Overview of GUI Interfaces for Managing Docker Containers

Working with Docker in the console is a routine for many. However, there are times when a GUI / web interface can be useful even for them. The article provides an overview of the most visible solutions to date, the authors of which tried to offer more convenient (or suitable for some cases) interfaces for getting to know Docker or even servicing its large installations. Some of the projects are quite young, while others, on the contrary, are already dying ...

Portainer

Site ; Github ; Gitter .
License: Open Source (zlib License and others).
OS: Linux, Mac OS X, Windows.
Languages / platform: Go, JavaScript (Angular).
Demo version (admin / tryportainer).

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Portainer (previously known as UI for Docker) is the most popular web-based interface for working with Docker-hosts and Docker Swarm clusters. It starts very simply by deploying a Docker image to which the Docker host address / socket is passed as a parameter. Allows you to manage containers, images (can take them from the Docker Hub), networks, volumes, secrets. Supports Docker 1.10+ (and Docker Swarm 1.2.3+). When viewing containers, basic statistics (resource usage, processes), logs, connection to the console (web terminal xterm.js) are available for each of them. It has its own access lists, which allow Portainer users to restrict the rights to various operations in the interface.

Kitematic (Docker Toolbox)

Site (+ Docker Toolbox page ); Github ; forum .
License: Open Source (Apache License 2.0).
OS: Mac OS X, Windows.
Languages / platform: Electron, Node.js, React and AltJS.

The standard GUI for Docker users on Mac OS X and Windows, which is part of the Docker Toolbox, an installer of a set of utilities that also includes the Docker Engine, Compose, and Machine. It has a minimal set of functions that provide downloading images from Docker Hub, managing basic container settings (including volumes, networks), viewing logs and connecting to the console.

Shipyard

Site ; Github
License: Open Source (Apache License 2.0).
OS: Linux, Mac OS X.
Languages / platform: Go, Node.js.

Shipyard is not just an interface, but a Docker resource management system based on the availability of its own API. The API in Shipyard is RESTful based on the JSON format, 100% compatible with the Docker Remote API, offers additional features (in particular, authentication and management of access lists, logging of all operations performed). This API is the base around which the web interface is already built. Shipyard uses RethinkDB to store service information that is not directly related to containers and images. The web interface allows you to manage containers (including viewing statistics and logs, connecting to the console), images, Docker Swarm cluster nodes, and private registries (Registries).

Admiral

Site ; Github
License: Open Source (Apache License 2.0).
OS: Linux, Mac OS X, Windows.
Languages / platform: Java (VMware Xenon framework).

VMware platform designed for automated deployment of containerized applications and their management throughout the life cycle. Positioned as a lightweight solution designed to simplify the life of DevOps-engineers. The web interface allows managing hosts with Docker, containers (+ viewing statistics and logs), templates (images integrated with Docker Hub), networks, registries, policies (which hosts will be used by which containers and how to allocate resources). Able to check the status of containers (health checks). It is distributed and deployed as a Docker image. Works with Docker 1.12+. (See also familiarity with the program in the VMware blog with a large number of screenshots.)

Dockstate

Site ; GitHub (without source code) .
License: proprietary (freeware).
OS: Linux, Mac OS X, Windows.
Languages / platform: Electron (Chromium, Node.js).

DockStation is a young project created by Belarusian programmers (who, by the way, are looking for investors for its further development) . The two main features are the focus on developers (not on DevOps engineers or system administrators) with full support for Docker Compose and code closure (free for use, and for money the authors offer personalized support and refinement of opportunities). It allows you not only to manage images (supported by Docker Hub) and containers (+ statistics and logs), but also to start projects with visualization of links between containers involved in a project. There is also a parser (in beta) that allows you to convert docker run commands to the Docker Compose format. Works with Docker 1.10.0+ (Linux) and 1.12.0 (Mac + Windows), Docker Compose 1.6.0+.

Simple docker ui

Github
License: Open Source (MIT License).
OS: Linux, Mac OS X, Windows.
Languages / platform: Electron, Scala.js (+ React on Scala.js).

A simple interface for working with Docker using the Docker Remote API. Allows you to manage containers and images (with Docker Hub support), connect to the console, view event history. It has mechanisms for removing unused containers and images. The project is in beta and is developing very slowly (real activity, judging by commits, subsided in February of this year).

Other options

The review did not get:

Rancher is a container management platform with orchestration and Kubernetes support. Open Source (Apache License 2.0); works in Linux; written in java. It has a web interface Rancher UI on Node.js.
Kontena is a “developer-friendly container launching platform for production”, essentially competing with Kubernetes, but positioned as a more out-of-the-box solution and an easy-to-use solution. In addition to the CLI and REST API, the project offers a web interface ( screenshot ) for managing the cluster and its orchestration (including working with cluster nodes, services, volumes, secrets), viewing statistics / logs. Open Source (Apache License 2.0); works in Linux, Mac OS X, Windows; written in ruby.
Data Pulley is a simple utility with a minimum of functions and documentation. Open Source (MIT License); works in Linux (there is only a package for Ubuntu) ; written in python. Supports Docker Hub for images, viewing logs for containers.
Panamax is a project that aims to "make deploying complex containerized applications as simple as drag-n-drop." To do this, it created its own catalog of templates for application deployment ( Panamax Public Templates ), the results of which are shown when searching for images / applications along with data from the Docker Hub. Open Source (Apache License 2.0); works in Linux, Mac OS X, Windows; written in ruby. Integrated with CoreOS and Fleet orchestration system. Judging by the visible activity on the Internet, it ceased to be supported in 2015.
Dockly is a console graphical interface for managing Docker containers and images. Open Source (MIT License); written in javascript / node.js.

Finally: what does the GUI look like in Dockly? Carefully, 3.4 MB GIF!