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Kaniko

Kaniko is a free tool for building container images from Dockerfiles inside a container or Kubernetes cluster without depending on a Docker daemon.

Place
#22 of 34
Score
5.8
Kaniko's website

What Kaniko is

Kaniko is a free tool for building container images from Dockerfiles inside a container or Kubernetes cluster without depending on a Docker daemon. It runs Dockerfile commands in userspace. During a build, its executor extracts the base image filesystem, runs the Dockerfile instructions, records filesystem changes, and pushes the resulting image to a registry.

Build contexts can come from local directories or tar files, standard input, GCS, S3, Azure Blob Storage, or Git repositories. The documentation describes use in Kubernetes, gVisor, Google Cloud Build, and Docker. Official container support includes linux/amd64 and linux/arm64, while linux/s390x and linux/ppc64le are caveated for debug images. Kaniko does not build Windows containers or create multi-architecture manifests itself. It relies on container runtime security features and does not make untrusted builds safe by itself. Build tracing is off by default; when enabled, it can export Dockerfile instructions, build plans, cache keys, and CI attributes to an OpenTelemetry collector. Kaniko images from version 1.24.1 onward are signed with cosign, with keyless verification instructions provided.

Good

  • Builds without a Docker daemon
  • Accepts build contexts from cloud storage and Git
  • Runs in Kubernetes, gVisor, Google Cloud Build, and Docker
  • Build tracing is off by default
  • Images from version 1.24.1 onward are cosign-signed

Watch out

  • Does not build Windows containers
  • Does not create multi-architecture manifests itself
  • Does not make untrusted builds safe on its own
  • RUN --chown is unsupported

Who it suits

Kaniko suits teams building container images from Dockerfiles in containerized or Kubernetes environments without a Docker daemon. Users building Windows containers or needing Kaniko itself to create multi-architecture manifests should note its limits.

Verdict

Kaniko provides daemonless Dockerfile builds and accepts a broad range of build contexts. Account for its Windows and manifest limitations, and do not treat it as a security boundary for untrusted builds.

Plans and prices

From Kaniko's own pricing page, checked 3 Oct 2026.

All about pricing
PlanPriceWhat it gives you
Open-source kanikoFreeBuilds container images from Dockerfiles · distributed as container images

The facts

Each one read from Kaniko's own pages, with the date it was checked.

What it does

Architecture support
The documentation lists official container support for linux/amd64, linux/arm64, linux/s390x, and linux/ppc64le, with the latter two caveated for debug images.checked 3 Oct 2026
Build contexts
Supported build context sources include local directories or tar files, standard input, GCS, S3, Azure Blob Storage, and Git repositories.checked 3 Oct 2026
Build process
The executor extracts the base image filesystem, runs Dockerfile commands, snapshots filesystem changes, and pushes the resulting image to a registry.checked 3 Oct 2026
Daemonless builds
Kaniko does not depend on a Docker daemon and executes Dockerfile commands in userspace.checked 3 Oct 2026
Dockerfile support limit
Kaniko supports COPY --chown and ADD --chown but does not support RUN --chown.checked 3 Oct 2026
Image distribution
The project publishes release images on GitHub Container Registry and Docker Hub.checked 3 Oct 2026
Image signing
Kaniko images for versions 1.24.1 and later are signed with cosign, and the documentation gives instructions for keyless verification.checked 3 Oct 2026
Maintainers
The project website describes OSS Container Tools as five maintainers who rely on Kaniko in their own CI and continue the project as a community effort.checked 3 Oct 2026
Notable limits
Kaniko does not support building Windows containers or creating multi-architecture manifests itself.checked 3 Oct 2026
Purpose
Kaniko builds container images from Dockerfiles inside a container or Kubernetes cluster.checked 3 Oct 2026
Run environments
The documentation describes running Kaniko in Kubernetes, gVisor, Google Cloud Build, and Docker.checked 3 Oct 2026
Security
Kaniko relies on container runtime security features and says it does not by itself make untrusted builds safe to run.checked 3 Oct 2026
Support
The project directs community questions to GitHub issues and offers Matrix support and announcements rooms.checked 3 Oct 2026
Telemetry
Build tracing is off by default and can export Dockerfile instructions, build plan, cache keys, and CI attributes to an OpenTelemetry collector.checked 3 Oct 2026

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