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Container platforms: star history compared

Most starred

129k

kubernetes/kubernetes

Kubernetes won container orchestration so thoroughly that the interesting comparisons are now within its own ecosystem: k3s made the case for small clusters, Rancher for manageable ones. Around the edges, Docker Compose remains the tool developers actually reach for daily, Podman built a daemonless following, and Nomad kept a loyal base by refusing to be Kubernetes. Contrasting Compose's developer-tool curve against Kubernetes' platform curve is instructive.

Ranked by current GitHub stars · growth = stars gained in the trailing 90 days · data updated Nov 2026

Container platforms — star history
129k STARS12 YR 11 MOkubernetes/kubernetes129kdocker/compose39kk3s-io/k3s34kcontainers/podman33krancher/rancher26khashicorp/nomad17k

kubernetes/kubernetes: 129,055 stars on November 14, 2026. docker/compose: 38,828 stars on November 13, 2026. k3s-io/k3s: 34,401 stars on November 14, 2026. containers/podman: 33,271 stars on November 13, 2026. rancher/rancher: 26,056 stars on November 12, 2026. hashicorp/nomad: 17,098 stars on November 13, 2026.

Star history for kubernetes/kubernetes
DateStars
June 10, 2014518
August 5, 20142503
October 1, 20143275
November 27, 20144378
January 23, 20155116
March 21, 20155825
May 17, 20156720
July 13, 20157784
September 8, 20158887
November 4, 20159772
January 11, 201610683
March 8, 201611647
May 4, 201612672
June 29, 201613547
August 25, 201614599
October 21, 201615944
December 17, 201617341
February 12, 201718490
April 10, 201720081
June 6, 201721495
August 2, 201723091
September 28, 201724661
November 24, 201726551
January 19, 201828617
March 17, 201830815
May 13, 201833047
July 9, 201835205
September 4, 201837548
October 31, 201839666
December 27, 201842276
March 5, 201945284
May 1, 201948030
June 27, 201950471
August 23, 201952843
October 19, 201954834
December 14, 201956931
February 9, 202058757
April 6, 202060478
June 2, 202062396
July 29, 202064348
September 24, 202066080
November 20, 202067632
January 16, 202169378
March 14, 202171042
May 10, 202172851
July 5, 202174604
August 31, 202176349
October 27, 202178015
December 23, 202179737
February 18, 202281600
April 27, 202283926
June 23, 202285642
August 19, 202287447
October 15, 202289104
December 11, 202290655
February 6, 202392016
April 4, 202393629
May 30, 202395328
July 26, 202397036
September 21, 202398561
November 17, 2023100004
January 13, 2024101443
March 10, 2024102821
May 6, 2024104308
July 2, 2024105648
August 28, 2024106994
October 24, 2024108352
December 19, 2024109658
February 14, 2025111025
April 12, 2025112475
June 19, 2025114143
August 15, 2025115354
October 11, 2025116533
December 7, 2025117858
February 2, 2026119143
March 31, 2026120493
May 27, 2026121823
July 23, 2026123370
September 18, 2026127283
November 14, 2026129055
Star history for docker/compose
DateStars
December 10, 20132
February 22, 2014701
April 22, 20141574
June 23, 20141765
August 22, 20142279
October 19, 20142815
December 17, 20143509
February 14, 20154139
April 14, 20154738
June 11, 20155077
August 21, 20155493
October 19, 20155757
December 17, 20156066
February 15, 20166353
April 15, 20166695
June 13, 20166943
August 11, 20167256
October 11, 20167541
December 10, 20167806
February 7, 20178135
April 7, 20178505
June 5, 20178874
August 4, 20179285
October 2, 20179676
November 29, 201710203
January 27, 201810727
March 27, 201811277
May 26, 201811831
July 24, 201812279
September 20, 201812772
November 30, 201813427
January 28, 201913981
March 27, 201914528
May 25, 201915092
July 23, 201915690
September 20, 201916276
November 17, 201916770
January 15, 202017298
March 15, 202017821
May 13, 202018413
July 10, 202018982
September 7, 202019474
November 6, 202019925
January 4, 202120384
March 3, 202120850
May 1, 202121317
June 29, 202121742
August 27, 202122121
October 24, 202122775
December 22, 202123319
March 3, 202223973
April 30, 202224514
June 28, 202225243
August 26, 202225851
October 24, 202226406
December 22, 202226960
February 18, 202327510
April 18, 202328140
June 16, 202328674
August 14, 202329176
October 11, 202329631
December 9, 202330168
February 6, 202430832
April 5, 202431302
June 2, 202431811
July 31, 202432386
September 28, 202432914
November 26, 202433355
January 23, 202533823
March 23, 202534331
June 2, 202534897
July 30, 202535316
September 27, 202535695
November 25, 202536072
January 23, 202636450
March 22, 202636759
May 20, 202637111
July 18, 202637615
September 15, 202638018
November 13, 202638828
Star history for k3s-io/k3s
DateStars
September 22, 20183
November 26, 2018525
January 25, 2019656
March 2, 20193471
April 8, 20195622
May 15, 20196340
June 20, 20196888
July 27, 20197403
September 1, 20197889
October 8, 20198351
November 21, 20199320
December 28, 201910146
February 2, 202010579
March 10, 202010993
April 15, 202011434
May 22, 202011927
June 28, 202012314
August 3, 202012671
September 9, 202013165
October 16, 202013545
November 21, 202014020
December 28, 202014442
February 2, 202114818
March 11, 202115155
April 17, 202115490
May 23, 202115901
June 29, 202116186
August 4, 202116522
September 10, 202116847
October 17, 202117191
November 30, 202117556
January 5, 202217862
February 11, 202218242
March 19, 202218538
April 25, 202218884
June 1, 202219216
July 7, 202219530
August 13, 202219824
September 19, 202220144
October 25, 202220452
December 1, 202220782
January 7, 202321043
February 13, 202321445
March 22, 202321742
April 27, 202322103
June 3, 202322430
July 10, 202322757
August 15, 202323366
September 21, 202323723
October 27, 202324053
December 10, 202324459
January 16, 202424832
February 22, 202425240
March 29, 202425559
May 5, 202425883
June 10, 202426158
July 17, 202426448
August 23, 202426774
September 28, 202427132
November 4, 202427440
December 10, 202427737
January 16, 202528030
February 22, 202528332
March 30, 202528662
May 6, 202529059
June 12, 202529456
July 18, 202529809
August 24, 202530165
September 29, 202530512
November 5, 202530837
December 19, 202531287
January 25, 202631644
March 2, 202632040
April 8, 202632435
May 14, 202632787
June 20, 202633128
July 27, 202633469
September 1, 202633776
October 8, 202634107
November 14, 202634401
Star history for containers/podman
DateStars
November 1, 20171
March 13, 201854
May 21, 2018117
July 23, 2018175
September 24, 2018255
November 6, 2018442
December 14, 2018549
February 3, 2019806
March 18, 20191018
April 26, 20191312
June 12, 20191578
July 22, 20191760
August 30, 20192266
October 9, 20192614
November 17, 20193127
December 25, 20193382
February 3, 20203618
March 14, 20203823
April 22, 20204020
June 3, 20204268
July 11, 20204507
August 20, 20204761
September 28, 20205019
November 6, 20205404
December 16, 20206236
January 24, 20216585
March 3, 20216931
April 11, 20217228
May 20, 20217518
June 28, 20217772
August 13, 20218063
September 21, 20219747
October 30, 202110274
December 8, 202110697
January 16, 202211260
February 23, 202212045
April 3, 202212602
May 12, 202213044
June 20, 202213569
July 29, 202213978
September 5, 202214435
October 14, 202214855
November 22, 202215291
December 31, 202215660
February 8, 202316072
March 18, 202316543
April 26, 202317009
June 4, 202317407
July 13, 202317812
August 21, 202318170
October 6, 202318653
November 14, 202319044
December 23, 202319489
January 31, 202419998
March 10, 202420503
April 17, 202420980
May 26, 202421404
July 4, 202421783
August 12, 202422147
September 20, 202422577
October 28, 202423050
December 6, 202423518
January 14, 202523999
February 22, 202524891
April 2, 202525568
May 10, 202526198
June 18, 202526769
July 27, 202527508
September 4, 202528134
October 13, 202528726
November 28, 202529380
January 6, 202629831
February 14, 202630316
March 25, 202630766
May 2, 202631258
June 10, 202631743
July 19, 202632112
August 27, 202632572
October 5, 202632929
November 13, 202633271
Star history for rancher/rancher
DateStars
November 10, 20141
January 14, 2015715
March 17, 20151017
May 15, 20151234
July 13, 20151482
September 8, 20151677
November 1, 20151870
December 26, 20152094
February 20, 20162405
April 14, 20162793
June 19, 20163175
August 13, 20163488
October 7, 20163804
November 30, 20164112
January 23, 20174446
March 17, 20174882
May 10, 20175253
July 3, 20175524
August 26, 20175842
October 19, 20176224
December 11, 20176529
February 4, 20186859
March 31, 20187199
May 24, 20187714
July 17, 20188206
September 10, 20188562
November 2, 20188897
December 26, 20189337
February 18, 20199715
April 15, 201910245
June 18, 201910752
August 11, 201911158
October 4, 201911578
November 28, 201912082
January 21, 202012456
March 15, 202012724
May 8, 202013107
July 2, 202013470
August 25, 202013929
October 19, 202014333
December 11, 202014662
February 4, 202114984
March 30, 202115283
May 25, 202115588
July 18, 202116067
September 11, 202116515
November 4, 202116836
December 29, 202117131
February 21, 202217472
April 16, 202217825
June 19, 202218265
August 13, 202218644
October 6, 202218884
November 29, 202219247
January 22, 202319480
March 17, 202319782
May 10, 202320083
July 6, 202320359
August 30, 202320617
October 27, 202320877
December 20, 202321147
February 12, 202421556
April 7, 202421835
June 3, 202422039
July 27, 202422303
September 18, 202422715
November 11, 202422958
January 4, 202523165
February 28, 202523410
April 24, 202523679
June 30, 202523956
August 24, 202524232
October 18, 202524456
December 11, 202524661
February 2, 202625054
April 1, 202625249
May 25, 202625450
July 18, 202625661
September 16, 202625876
November 12, 202626056
Star history for hashicorp/nomad
DateStars
June 1, 20151
November 9, 2015921
January 5, 20161054
February 27, 20161183
April 19, 20161320
June 13, 20161451
August 15, 20161570
October 9, 20161699
December 3, 20161817
February 1, 20171939
April 7, 20172111
June 1, 20172234
July 22, 20172370
September 10, 20172514
October 30, 20172662
December 20, 20172817
February 9, 20182957
March 30, 20183096
May 19, 20183235
July 11, 20183379
August 29, 20183495
October 21, 20183632
December 11, 20183788
February 2, 20193945
March 24, 20194165
May 12, 20194412
July 1, 20194561
August 20, 20194774
October 10, 20194961
November 30, 20195125
January 27, 20205352
March 17, 20205524
May 6, 20205733
June 23, 20206023
August 12, 20206198
October 6, 20206474
November 24, 20206715
January 11, 20217172
March 1, 20217678
April 18, 20217893
June 4, 20218089
July 22, 20218309
September 9, 20218511
October 28, 20219595
December 15, 20219815
February 2, 202210036
March 23, 202210241
May 11, 202210512
June 28, 202211180
August 18, 202211572
October 15, 202212105
December 3, 202212353
January 22, 202312585
March 12, 202312780
April 29, 202313003
June 21, 202313169
August 11, 202313348
September 30, 202313506
November 17, 202313644
January 10, 202413771
March 1, 202413900
April 23, 202414045
June 17, 202414187
August 5, 202414335
September 24, 202414508
November 13, 202414663
January 1, 202514820
February 20, 202515016
April 15, 202515152
June 9, 202515291
August 10, 202515499
October 2, 202515656
November 24, 202515824
January 18, 202615977
March 9, 202616143
April 28, 202616365
June 18, 202616537
August 6, 202616730
September 25, 202616940
November 13, 202617098

How each series was read

  • kubernetes/kubernetes

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

  • docker/compose

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

  • k3s-io/k3s

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

  • containers/podman

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

  • rancher/rancher

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

  • hashicorp/nomad

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

Ranking

6 repositories

Container platforms ranked by current total GitHub stars
#RepositoryStars+90dFirst starHealth
1kubernetes/kubernetes129,056~5.1k2014debt charts
2docker/compose38,833~1k2013debt charts
3k3s-io/k3s34,401~7992018debt charts
4containers/podman33,274~8962017debt charts
5rancher/rancher26,056~2952014debt charts
6hashicorp/nomad17,098~3682015debt charts

Repository health compared

Live analysis · unavailable data stays labelled

Popularity is only one axis. Compare technical scale, maintenance cadence, ownership resilience and change pressure against the same completed analysis that sits behind each report.

Reach

Popularity and real-world adoption

Signalkubernetes/kubernetesdocker/composek3s-io/k3scontainers/podmanrancher/rancherhashicorp/nomad
GitHub starsCurrent public GitHub metadata total.Best result in this row: 129,05638,83334,40133,27426,05617,098
Stars gained · trailing 90dChange in the newest 90 days covered by each cached series.Best result in this row: +5,092+1,038+799+896+295+368
ForksCurrent public GitHub metadata total.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Largest package audienceLargest resolved registry total; sources are shown explicitly.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Repository ageElapsed years since the GitHub creation timestamp.12 years13 years8.5 years9.0 years12 years11 years

Codebase

Size and technical center of gravity

Signalkubernetes/kubernetesdocker/composek3s-io/k3scontainers/podmanrancher/rancherhashicorp/nomad
Dominant languageLargest share of analyzed code lines at current HEAD.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Code linesAnalyzed source lines at current HEAD, excluding blanks and comments.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Languages representedLanguages with non-zero files or line counts.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…

Maintenance

Commit volume and recent operating cadence

Signalkubernetes/kubernetesdocker/composek3s-io/k3scontainers/podmanrancher/rancherhashicorp/nomad
Repository commitsFull repository commit total reported by the analysis.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Commits · trailing 90dCommit count in the newest 90 days covered by the repository analysis.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…

Ownership

How broadly maintenance responsibility is distributed

Signalkubernetes/kubernetesdocker/composek3s-io/k3scontainers/podmanrancher/rancherhashicorp/nomad
Bus factorFewest analyzed contributors carrying at least half the commits.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Top contributor concentrationShare of attributed commits carried by the most active contributor.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…

Change signals

Debt markers and fix pressure in frequently changed files

Signalkubernetes/kubernetesdocker/composek3s-io/k3scontainers/podmanrancher/rancherhashicorp/nomad
Fix-labelled share · frequently changed filesFix-labelled commits divided by commits across the analyzed high-frequency file set.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Recent TODO/FIXME movementLatest cumulative marker count and its change over the trailing 90 days.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…

Head to head

open in the builder

Frequently asked

Which of these container platforms has the most GitHub stars?

kubernetes/kubernetes is the most-starred of the container platforms gitdebt compares, with 129,056 GitHub stars as of Nov 2026. It earned its first star in 2014.

Which of these container platforms is growing the fastest?

kubernetes/kubernetes added the most stars over the last 90 days of its cached history — about 5,092 new stars. 90-day figures are approximate for older repos, whose history is downsampled.

How is this comparison computed?

The table ranks public repository metadata by current total stars. Each curve is that repository's stored star series — read from GitHub's own star history, or from an older stargazer-list or historical-data read until gitdebt reads it again — drawn on shared axes, with trailing 90-day growth estimated from it. The legend under the chart names each series' own source and coverage date. Repo-health charts come independently from each repository's commit history.

Related categories

all categories

Fastest-growing repos across all of gitdebt