k3d is a lightweight wrapper to run k3s (Rancher Lab’s minimal Kubernetes distribution) in docker.
k3d makes it very easy to create single- and multi-node k3s clusters in docker, e.g. for local development on Kubernetes.
Publisher’s description
What is k3d?
k3d by k3d is open-source Windows software in the containers & devops category. It ranks 50th by popularity among containers & devops in this catalogue. It is written in Go.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 5.9.0, released on June 2, 2026. The version history goes back to October 11, 2023: 9 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 3.4 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 36,373 times. The source code on GitHub (k3d-io/k3d) has 6,602 stars. Similar programs include Kubernetes - Minikube - A Local Kubernetes Development Environment, Helm and k9s.
Project description on GitHub: “Little helper to run CNCF's k3s in Docker”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
- Large user base
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: k3d is an open-source containers & devop tool for 64-bit PCs.
Is k3d safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
49D0B9C796F5B8BA6F58A1DD5469E8B7B34BF9B6CE9078633EEDB2789680A034· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the k3d-io/k3d repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- No dangerous workflows10
- No binaries in the repository10
- Licence declared10
- Code review6
- Actively maintained2
- Restricted token permissions0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Fuzzing0
- Signed releases0
- Security policy0
- Pinned dependencies0
- Static code analysis0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 9 versions ›9 versions over 3 years · about 3.4 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.9.0Latest | June 2, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 5.8.3 | February 15, 2025 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 5.8.2 | February 12, 2025 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 5.8.1 | January 17, 2025 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 5.8.0 | January 17, 2025 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 5.7.5 | November 26, 2024 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 5.7.4 | September 12, 2024 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 5.6.3 | April 10, 2024 | — | 64-bit Portable |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id k3d.k3d -echoco install k3d -yscoop install main/k3dProgram files (.exe): k3d.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install k3dInformation
- Publisher
- k3d
- Category
- Containers & DevOps
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/k3d-io/k3d
- Written in
- Go
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 5.9.0
- Released
- June 2, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- October 11, 2023
- Versions listed
- 9
- Updates / year
- 3.4
- Chocolatey downloads
- 36,373
- GitHub stars
- 6,602
- GitHub forks
- 542
- Website
- k3d.io
- winget ID
- k3d.k3d
- Chocolatey package
- k3d
- Scoop package
- main/k3d
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to k3d
See all ›-
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Docker Desktop4.97.0An application for macOS and Windows machines for the building and sharing of containerised applications.Proprietary2.2M ↓ -
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Frequently asked questions
Is k3d free?
Yes. k3d is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is k3d safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install k3d with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does k3d run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of k3d?
The versions page lists all 9 versions with links to their official installer files, back to October 11, 2023.
Can I use k3d without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to k3d?
Kubernetes - Minikube - A Local Kubernetes Development Environment, Helm, k9s, Docker Desktop and Pulumi. The alternatives page compares them.
