If you like using docker compose up but want a lighter runtime for local development, Kiri is worth a look.

Kiri is an open-source container runtime written in Rust for macOS, Windows and Linux. It speaks the Docker Engine API, so you can try it with familiar tools like the Docker CLI, Compose and buildx. Kiri creates its own kiri Docker context, which lets you test it without changing your default context.

What stands out

  • Local domains and HTTPS. Give your services readable names under kiri.local instead of keeping track of port numbers.
  • A desktop view of your Compose projects. Inspect containers, logs, images, volumes and networks in one place.
  • Local Kubernetes. Start a single-node k3s cluster with kiri k8s start when you need more than Compose.

Try it with a project you already have

Download Kiri v0.2.1, open the app to set up the Docker context, then run:

docker --context kiri run --rm alpine echo hello docker --context kiri compose up -d

Run the second command from an existing Compose project. I’d start there: check that your services start, your bind mounts work, and your build behaves as expected. That tells you more about whether Kiri fits your workflow than a container startup benchmark alone.

Explore Kiri on GitHub · See supported features and known limitations

If you try it, I’d be curious to hear what worked out of the box and what still keeps you on Docker Desktop or OrbStack. If Kiri is useful to you, consider giving the repository a star.

Project website: https://runkiri.com/
GitHub repository: https://github.com/libracoder/kiri