Rancher Desktop vs Tokaido
Rancher Desktop
rancherdesktop.ioTokaido
tokaido.ioSide by side
| Figure | Rancher Desktop | Tokaido |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Container Development Environments | 8.2 (#11) | 8.0 (#17) |
| Configuration | Preferences include selecting the container engine and Kubernetes version, configuring networking and virtual-machine resources, and controlling access to container repositories and registries. | Project settings can be stored in `.tok/config.yml` and shared with teammates through the Git repository. |
| Purpose | Rancher Desktop is an open-source desktop application for container management and Kubernetes. | Tokaido is a command-line tool and collection of Docker containers for running local Drupal development environments. |
| Support | Community support is available through the Rancher Desktop Slack channel and GitHub Issues. | The FAQ invites users to contact the maintainers when documentation does not resolve an issue. |
| Windows limitation | On Windows, skipping installation of the privileged service limits exposed container applications and services to 127.0.0.1. | The Windows installation guide says running `docker-compose exec` requires the `winpty` prefix to address TTY compatibility. |
Plans
In their own words
Rancher Desktop
Rancher Desktop is a free, open-source desktop application for managing local containers and Kubernetes on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Users choose Moby/dockerd with the Docker CLI or containerd with nerdctl to build, push, pull, and run containers. Its built-in Kubernetes uses k3s, and Preferences let users select a Kubernetes version or reset Kubernetes and the container runtime. The graphical interface manages images, containers, settings, and local Kubernetes resources, with controls for networking, virtual-machine resources, and registry access. Installation includes Helm, kubectl, nerdctl, Moby, and Docker Compose. Trivy-based image scanning reports vulnerabilities and configuration issues, and Docker Desktop Extensions can be installed through the UI catalog or rdctl. The application uses a virtual machine on macOS and Linux and WSL 2 on Windows. Windows requires WSL and virtualization capabilities; without the privileged service, exposed container applications are limited to 127.0.0.1. The project is intended for local container and Kubernetes work, rather than managing Kubernetes clusters.
Tokaido
Tokaido is a free, open-source tool for creating local Drupal development environments with Docker and the `tok` command-line interface. Its containers can run PHP, Nginx, and MySQL, with optional services including Solr, Memcache, Mailhog, and Adminer. The `tok up` command starts an environment and sets up HTTPS. Project settings can be kept in `.tok/config.yml` in the Git repository, allowing teammates to share configuration. An SSH endpoint provides access to tools such as Drush, Composer, Gulp, Yarn, and Npm. Tokaido supports Linux, macOS, and Windows, though its Windows build is described as beta and experimental. Its local environment is ephemeral: the database resets on restart, and files outside `/tokaido/site` are lost. Drupal multisite is supported, but `tok snapshot` and `tok test` do not account for multisite databases. The project lists Drupal 7 or 8, PHP 7.1, and a Git repository as requirements. Tokaido was founded in 2016, is headquartered in Melbourne, and is primarily maintained by Ironstar.