Container Creator: Build Containers Without Docker
I built a tool called Container Creator for developers who want to create and manage custom containers without relying on Docker.
It lets you define a container image using a simple config—pick a base OS, add packages, copy files, set environment variables, and define startup commands. Once configured, it generates a ready-to-use root filesystem tarball you can deploy with any container runtime: runc, containerd, Podman, or even your own minimal setup.
No Docker daemon. No Dockerfiles. No hidden layers. You get full control over what goes into the image, and you can inspect every file in the output.
This came out of my own frustration trying to run lightweight containers in environments where Docker wasn’t available or appropriate—think minimal cloud instances, research clusters, or embedded systems. I didn’t need all the orchestration fluff. I just wanted a clean way to package a few binaries and configs.
Container Creator runs entirely in the browser. Your config stays client-side. The build happens in a sandboxed environment, and the resulting filesystem is streamed back to you. Nothing gets stored on the server.
There’s a free tier that lets you build images up to 100MB and 100 files. That’s enough for small utilities, CLI tools, or minimal services.
If you need more—larger images, more files, faster builds, and priority support—there’s a Pro plan for $9/month. It also includes config saving and version history, so you don’t have to re-enter everything each time.
It’s not trying to replace Docker for complex microservices setups. But if you’ve ever wanted to chroot into something you built from scratch, or run a binary in a minimal environment without pulling in a 500MB Alpine image, this might save you some time.
Check it out: https://tool-container-creator.vercel.app
Feedback welcome—especially from folks using it in real workflows.
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