Rancher Desktop vs Dokku

Struggling to choose between Rancher Desktop and Dokku? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Rancher Desktop is a Development solution with tags like kubernetes, container-orchestration, local-development.

It boasts features such as Runs a single-node Kubernetes cluster locally, Supports Kubernetes versions 1.23 to 1.25, Includes Docker Desktop for managing containers, Integrates with VS Code for debugging, Supports deploying apps from source code, Includes Rancher tools like Rancher kubectl and RKE, Runs on macOS, Windows and Linux and pros including Easy Kubernetes setup without needing a cloud provider, Fast testing and development of Kubernetes apps, Integrates Kubernetes with local development tools, Open source and free to use.

On the other hand, Dokku is a Development product tagged with docker, git, heroku, paas.

Its standout features include One-click deployments using Git, Simple horizontal scaling, Zero downtime deploys, Built-in support for common add-ons like databases, caching, etc, Heroku buildpacks support for easy language runtime configuration, SSH access for debugging and configuration, and it shines with pros like Free and open source, Lightweight and easy to install, Leverages Docker for fast deployment, Similar workflow to Heroku, Active community support.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Rancher Desktop

Rancher Desktop

Rancher Desktop is an open source Kubernetes distribution that runs on macOS, Windows and Linux. It allows developers to quickly set up a local Kubernetes cluster on their desktop for testing and development purposes.

Categories:
Development Kubernetes Management
kubernetes container-orchestration local-development

Rancher Desktop Features

  1. Runs a single-node Kubernetes cluster locally
  2. Supports Kubernetes versions 1.23 to 1.25
  3. Includes Docker Desktop for managing containers
  4. Integrates with VS Code for debugging
  5. Supports deploying apps from source code
  6. Includes Rancher tools like Rancher kubectl and RKE
  7. Runs on macOS, Windows and Linux

Pricing

  • Open Source
  • Free

Pros

Easy Kubernetes setup without needing a cloud provider

Fast testing and development of Kubernetes apps

Integrates Kubernetes with local development tools

Open source and free to use

Cons

Limited to a single node, not a full Kubernetes cluster

Less stable than a hosted Kubernetes provider

Requires local resources unlike a cloud cluster

Lacks advanced Kubernetes features like load balancing

Dokku

Dokku

Dokku is an open source Platform-as-a-Service that runs on a single server, allowing developers to easily deploy and manage applications in a similar way to Heroku. It is lightweight, easy to install, and uses Docker and Git under the hood.

Categories:
Development Platform As A Service
docker git heroku paas

Dokku Features

  1. One-click deployments using Git
  2. Simple horizontal scaling
  3. Zero downtime deploys
  4. Built-in support for common add-ons like databases, caching, etc
  5. Heroku buildpacks support for easy language runtime configuration
  6. SSH access for debugging and configuration

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Lightweight and easy to install

Leverages Docker for fast deployment

Similar workflow to Heroku

Active community support

Cons

Limited to a single server

Not as feature rich as Heroku

Requires some command line usage

Steeper learning curve than fully managed PaaS