I Replaced Docker Desktop on Windows (It’s Faster, and It Doesn’t Need WSL)

Description and use

hyperbutler replaces Docker Desktop on Windows, removing the need for WSL and significantly reducing memory usage, startup time, and disk size.

Problem

Running Docker Desktop on Windows consumes excessive resources: vmmem keeps 2 GB RAM after containers stop, VHDX never shrinks, bind mounts from C:\ are slow, and a paid plan is required for 250+ users.

Outcome

hyperbutler reduces startup time by ~45 %, improves bind‑mount performance by ~8×, cuts idle memory to ~320 MiB, frees disk space after image deletion, and eliminates the need for WSL while keeping the standard Docker CLI and Compose.

Workflow

• Install hyperbutler MSI
• Run hyperbutler start docker run --rm hello-world to start the VM and Docker engine
• Use standard docker CLI and Compose against the named pipe API
• Stop the VM with hyperbutler stop

Evidence

hyperbutler: a Docker engine for Windows 11. No WSL.

Source

Start until a container runs: hyperbutler 2.5 s, Docker Desktop 5.6 s.

Source

Idle memory, VM running: hyperbutler ~320 MiB, Docker Desktop 1.7–2.7 GB.

Source

Disk after deleting ~5 GB of images: hyperbutler 1.5 GiB, Docker Desktop 6.8 GiB.

Source