{"data":{"slug":"colima","name":"Colima","tagline":"MIT container runtimes on macOS/Linux without Docker Desktop","category":"devops","categoryName":"DevOps","url":"https://colima.run","github":"https://github.com/abiosoft/colima","pricing":"open-source","hook":"Colima is the local runtime when you want Docker/containerd (and friends) on a Mac without paying Docker Desktop’s seat tax.","whatsGood":"MIT. abiosoft/colima. Lima-backed VMs with Docker, containerd, or Incus runtimes; port forwards, mounts, multi-instance, optional Kubernetes. Works on Intel/Apple Silicon macOS and Linux. Free forever CLI.","theCatch":"Vs Docker Engine / Podman: Colima is the *host runtime wrapper*, not a daemon replacement on Linux servers and not a registry. Still a VM on macOS — RAM/CPU allocation and mount quirks apply. GUI/enterprise support is not the product; Docker Desktop competitors with support desks are paid for a reason.","verdict":"MIT local containers on Mac/Linux. Free forever alternative to Docker Desktop for builders who live in the CLI.","addedAt":"2026-09-11","featured":false,"domain":"DevOps","subSpecialty":"Infrastructure","subcategory":"Containers","tags":["desktop-app","self-host","permissive","containers","active"],"capabilities":[],"surfaces":["Self-host"],"ecosystem":["Multi-platform"],"licenseModel":"OSS/MIT","githubStars":31272,"starsPerWeek":117,"access":"free","archived":false,"repo":{"createdAt":"2021-09-04","pushedAt":"2026-10-13","license":"MIT","archived":false,"checkedAt":"2026-10-19"}},"related":[{"slug":"github-actions","name":"GitHub Actions","tagline":"CI/CD that lives where your code does"},{"slug":"docker","name":"Docker","tagline":"Container runtime that changed deployment"},{"slug":"kubernetes","name":"Kubernetes","tagline":"Container orchestration at scale"},{"slug":"pulumi","name":"Pulumi","tagline":"Infrastructure as code in real languages"},{"slug":"fly-io","name":"Fly.io","tagline":"Deploy apps to VMs close to your users"}],"links":{"self":"/api/gems/colima","html":"/gems/colima","markdown":"/gems/colima.md","category":"/api/gems?category=devops","categoryPage":"/stacks/devops"}}