Docker Swarm vs Nomad | What are the differences? (2024)

FAQs

Docker Swarm vs Nomad | What are the differences? ›

Architecture: Docker Swarm follows a swarm-mode architecture, where a swarm manager is responsible for managing and distributing workloads across a cluster of Docker nodes. On the other hand, Nomad follows a client-server architecture, where a Nomad server manages workloads across a cluster of Nomad clients.

While Docker Swarm still has its use cases and may be suitable for smaller, simpler deployments, the broader adoption of Kubernetes and its robust feature set have made it the preferred choice for managing containerized applications at scale.

4. Scalability: Docker is suitable for smaller deployments or running applications on a single machine. It can easily be installed and used on a developer's local machine. Nomad, on the other hand, is built for large-scale deployments and can handle complex distributed systems.

While offering basic security features, Docker Swarm lacks the depth and flexibility of Kubernetes' security model. Its more straightforward approach may suffice for less complex environments but might not meet the stringent security requirements of larger, more complex deployments.

For beginners, Docker Swarm is an easy-to-use and simple solution to manage containers at scale. If your company is moving to the container world and does not have complex workloads to manage, then Docker Swarm is the right choice.

Swarm, aka SwarmKit aka Swarm Mode, aka Swarm Services is alive and well. The TL;DR direct quote from Docker blog after the 2017 Kubernetes announcement: "But it's equally important for us to note that Swarm orchestration is not going away.

Is Docker Still Relevant In 2024? Docker remains relevant to most container projects, applications, and developers today thanks to its modern tools, compatibility, large community, and ease of use. However, Docker Inc. has undergone changes recently, including changes to Docker Desktop licensing.

Architecture: Docker Swarm follows a swarm-mode architecture, where a swarm manager is responsible for managing and distributing workloads across a cluster of Docker nodes. On the other hand, Nomad follows a client-server architecture, where a Nomad server manages workloads across a cluster of Nomad clients.

Kubernetes is widely considered the standard choice and has a huge feature set. In contrast, Nomad is simpler and, therefore, less powerful. However, it's useful in a wider range of use cases and can handle different workloads.

Podman is an open tool for working with containers and images. It's fully OCI-compliant and can act as a fully-fledged Docker replacement. It works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Unlike Docker, Podman uses a daemonless architecture.

Is docker Swarm discontinued? ›

Not only is Swarm here to stay, it will keep getting better as Mirantis continues to develop new features and capabilities to meet the needs of our customers and the community at large.

There are two versions of swarm, an old one that is deprecated and not maintained, and a newer one that is maintained and works quite well. Unfortunately, the docker company named them both the same thing and the official docs still refer to both without clarifying which one they mean.

You can also use Docker Swarm in production if you have a stack that is moderately low maintenance (like 3-10 nodes with less than 100 containers running). For larger workloads, Docker Swarm quickly falls behind K8s, which has better tools, support, and documentation at that scale.

— Running a swarm cluster in production has proven to orchestrate workloads successfully. Is Docker Swarm becoming deprecated? — It is not being deprecated and is still a viable option for orchestrating multiple workloads.

Their differences are a matter of complexity. Kubernetes offers an efficient means for container management that's great for high-demand applications with complex configuration, while Docker Swarm is designed for ease of use, making it a good choice for simple applications that are quick to deploy and easy to manage.

Use Docker Swarm if: You need to orchestrate and manage containers at scale across multiple nodes. High availability and fault tolerance are crucial for your deployment. Load balancing and automated container rescheduling in case of failures are essential requirements.

Not only is Swarm here to stay, it will keep getting better as Mirantis continues to develop new features and capabilities to meet the needs of our customers and the community at large.

Some of the companies that use Docker Swarm include Peraton, ZipTech Ltd, EY, CME Group, Visa, ManoMano, Holland & Barrett, Kong, Peraton Labs, Oracle and many more. You can find a complete list of 3,384 companies that use Docker Swarm on TheirStack.com.

Swarm mode is an advanced feature for managing a cluster of Docker daemons. Use Swarm mode if you intend to use Swarm as a production runtime environment. If you're not planning on deploying with Swarm, use Docker Compose instead.