Alternatives to Cloud Native Buildpacks
Tooling that turns application source code into container images without writing a Dockerfile. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Cloud Native Buildpacks
Tooling that turns application source code into container images without writing a Dockerfile.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Cloud Native Buildpacks.
ko
A container image builder for Go applications that works without a Dockerfile or Docker installed.
ko also builds container images without a Dockerfile, but only for Go applications, and adds multi-platform builds and SBOMs by default.
Docker Buildx
A Docker CLI plugin that extends image builds with BuildKit, including multi-platform builds.
Docker Buildx builds images with BuildKit and supports multi-platform output, but needs the Docker CLI and usually a Dockerfile instead of automatic detection from source.
Buildah
A command-line tool for building OCI container images without a running daemon.
Buildah builds OCI images without a daemon from scripts or CI, giving direct control over the image instead of buildpacks detecting the build from source.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Container Structure Test
A command-line tool for validating the structure and contents of container images against defined tests.
Hadolint
Dockerfile linter that also checks the shell commands inside it.
Skaffold
A command-line tool that automates building, pushing and deploying applications during Kubernetes development.
Docker Engine
The container runtime that builds, packages and runs applications in Docker containers.
Tilt
An open-source tool that rebuilds and live-updates multi-service apps during development, locally or in Kubernetes.
