Skrog serves the real Docker Engine API on the named pipe docker.exe already
talks to, backed by upstream dockerd running in a WSL2 distro it owns. Compose,
Dev Containers, Testcontainers, buildx and the Docker CLI work unmodified,
because the thing answering is genuinely dockerd.
It is headless by design: no GUI, no Kubernetes, no tray ceremony, and no
licence fee. A supervisor starts the engine at logon, survives crashes,
`wsl --shutdown` and sleep/resume, and idle-stops the engine to return its RAM.
`skrog lock` pins the exact dockerd, containerd, runc and BuildKit commits so a
laptop and a CI runner install the same engine.
Installing this package places the skrog command on PATH. It does not provision
anything: run `skrog install` next to set up the engine, then `skrog start`.
Skrog does not install a docker CLI - use Docker Desktop's, or `skrog cli install`.
Publisher’s description
What is Skrog?
Skrog by wslkit is open-source Windows software in the containers & devops category. It is written in Go.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit and ARM64 Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 0.10.0, released on October 12, 2026. The version history goes back to September 22, 2026: 2 releases, all linked to the official files. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (wslkit/skrog) has 5 stars. Similar programs include Docker Compose, Pulumi and Kubernetes - Minikube - A Local Kubernetes Development Environment.
Project description on GitHub: “Run the upstream Docker Engine on Windows via WSL2 - the real Docker API, so Compose, Dev Containers and Testcontainers just work without any licence fees.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Portable: runs without installation
- Updated in the last two months
In short: Skrog is an open-source containers & devop tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs.
Is Skrog 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:
7233CC5A2405BA926034BAF90845333613AAA1842FE690C63F19A88FDD2034B6· 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
Recent versions
All 2 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.10.0Latest | October 12, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 0.8.0 | September 22, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id wslkit.skrog -eRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- wslkit
- Category
- Containers & DevOps
- Licence
- Apache-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/wslkit/skrog
- Written in
- Go
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 0.10.0
- Released
- October 12, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- October 13, 2026
- Versions listed
- 2
- GitHub stars
- 5
- GitHub forks
- 1
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- wslkit.skrog
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Skrog free?
Yes. Skrog is open-source software under the Apache-2.0 licence.
Is Skrog 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 Skrog 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 Skrog run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of Skrog?
The versions page lists all 2 versions with links to their official installer files, back to September 22, 2026.
Can I use Skrog without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to Skrog?
Docker Compose, Pulumi, Kubernetes - Minikube - A Local Kubernetes Development Environment, Helm and k9s. The alternatives page compares them.
