Which Linux container package runs an engine as a process on the host operating system?

In the context of Linux containers, Docker is a containerization platform that enables developers to automate the deployment of applications in lightweight, portable containers. One of the key features of Docker is that it runs a daemon, known as the Docker Engine, as a process on the host operating system. This engine manages the building, running, and orchestration of containers.

When using Docker, the engine allows users to execute commands for container lifecycle management, such as creating, starting, stopping, and removing containers from a centralized service running on the host. This architecture allows Docker to provide additional services like networking, storage management, and container orchestration to facilitate more complex deployment scenarios.

While other container technologies, such as Podman, rkt, and LXC, manage containers in different ways—some utilizing a daemonless approach or focusing on specific use cases—they do not replicate the Docker model of having an overarching process manage container operations on the host in the same way that Docker does. This distinctive design aspect of the Docker platform is what makes it the correct choice in the context of the question.