console

Orbstack 2

Native macOS containers & VMs.

Visit website ↗

Profile updated

Console’s review

· Reviewed by David Mytton

What we like

Run containers and VMs using native macOS APIs for better performance. Docker-compatible (including Compose). Bundles debug tools, log viewer, activity graphs. GUI for managing containers, images, volumes, networks, file manager. Proxies HTTPS with SSL.

Tradeoffs

It would be interesting to see if they can leverage the new container APIs in macOS Tahoe.

Is Orbstack 2 a fit?

Based on Console’s review published on 2025-09-18. Summary updated .

Who it’s for

Developers using macOS

Why consider it

Run containers and VMs with better performance

Keep in mind

Limited by current container APIs

Console is a free weekly newsletter with short reviews of developer tools, covering strengths and tradeoffs. This review reflects Console’s assessment at publication on 2025-09-18. Features and limitations may have changed since the review date. Read our selection criteria and learn about Console.

Earlier review

· Reviewed by David Mytton

What we like

Drop-in replacement for Docker Desktop. Runs significantly faster and has a native UI. Automatic, local HTTPS. One-click debug terminal with useful tools. Bundles k8s. Advanced networking support. Launch Linux VMs. Rosetta x86 emulation. Easily transfer files.

Tradeoffs

Log viewer is rudimentary. You can’t specify a custom ISO when launching VMs.

Console is a free weekly newsletter with short reviews of developer tools, covering strengths and tradeoffs. This review reflects Console’s assessment at publication on 2024-10-10. Features and limitations may have changed since the review date. Read our selection criteria and learn about Console.

Earlier review

· Reviewed by David Mytton

What we like

It’s fast - launches within \~2 seconds vs Docker Desktop \> 10 seconds. Speediness also extends to launching containers - uses Rosetta x86 emulation and modern i/o APIs on macOS to optimize performance. Native UI. Also supports creating Linux VMs with Intel emulation. Very low CPU usage.

Tradeoffs

Obviously macOS only. Doesn’t fully implement all Docker Desktop features e.g. directly browsing container files is not implemented in the UI.

Console is a free weekly newsletter with short reviews of developer tools, covering strengths and tradeoffs. This review reflects Console’s assessment at publication on 2023-06-29. Features and limitations may have changed since the review date. Read our selection criteria and learn about Console.

Tech stack

Runs on
  • macOS
Integrates with
  • Docker
  • Homebrew
  • Kubernetes
  • Linux
  • Visual Studio
Written in
  • Swift

Checked

Source and notes

integration: docker. Source: https://orbstack.dev/. Quote: OrbStack is the fast, light, and easy way to run Docker containers and Linux. integration: linux. Source: https://orbstack.dev/. Quote: OrbStack is the fast, light, and easy way to run Docker containers and Linux. runs_on: macos. Source: https://orbstack.dev/. Quote: Develop at lightspeed with our Docker Desktop alternative. integration: kubernetes. Source: https://orbstack.dev/. Quote: Run containers, Kubernetes, and Linux distros, with USB passthrough and isolated sandboxes for untrusted code. implementation: swift. Source: https://orbstack.dev/. Quote: Light as a featherKeep it breezy with low CPU and disk usage, minimal memory consumption, and a native Swift app. integration: visual-studio. Source: https://docs.orbstack.dev/quick-start. Quote: For Visual Studio Code, install the "Remote - SSH" extension. integration: homebrew. Source: https://docs.orbstack.dev/quick-start. Quote: OrbStack can also be installed as a Homebrew Cask if you prefer:

View research source ↗

Coverage may be incomplete. “Written in” describes implementation, not supported project languages.

Discover your next favorite tool

Independent devtool reviews and the latest betas, in your inbox every Thursday. Free.