Podman, a daemonless tool for managing OCI containers with a docker-compatible command-line interface, has rolled out its latest update, version 5.2.
This release’s big news is aimed at MacOS users. More specifically, Podman 5.2 introduces support for libkrun as a backend to create virtual machines, facilitating GPU integration to accelerate tasks.
While applehv remains the default backend, this addition broadens the utility and flexibility for users running intensive computational workloads.
Further extending its toolset, Podman’s associated utility, Quadlet, has expanded its capabilities with support for “.build” files. This allows images to be constructed directly within Quadlet, streamlining processes and ensuring seamless container operations.
Additionally, enhancements to “.container” and “.pod” files include new fields such as LogOpt and StopSignal, providing more granular control over container configurations.
Another notable feature in Podman 5.2 is the introduction of the podman system check command, which detects and potentially rectifies corruption within local container storage.
Moreover, the podman machine reset has been expanded to reset all available providers on a given OS, ensuring a comprehensive clean-up.
It should also be mentioned that Podman 5.2 now necessitates Linux kernel 5.2 or higher due to its reliance on the new kernel mount API, which marks a significant dependency update that could affect compatibility.
In addition, the shift from 9p to virtiofs for mounting host filesystems in virtual machines promises enhanced performance and reliability, addressing past issues with host mounts.
On the bug fixes side, the update addresses 24 of them. Among the fixed issues are problems related to the --sdnotify=healthy option causing panics in rootless containers and the improper cleanup of network stacks by the podman play kube command.
Lastly, Podman’s Build API for Images now supports building images for multiple architectures in a single API call. Additionally, various endpoints have been corrected for better error handling and response accuracy.
For more information, refer to theย release announcement.ย The full changelog provides a detailed view of all the novelties and improvements that Podman 5.2 brings.
