compare
ko vs nerdctl
The same facts for both, read from GitHub every night, and the relation a person reviewed.
| Fact | ko | nerdctl |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Go | Go |
| Licence | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Stars | 8.6k | 10k |
| Latest | v0.19.1 | v2.4.2 |
| Last push | 2026-11-09 | 2026-11-09 |
| Release cadence | about 194 days between releases | about 20 days between releases |
| Active contributors | 7 commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days | 33 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) →
PartialkoBuilds and pushes container images for Go apps without a Dockerfile or a Docker daemon.
Full replacementnerdctlA Docker-compatible command line for containerd.
ko
- v0.19.12026-06-29fix: skip yaml encoding when selector filters all documents
- v0.19.02026-06-26Add repeatable --ldflags flag for go build
- v0.18.12025-12-13update labelsNode to match new labels interface in kube 1.34
- v0.18.02025-05-06add documentation for installing custom root ca certificates
- v0.17.12024-10-24Remove cycle in release process
nerdctl
- v2.4.22026-10-30nerdctl container:
- v2.4.12026-10-02nerdctl cp:
- v2.4.02026-09-20This release improves compatibility with Docker v29.
- v2.4.0-rc.02026-09-18This release improves compatibility with Docker v29.pre-release
- v2.4.0-beta.02026-08-24This is the first beta release of nerdctl v2.4.0.pre-release
ko
unsigned The latest release, v0.19.1, carries no signature GitHub could verify.
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nerdctl
✓ signed The latest release, v2.4.2, carries a signature GitHub verified.
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