Build drivers

Build drivers are configurations for how and where the BuildKit backend runs. Driver settings are customizable and allows fine-grained control of the builder. Buildx supports the following drivers:

• docker: uses the BuildKit library bundled into the Docker daemon.
• docker-container: creates a dedicated BuildKit container using Docker.
• kubernetes: creates BuildKit pods in a Kubernetes cluster.
• remote: connects directly to a manually managed BuildKit daemon.

Different drivers support different use cases. The default docker driver prioritizes simplicity and ease of use. It has limited support for advanced features like caching and output formats, and isn't configurable. Other drivers provide more flexibility and are better at handling advanced scenarios.

The following table outlines some differences between drivers.

What's next

Read about each driver:

• Docker driver
• Docker container driver
• Kubernetes driver
• Remote driver