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Docker vs Kubernetes

Versions, support lifecycles and key facts side by side. Dates update automatically from the release data.

AttributeDockerKubernetes
TypeDevOps & containersDevOps & containers
Project statusActiveActive
DeveloperDocker, Inc. and the Moby projectCloud Native Computing Foundation
First release20 Mar 201321 Jul 2015
Release cadenceDocker Engine: several major releases per year3 minor releases per year; each supported for about 14 months
Newest releaseDocker 29 · released Nov 2025Kubernetes 1.37 · released Aug 2026
Latest LTS——
Supported versions23
Longest supportDocker 25.0 — until Dec 2026Kubernetes 1.37 — until Oct 2027
RoleContainer engine and toolingContainer orchestration
ComponentsDocker Engine (dockerd), CLI, BuildKit, Compose, containerdAPI server, etcd, scheduler, controller manager, kubelet
Written inGoGo
Runs onLinux (native), Windows and macOS via Docker Desktop—
Release dataDocker Engine—
LicenseApache 2.0 (Engine); Docker Desktop has paid tiersApache 2.0
Container runtimes—containerd, CRI-O
Managed services—Amazon EKS, Google GKE, Azure AKS and others
Guides on TecAdmin73 guides11 guides

Supported versions today

Docker

  1. 29 No end date
  2. 25.0 Until Dec 2026

Kubernetes

  1. 1.37 Until Oct 2027
  2. 1.36 Until Jun 2027
  3. 1.35 Until Feb 2027

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