A tool for creating and running Linux containers using lightweight virtual machines on a Mac. It is written in Swift, and optimized for Apple silicon.
Star History
Momentum
+1.3K
STARS · LAST 30 DAYS
42
PER DAY
#3
MOST-STARRED Swift
| Window | 7 days | 30 days | 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars gained | +294 | +1.3K | +3.8K |
| Per day | 42 | 42 | 42 |
| Forks gained | +9 | +36 | +90 |
container gained 1.3K stars in the last 30 days, about 42 a day, and now has 50.2K. It is about 1 year old and has averaged roughly 50.2K stars a year. It ranks #3 among Swift repositories and #204 across all languages on GitHubRepo.
Trending Record
6
DAYS ON TRENDING
#180
BEST RANK
Sep 23, 2026
FIRST APPEARANCE
Active
STATUS TODAY
container has maintained a continuous presence across global trending indexes, peaking at #180. Below is the 30-day activity profile:
💡 Overview
container is an open-source project written in Swift: A tool for creating and running Linux containers using lightweight virtual machines on a Mac. It is written in Swift, and optimized for Apple silicon. .
Engineered for speed, consistency, and developer ease, it solves common hurdles in Swift. It provides clear interfaces, comprehensive configuration options, and seamless integration with existing tools across the modern development stack.
⚡ Key Features
Optimized execution pipeline written in Swift for predictable speed.
Zero-friction configuration with comprehensive sensible defaults out of the box.
Cross-platform runtime support across Linux, macOS, and Windows environments.
Strong typing and modular architecture designed for easy extension and maintainability.
Standardized CLI and API interfaces for smooth integration into CI/CD workflows.
Active community maintenance with regular dependency updates and security patches.
📥 Installation
$ git clone https://github.com/apple/container.git
cd container⚙ System Requirements
Platforms
- • macOS
- • Linux
- • Windows
Runtime & Dependencies
Swift 5.9+ / Xcode 15+ (macOS/Linux)
Architecture
x86_64, ARM64 (Apple Silicon & Graviton)
🧠 How It Works
container coordinates its core functionality through a modular Swift pipeline. It parses configuration parameters, validates inputs, and resolves dependencies asynchronously. By minimizing runtime overhead and keeping allocations localized, it delivers predictable performance in both local development environments and automated production workloads.
🎯 Production Use Cases
Production System Integration
Embed container into Swift backend services to handle core application logic.
CI/CD Automated Pipelines
Run automated validation, builds, and integration suites during deployments.
Developer Tooling & Workflows
Accelerate developer onboarding with pre-configured project utilities.
Open Source Extension
Fork and customize internal modules under the repository's open Apache-2.0 license.
🚀 Getting Started
Install container using your package manager: `git clone https://github.com/apple/container.git`
Initialize your project workspace or configuration file for container.
Import container into your codebase or invoke it directly from your terminal.
Execute your test suite or run `container --help` to verify successful setup.
👍 Strengths
⚠️ Considerations
⇄ Alternatives & Direct Competitors
👥 Who Should Use This
Developers and engineering teams building with Swift, seeking reliable, tested, and actively maintained tooling for production workloads.
🏆 Nearby in the Rankings
apple/container is currently ranked #204 by stars across every repository tracked on GitHubRepo. These are adjacent projects:
| Rank | Repository | Language | Stars | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #199 | etcd-io/etcd | Go | ★ 52.3K | Compare ↗ |
| #200 | google/guava | Java | ★ 51.9K | Compare ↗ |
| #201 | jekyll/jekyll | Ruby | ★ 51.7K | Compare ↗ |
| #202 | ethereum/go-ethereum | Go | ★ 51.4K | Compare ↗ |
| #203 | cypress-io/cypress | TypeScript | ★ 51K | Compare ↗ |
| #204 | apple/container This Project | Swift | ★ 50.2K | |
| #205 | ClickHouse/ClickHouse | C++ | ★ 50.1K | Compare ↗ |
| #206 | huginn/huginn | Ruby | ★ 50K | Compare ↗ |
| #207 | astral-sh/ruff | Rust | ★ 49.8K | Compare ↗ |
| #208 | moeru-ai/airi | TypeScript | ★ 49.6K | Compare ↗ |
| #209 | mudler/LocalAI | Go | ★ 49.3K | Compare ↗ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does container do? +
A tool for creating and running Linux containers using lightweight virtual machines on a Mac. It is written in Swift, and optimized for Apple silicon.
What language is container written in? +
The primary language is Swift. Topics include: software.
Is container actively maintained? +
Yes, the last recorded push was on Sep 25, 2026 with 544 open issues being tracked.
How many stars does container have? +
container has 50,218 stars and 1,802 forks on GitHub.
How does container rank among GitHub repositories? +
With 50,218 stars, apple/container is ranked #204 globally across all repositories tracked on GitHubRepo and #3 among Swift projects.
What license is container distributed under? +
The repository reports a Apache-2.0 license. Always verify the repository LICENSE file for legal terms.
