About Rancher Desktop
Rancher Desktop is an open source app that brings containers and Kubernetes to your desktop. It bundles the tools you need for day-to-day container work.
What it does
The app lets you run containers and a local Kubernetes cluster from one installer. You can pick the container engine and Kubernetes version, and change networking and registry settings in a preferences dialog. A graphical interface shows images, containers and cluster resources, so you can work without memorising commands.
Key features
- Installers for macOS, Windows and Linux
- Choice of container engine and Kubernetes version
- Graphical view of images, containers and resources
- Build, pull, push and scan images
- Bundled CLI tools such as kubectl and helm
Who it's for
Developers who build and test containers on their own computer, and teams that want the same local setup for everyone. It is also a fit for people who want Kubernetes testing without a remote cluster.
Pricing and good to know
Rancher Desktop is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence and is free to use. It runs on your own machine, so local resources such as memory and CPU are used by the virtual machine it creates. Optional automatic upgrades can be turned on in the settings, so review that choice if you prefer to control updates yourself.
Highlights
- Installers for macOS, Windows and Linux
- Choose the container engine and Kubernetes version
- Graphical view of images and containers
- Build, pull, push and scan container images
- Bundled CLI tools such as kubectl and helm
