Red Hat has announced the release of the first major update to its container management software, podman desktop. The new version includes a graphical interface for creating, launching and managing containers, which makes it competitive with other products in this space such as Rancher Desktop and Docker Desktop.
Podman Desktop is aimed at developers who do not have systemic administration skills, enabling them to create, launch, test and publish microservices and applications developed for container insulation systems before deploying them in a working environment. The code for the software is written in Typescript language, using Electron. It is distributed under the Apache 2.0 license and ready-made assemblies are available for Linux, Windows and Mac OS.
The software also offers integration with Kubernetes and OpenShift platforms, as well as support for various runtime environments such as podman enterine, podman lima, crc and docker engine for container management. The local system of the developer can mirror the configuration of the working environment, including simulating Kubernetes multi-sized clusters and OpenShift on the local system. Additional engines, providers of Kubernetes and tools, can be implemented in the form of add-ons to Podman Desktop. Examples of add-ons include the ability to launch OpenShift Local clusters for testing and connection to the OpenShift Developer Sandbox cloud service.
Podman Desktop provides various tools for controlling the images of containers, working with POD-AMI and sections, assembly of images from Containerfile and Dockerfile, and loading images from the register of OCI containers. It also allows users to publish their images in containers and manage available resources such as memory, CPU, and storage.
The software can also convert container images and connect to both local container insulation engines and external Kubernetes infrastructure to accommodate their PODs. It generates YAML files for Kubernetes or Kubernetes YAML on Local system without Kubernetes. Users can turn the application into a system tray for quick control through a widget, and evaluate the condition of containers without being distracted by the development. They can stop and run containers, control the environment on the basis of Podman tools and kind.
Overall, this is a significant update that offers a range of features for developers seeking to manage containers efficiently. The software is available as an open-source project, and Red Hat’s investment in this project is likely to drive ongoing innovation in this space.