Docker 29 has changed its default image store for new installs
3 days ago
- #Docker Engine
- #containerd
- #storage backend
- containerd image store is the default storage backend in Docker Engine 29.0+ for fresh installations, while upgrades require manual enablement.
- It uses snapshotters instead of classic graph drivers like overlay2, enabling multi-platform images, attestations, Wasm containers, and advanced snapshotters (e.g., stargz, nydus).
- Disk space usage increases as containerd stores images in both compressed and uncompressed formats, reducing deduplication of compressed layers compared to legacy drivers.
- To enable, add `"containerd-snapshotter": true` to `/etc/docker/daemon.json` and restart Docker, but note that existing images may be hidden during the switch.
- An experimental auto-migration feature exists, configurable via `"containerd-migration": true` and `DOCKER_MIGRATE_SNAPSHOTTER_THRESHOLD`, but caution and backups are recommended.