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Container platforms: star history compared

Most starred

128k

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 Sep 2026

Container platforms — star history
131k STARS12 YR 9 MOkubernetes/kubernetes131kdocker/compose40kk3s-io/k3s32kcontainers/podman29krancher/rancher27khashicorp/nomad17k

kubernetes/kubernetes: 130,701 stars on September 16, 2026. docker/compose: 39,975 stars on September 14, 2026. k3s-io/k3s: 32,438 stars on September 16, 2026. containers/podman: 29,491 stars on September 15, 2026. rancher/rancher: 27,378 stars on August 28, 2026. hashicorp/nomad: 17,110 stars on September 16, 2026.

Star history for kubernetes/kubernetes
DateStars
June 10, 2014392
August 4, 20142938
September 28, 20143864
November 22, 20145054
January 16, 20155980
March 12, 20156815
May 6, 20157858
June 30, 20159094
August 25, 201510400
October 19, 201511379
December 24, 201512576
February 18, 201613560
April 13, 201614741
June 7, 201615811
August 1, 201617015
September 26, 201618312
November 20, 201619898
January 14, 201721394
March 10, 201722965
May 4, 201724761
June 28, 201726421
August 22, 201728358
October 17, 201730122
December 11, 201732452
February 4, 201834834
March 31, 201837368
May 26, 201839615
July 20, 201841816
September 13, 201844253
November 8, 201846416
January 13, 201949542
March 9, 201952159
May 3, 201955242
June 27, 201958039
August 21, 201960685
October 15, 201962853
December 10, 201965282
February 3, 202067463
March 29, 202069440
May 23, 202071559
July 17, 202073764
September 11, 202075721
November 5, 202077460
December 30, 202079478
February 24, 202181207
April 20, 202183229
June 17, 202185002
August 11, 202187130
October 7, 202188809
December 5, 202190275
February 9, 202292648
April 6, 202294670
May 31, 202296586
July 25, 202298302
September 18, 2022100152
November 12, 2022101835
January 6, 2023103215
March 2, 2023104798
April 27, 2023106525
June 21, 2023108137
August 15, 2023109886
October 9, 2023111407
December 3, 2023113028
January 27, 2024114494
March 22, 2024116004
May 17, 2024117482
July 11, 2024118859
September 4, 2024120307
October 29, 2024121695
December 23, 2024123018
February 27, 2025124773
April 23, 2025126157
June 18, 2025127248
August 12, 2025128008
October 6, 2025128668
December 5, 2025129193
January 29, 2026129713
March 26, 2026130098
May 28, 2026130300
September 16, 2026130701
Star history for docker/compose
DateStars
December 10, 20132
February 21, 2014806
April 18, 20141936
June 19, 20142162
August 15, 20142725
October 10, 20143309
December 5, 20144110
January 30, 20154762
March 27, 20155563
May 22, 20156010
July 28, 20156455
September 22, 20156779
November 17, 20157106
January 13, 20167414
March 9, 20167768
May 4, 20168123
June 29, 20168397
August 24, 20168765
October 19, 20169081
December 15, 20169382
February 10, 20179757
April 7, 201710172
June 2, 201710586
July 28, 201711036
September 22, 201711465
November 17, 201712000
January 12, 201812586
March 9, 201813165
May 6, 201813728
July 2, 201814231
September 7, 201814814
November 2, 201815440
December 28, 201815969
February 22, 201916511
April 19, 201917168
June 14, 201917782
August 9, 201918448
October 4, 201919018
November 29, 201919616
January 24, 202020137
March 20, 202020736
May 15, 202021353
July 10, 202021964
September 6, 202022503
November 1, 202022988
December 27, 202023495
February 21, 202124017
April 19, 202124555
June 17, 202124975
August 12, 202125405
October 24, 202126071
December 24, 202126667
February 18, 202227220
April 15, 202227789
June 10, 202228532
August 5, 202229121
September 30, 202229729
November 25, 202230255
January 20, 202330776
March 17, 202331383
May 12, 202331985
July 7, 202332517
September 1, 202333032
October 27, 202333496
December 22, 202334012
February 16, 202434700
April 12, 202435181
June 7, 202435700
August 2, 202436303
September 27, 202436865
December 3, 202437438
January 28, 202537914
March 25, 202538429
May 20, 202538861
July 16, 202539137
September 11, 202539382
November 13, 202539591
January 15, 202639749
March 28, 202639889
September 14, 202639975
Star history for k3s-io/k3s
DateStars
September 22, 20183
November 24, 2018521
January 18, 2019610
February 24, 2019976
March 30, 20195962
May 3, 20196732
June 6, 20197399
July 10, 20197912
August 13, 20198405
September 16, 20198952
October 26, 20199500
November 29, 201910733
January 2, 202011293
February 5, 202011770
March 10, 202012179
April 13, 202012656
May 17, 202013163
June 20, 202013574
July 24, 202013937
August 28, 202014374
October 2, 202014839
November 5, 202015240
December 9, 202015738
January 12, 202116161
February 15, 202116493
March 21, 202116848
April 24, 202117208
June 1, 202117576
July 5, 202117858
August 8, 202118219
September 20, 202118597
October 30, 202118799
December 3, 202119123
January 6, 202219456
February 9, 202219851
March 15, 202220139
April 18, 202220465
May 22, 202220788
June 25, 202221047
July 29, 202221333
September 2, 202221656
October 6, 202221955
November 9, 202222248
December 13, 202222538
January 16, 202322816
February 19, 202323182
March 25, 202323456
April 28, 202323781
June 1, 202324086
July 5, 202324344
August 15, 202325015
September 18, 202325338
October 22, 202325640
November 25, 202325971
December 29, 202326310
February 1, 202426641
March 6, 202427016
April 9, 202427323
May 14, 202427623
June 17, 202427886
July 22, 202428198
August 25, 202428531
September 28, 202428911
November 1, 202429200
December 5, 202429474
January 8, 202529752
February 11, 202530020
March 17, 202530314
April 20, 202530651
May 24, 202531007
July 3, 202531252
August 7, 202531439
September 10, 202531623
October 21, 202531787
November 25, 202531927
December 29, 202532096
February 2, 202632208
March 15, 202632322
May 3, 202632391
September 16, 202632438
Star history for containers/podman
DateStars
November 1, 20171
February 27, 201852
May 1, 2018101
July 4, 2018160
September 10, 2018244
October 25, 2018368
December 2, 2018528
January 19, 2019669
February 28, 2019926
April 7, 20191164
May 20, 20191563
June 29, 20191759
August 5, 20192261
September 10, 20192513
October 17, 20192918
November 22, 20193440
December 29, 20193688
February 3, 20203934
March 11, 20204165
April 17, 20204362
May 23, 20204599
June 30, 20204862
August 6, 20205108
September 14, 20205382
October 20, 20205762
November 26, 20206224
January 2, 20217025
February 7, 20217396
March 17, 20217769
April 22, 20218037
June 8, 20218385
July 16, 20218665
August 21, 20218921
September 30, 202110775
November 11, 202111072
December 18, 202111535
January 24, 202212153
March 1, 202212923
April 7, 202213462
May 13, 202213903
June 19, 202214404
July 25, 202214769
August 31, 202215260
October 6, 202215639
November 12, 202216066
December 19, 202216467
January 24, 202316813
March 2, 202317242
April 7, 202317705
May 14, 202318068
June 27, 202318537
August 2, 202318867
September 8, 202319235
October 14, 202319634
November 20, 202320010
December 27, 202320416
February 1, 202420939
March 9, 202421414
April 14, 202421864
May 21, 202422271
June 26, 202422626
August 2, 202422989
September 8, 202423347
October 14, 202423830
November 20, 202424244
December 26, 202424638
February 1, 202525428
March 9, 202526012
April 15, 202526687
May 22, 202527223
July 4, 202527620
August 10, 202528114
September 16, 202528472
October 27, 202528712
December 3, 202528890
January 8, 202629073
February 14, 202629237
March 23, 202629335
May 4, 202629426
September 15, 202629491
Star history for rancher/rancher
DateStars
November 10, 20141
January 10, 2015779
March 8, 20151061
April 30, 20151356
June 19, 20151611
August 13, 20151851
October 4, 20152067
November 24, 20152331
January 14, 20162662
March 5, 20162989
May 5, 20163527
June 27, 20163855
August 16, 20164208
October 7, 20164565
November 27, 20164902
January 16, 20175292
March 8, 20175719
April 28, 20176254
June 18, 20176552
August 7, 20176882
September 27, 20177297
November 17, 20177663
January 7, 20187967
February 28, 20188358
April 22, 20188787
June 12, 20189324
August 1, 20189778
September 22, 201810123
November 12, 201810465
January 1, 201910898
March 4, 201911395
April 25, 201911955
June 15, 201912431
August 4, 201912862
September 24, 201913330
November 14, 201913860
January 4, 202014309
February 24, 202014613
April 15, 202014982
June 5, 202015406
July 25, 202015782
September 15, 202016258
November 5, 202016740
December 26, 202017066
February 14, 202117391
April 8, 202117721
June 4, 202118065
July 24, 202118685
September 17, 202119152
November 14, 202119396
January 14, 202219778
March 5, 202220109
April 25, 202220483
June 15, 202220869
August 5, 202221235
September 25, 202221489
November 15, 202221828
January 7, 202322086
February 27, 202322377
April 20, 202322652
June 11, 202322923
August 1, 202323182
September 22, 202323404
November 14, 202323660
January 4, 202423915
February 23, 202424316
April 14, 202424568
June 5, 202424774
July 26, 202425050
September 14, 202425506
November 14, 202425812
January 5, 202526030
February 26, 202526273
April 18, 202526515
June 12, 202526714
August 5, 202526873
September 26, 202527013
December 3, 202527129
February 3, 202627306
August 28, 202627378
Star history for hashicorp/nomad
DateStars
September 28, 2015228
November 11, 20151083
December 30, 20151216
February 16, 20161344
April 7, 20161511
May 22, 20161641
July 16, 20161774
September 7, 20161902
October 31, 20162031
December 18, 20162170
February 18, 20172316
April 9, 20172470
May 27, 20172600
July 14, 20172732
August 28, 20172900
October 14, 20173049
November 30, 20173235
January 16, 20183361
March 6, 20183524
April 22, 20183644
June 7, 20183793
July 24, 20183920
September 13, 20184067
November 1, 20184189
December 17, 20184341
February 5, 20194481
March 25, 20194731
May 9, 20195000
June 24, 20195144
August 10, 20195361
October 3, 20195603
November 20, 20195758
January 7, 20205954
February 21, 20206172
April 8, 20206373
May 25, 20206587
July 9, 20206909
August 27, 20207090
October 12, 20207398
November 26, 20207648
January 9, 20218164
February 25, 20218739
April 12, 20218975
May 30, 20219173
July 15, 20219397
August 31, 20219608
October 17, 202110769
December 9, 202110995
January 24, 202211227
March 10, 202211450
May 2, 202211727
June 17, 202211945
August 2, 202212784
September 16, 202213003
November 1, 202213526
December 16, 202213717
January 30, 202313948
March 18, 202314141
May 3, 202314350
June 19, 202314508
August 3, 202314671
September 20, 202314826
November 5, 202314974
December 25, 202315096
February 11, 202415213
March 31, 202415337
May 17, 202415485
July 10, 202415610
August 24, 202415773
October 10, 202415915
December 4, 202416110
January 23, 202516250
March 11, 202516446
May 4, 202516565
June 27, 202516686
August 21, 202516785
October 21, 202516882
January 3, 202616979
March 8, 202617046
September 16, 202617110

How each series was read

  • kubernetes/kubernetes

    Historical star data · Covers through September 16, 2026

  • docker/compose

    Historical star data · Covers through September 14, 2026

  • k3s-io/k3s

    Historical star data · Covers through September 16, 2026

  • containers/podman

    Historical star data · Covers through September 15, 2026

  • rancher/rancher

    Historical star data · Covers through August 28, 2026

  • hashicorp/nomad

    Historical star data · Covers through September 16, 2026

Ranking

6 repositories

Container platforms ranked by current total GitHub stars
#RepositoryStars+90dFirst starHealth
1kubernetes/kubernetes127,737~3612014debt charts
2docker/compose38,166~282013debt charts
3k3s-io/k3s33,964~282018debt charts
4containers/podman32,875~372017debt charts
5rancher/rancher25,916~142014debt charts
6hashicorp/nomad16,954~152015debt 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: 127,73738,16633,96432,87525,91616,954
Stars gained · trailing 90dChange in the newest 90 days covered by each cached series.Best result in this row: +361+28+28+37+14+15
ForksCurrent public GitHub metadata total.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Largest package audienceLargest resolved registry total; sources are shown explicitly.No resolved packageNo resolved packageNo resolved packageNo resolved packageNo resolved packageNo resolved package
Repository ageElapsed years since the GitHub creation timestamp.12 years13 years8.3 years8.9 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.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Code linesAnalyzed source lines at current HEAD, excluding blanks and comments.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Languages representedLanguages with non-zero files or line counts.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available

Maintenance

Commit volume and recent operating cadence

Signalkubernetes/kubernetesdocker/composek3s-io/k3scontainers/podmanrancher/rancherhashicorp/nomad
Repository commitsFull repository commit total reported by the analysis.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Commits · trailing 90dCommit count in the newest 90 days covered by the repository analysis.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available

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.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Top contributor concentrationShare of attributed commits carried by the most active contributor.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available

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.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Recent TODO/FIXME movementLatest cumulative marker count and its change over the trailing 90 days.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available

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 127,737 GitHub stars as of Sep 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 361 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 either from GitHub's stargazer list or rebuilt from historical star data — 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