OrbStack

OrbStack is a blazing-fast, lightweight way to run Docker containers and full Linux machines on macOS. It positions itself as a drop-in replacement for Docker Desktop, and the pitch is simple: the same containers and commands you already use, but dramatically faster to start, far lighter on CPU and memory, and gentler on your battery. For developers who have watched Docker Desktop chew through resources and spin up fans, OrbStack feels like a breath of fresh air.

The performance gains are real and noticeable. OrbStack starts in seconds, uses a fraction of the memory of alternatives, and offers fast file syncing and networking between macOS and your containers. It's fully compatible with the Docker CLI and Docker Compose, so your existing workflows, scripts and images keep working without changes — you just point your tooling at OrbStack and go.

Beyond containers, OrbStack makes running Linux distributions on your Mac trivial. You can spin up Ubuntu, Debian, Arch and other distros as lightweight virtual machines in seconds, each with seamless file sharing and SSH access, making it a superb playground for testing, development and learning. Thoughtful touches — automatic HTTPS for local domains, a clean menu-bar app, and tight integration with the host system — round out the experience. For Mac-based developers who live in Docker and Linux but are tired of the overhead, OrbStack delivers the same power with a fraction of the friction, and has quickly become a favorite in the developer community.