How do you run containers from systemd in July 2020?

2 points

6 years ago

I'm researching the ideal way to run an OCI Container image published in an online repository on a single lab server. No orchestration layer required. Ideal for the use case is:

1. Stable and robust. The host should be low maintenance and forgettable. Debian Stable for example. 2. Well-integrated with systemd. Ideally no intermediary like conman, runc, etc... 2a) Integrated with journald. 2b) (stretch goal) Works well with socket activation. 2c) (stretch goal) Works well with resource controls. 3. Host network namespace. The use case doesn't warrant a contained network.

I see systemd-nspawn became OCI compliant in systemd version 242 [1], but Debian 10 Stable has systemd 241. Given this, I'm wondering what the next best alternative is. How do you run this sort of thing?

[1]: https://github.com/systemd/systemd/pull/9762