The container runtime 'revolution' continues with yet another 8x speed claim.

A new project called Kiri is pitching itself as 'the modern container runtime,' claiming it runs Docker containers eight times faster than Docker Desktop. The tool offers compatibility with the existing Docker CLI, Compose, and API, so developers can use familiar commands. It's currently in free beta for Mac, Windows, and Linux.

For engineers, this is another contender in the long line of Docker Desktop alternatives like Colima and OrbStack, each promising to shave milliseconds off container startup times. While speed gains are welcome, the real impact is marginal for most development workflows, and the market is already saturated with similar tools. The takeaway is that the container runtime space has become a game of incremental speed benchmarks, where every new entrant must lead with a 'X times faster' claim to get noticed.