Apple Container

Apple Container is Apple’s native containerization framework designed specifically for Apple Silicon Macs. It provides a Swift-based, high-performance alternative to traditional container platforms like Docker, optimized for macOS and Apple’s M-series processors.

Key Features

Native Performance: Built specifically for Apple Silicon with no performance trade-offs
OCI Compliance: Full compatibility with existing container ecosystems
Swift Native: 100% Swift implementation for optimal macOS integration
Registry Support: Pull from any standard container registry
Multi-Architecture: Support for both ARM64 and AMD64 architectures
Lightweight: Uses lightweight virtualization instead of heavy emulation

System Requirements

Hardware: Apple Silicon Mac (M1, M2, M3, or newer)
Operating System: macOS 15 Sequoia or later
Development Tools: Xcode 26 Beta (for development)

Core Capabilities

Container Management

Create, run, stop, and manage containers
Interactive shell sessions
Resource limits and controls
Network and volume management

Image Operations

Build images from Dockerfiles
Pull and push to container registries
Multi-architecture image support
Local image management

Registry Integration

Authentication with container registries
Support for public and private registries
Default registry configuration

Architecture

Apple Container uses the Containerization Swift package for low-level container, image, and process management. It leverages Apple’s native virtualization framework for efficient resource utilization and security isolation.

Links and Resources

Official Repository: https://github.com/apple/container
Releases: https://github.com/apple/container/releases
Apple Developer Documentation: Apple Developer Portal
WWDC Sessions: Check Apple’s WWDC archives for containerization topics

Note: Apple Container is currently in active development. Features and requirements may change between releases.