage, schedule, and scale container workloads (Kubernetes, Nomad). |
| Image Builders | Tools for creating and managing container images (Buildah, Kaniko). |
| Security Tools | Ensure container security and compliance (Aqua, Twistlock). |
| Networking | Manage container networking (Calico, Cilium). |
| Registries | Repositories to store and manage container images (Docker Hub, Harbor). |
