SeeRepo
Draw my repo

nerdctl vs buildkit

nerdctl and buildkit share 7 technologies: github.com/containerd/console, containerd, github.com/containerd/stargz-snapshotter, github.com/containerd/stargz-snapshotter/estargz, github.com/containernetworking/plugins, github.com/coreos/go-systemd/v22, and github.com/Microsoft/hcsshim. Both are written in Go.

Read it as markdown

What they share and what sets them apart

containerd

nerdctl

contaiNERD CTL - Docker-compatible CLI for containerd, with support for Compose, Rootless, eStargz, OCIcrypt, IPFS, ...

Go10.5kRead on November 13, 2026, at commit 27dac94What is nerdctl built with?

Only in nerdctl

  • github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/v2
  • github.com/moby/moby/v2
  • github.com/containernetworking/cni
  • github.com/fahedouch/go-logrotate
  • github.com/fluent/fluent-logger-golang
  • github.com/moby/moby/client

In common

moby

buildkit

concurrent, cache-efficient, and Dockerfile-agnostic builder toolkit

Go10.4kRead on November 13, 2026, at commit d667ec0What is buildkit built with?

Only in buildkit

Side by side

SizeLines written by people and agents, without generated ones; code files, without tests.
nerdctl134,383 lines written543 code files
buildkit223,276 lines written672 code files
Who writes itA commit counts as AI's when it carries its signature: a Co-Authored-By line, its author name or the merge of its branch.
nerdctl1.8% of its commits signed by AIWith Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor
buildkit0.2% of its commits signed by AIWith Codex, Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, and Cursor
ActivityFrom GitHub and its history, on the day SeeRepo read it.
nerdctlLast push November 12, 20263,824 commits10,480 stars
buildkitLast push November 12, 20266,140 commits10,418 stars
TestsThe files that test the code, and the share of code files a test imports.
nerdctl282 test files33% of its code files have a test that imports them
buildkit361 test files53.7% of its code files have a test that imports them

Frequently asked questions

Which is bigger, nerdctl or buildkit?
buildkit, with 223,276 lines written; nerdctl has 134,383.

The proof: moby/buildkit's code at commit d667ec0

Which has more GitHub stars, nerdctl or buildkit?
nerdctl, with 10,480 stars; buildkit has 10,418.

The proof: containerd/nerdctl on GitHub

Which has more tests, nerdctl or buildkit?
buildkit, with 361 test files; nerdctl has 282.

The proof: moby/buildkit's code at commit d667ec0

Which was updated more recently, nerdctl or buildkit?
Both got their last push on November 12, 2026.

The proof: containerd/nerdctl's commits on GitHub

Which has more commits signed by AI, nerdctl or buildkit?
nerdctl: an AI signed 1.8% of its commits, with Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor; in buildkit, 0.2%.

The proof: the commits each tool signed in containerd/nerdctl

See inside your code, today.

Paste your repo and see it drawn, part by part: a medium one in under a minute.

Free, no account.

Or look inside SeeRepo's own →