compare
Apptainer vs Podman
The same facts for both, read from GitHub every night, and the relation a person reviewed.
| Fact | Apptainer | Podman |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Go | Go |
| Licence | Other | Apache-2.0 |
| Stars | 2k | 33k |
| Latest | v1.5.5 | v6.2.0 |
| Last push | 2026-11-09 | 2026-11-12 |
| Release cadence | about 30 days between releases | about 1 day between releases |
| Active contributors | 14 commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days | 91+ commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days |
| Flags | none | none |
How they relate
Both replace Docker Engine (Moby). Alternatives to Docker Engine (Moby) →
PartialApptainerRuns containers without root and without a daemon, built for HPC with single-file SIF images.
Drop-inPodmanDocker-compatible CLI, daemonless and rootless by default.
Apptainer
- v1.6.0-rc.12026-11-03Apptainer v1.6.0-rc.1pre-release
- v1.5.52026-10-22Apptainer v1.5.5
- v1.5.42026-09-22Apptainer v1.5.4
- v1.5.32026-07-21Apptainer v1.5.3
- v1.5.22026-06-23Apptainer v1.5.2
Podman
- v6.2.02026-11-10Addresses CVE-2026-121885, untrusted image labels could be used to trick podman auto-update into restarting incorrect s…
- v5.8.102026-11-10Addresses CVE-2026-121885, untrusted image labels could be used to trick podman auto-update into restarting incorrect s…
- v6.2.0-rc12026-10-26v6.2.0-RC1pre-release
- v5.8.92026-10-12Fixed an issue where Podman would not function when run under WSL 3 (#29749).
- v6.1.42026-10-12Fixed an issue where Podman would not function when run under WSL 3 (#29749).
Apptainer
unsigned The latest release, v1.5.5, carries no signature GitHub could verify.
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Podman
✓ signed The latest release, v6.2.0, carries a signature GitHub verified.
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