Docker Desktop is the go-to app for running containers on your machine. And just like tuning up a car, the Docker team is constantly tweaking it under the hood. Recently, they rolled out several enterprise-grade performance upgrades – think faster file syncing, new virtualization technology, and broader platform support – all aimed at making your daily dev work smoother and quicker. In this article, we’ll walk through the highlights of those updates in plain language. We’ll cover the new Docker VMM for Apple Silicon Macs, Windows-on-ARM support, smarter file sharing, official RHEL support, and some behind-the-scenes tweaks (VirtioFS improvements). Along the way, we’ll explain any new terms and provide examples, so even if you’re new to Docker, you’ll see why these changes can significantly speed up your workflow.
Faster Mac Builds with Docker VMM (Apple Silicon)
If you use a newer Mac (with M1/M2 chips), one big win is Docker VMM, a new virtualization option just for Apple Silicon. Virtualization is basically running a virtual machine (VM) under the hood to host Linux containers. Traditionally, Docker Desktop on Mac used Apple’s own Virtualization Framework or QEMU (a generic emulator) to run containers. Docker VMM (Virtual Machine Manager) is a new alternative in beta (introduced in Docker Desktop 4.35) that can be much faster for many tasks. It’s like getting a nitro boost for your Docker VM.
Related Image: © Docker
Figure 1: Virtual machine options in Docker Desktop’s settings. Docker VMM (Beta) is a new option alongside Apple’s built-in framework and older QEMU support.
With Docker VMM enabled, your containers run on a VM that’s optimized for the M1/M2 architecture. In practical terms, operations inside your container just zip along faster. For example, running git status in a repo took about 27 seconds on a cold cache with the old Apple framework, but only ~10 seconds with Docker VMM (see Figure 2 below). After the first run, when Docker caches things, subsequent git status times dropped from around 3 seconds down to under 1 second with VMM (Figure 3). In other words, what used to take half a minute now takes under ten seconds on your first go, and almost instantly after that. These are real-world speed-ups, especially if you routinely run build or status checks in large projects.
Related Image: © Docker
Figure 2: Initial git status times.
Related Image: © Docker
Figure 3: Subsequent git status times.
So if you’re developing on an M1 or M2 Mac, try switching to Docker VMM in Settings > General > Virtual Machine Manager (as shown above). It’s still beta, so if you run into issues, you can toggle back. Note, though, that Docker VMM currently works best with ARM-based containers. If you’re running Intel/amd64 images under Rosetta emulation, stick with Apple’s virtualization for now. The bottom line: for native ARM containers on Apple Silicon, Docker VMM can cut your “waiting time” by 50-70% on common tasks.
Docker Desktop on Windows ARM
Another big update is Windows on ARM support. ARM-based Windows laptops (like the Surface Pro X or newer ARM-powered PCs) are becoming more common. These devices can offer great battery life and performance for certain tasks (think parallel workloads or optimized ARM software). Docker Desktop now fully supports Windows ARM, so if you have a PC with an ARM64 chip, you can run containers natively on it.
This means the familiar Docker Desktop UI and CLI will work smoothly on those machines. Before this, Windows Docker users needed an Intel/AMD CPU, but now ARM laptop users aren’t left out. In practice, it lets developers take advantage of their ARM hardware for container builds and runs. For example, building ARM-based Docker images directly on an ARM PC can be faster than emulating x86. According to Docker: “Arm64 devices can offer significant performance benefits… Docker Desktop now supports Windows on Arm, ensuring smooth, efficient operations on this architecture”. In short, if you’ve got a Windows ARM machine, grab the latest Docker Desktop and try it – the experience should be speedier and just as familiar.
Synchronized File Sharing: Keep Host and Container in Sync
Ever noticed your Docker container lag behind when you edit code on your host machine? Or found that heavy file operations (like npm install or tooling over large projects) were painfully slow? Docker’s Synchronized File Shares feature is designed to fix that. It’s a smarter way for the container and your host (Windows or Mac) to keep files in sync.
Traditional file sharing in Docker used methods that often got sluggish with big projects or frequent changes. Synchronized file sharing improves this by doing efficient on-the-fly syncing: when you save a file on your host, the container sees it almost immediately, and vice versa, without the old bottlenecks. Think of it like having a super-fast live sync (similar to Dropbox or Google Drive, but for your container). The result is a snappier development workflow, especially if you watch files or rebuild containers often.
Key benefits of synchronized file shares include:
- Selective syncing: Pick only the directories you need to share (e.g. just your app folder), instead of syncing the entire disk. This cuts down on unnecessary work for files you don’t care about.
- Faster file-change detection: Edits on the host appear in the container almost instantly, so your development server or hot-reload kicks in quicker.
- Better large-project performance: If you have a huge codebase with thousands of files, this feature minimizes the lag and overhead that used to kill performance.
- Cross-platform support: It works on both macOS and Windows, so the experience is consistent no matter your OS.
The synchronized shares feature is built into Docker Desktop (since version 4.27 and up). To use it, enable “Use virtioFS for file sharing” or similar in Settings, and then configure which folders to sync. For example, if your front-end app lives in /Users/alice/project, just sync that folder. This way, Docker doesn’t waste time tracking unused files elsewhere. Many devs have reported that things like npm start or pytest Inside containers, now pick up code changes without that annoying delay. In short, these improvements mean less waiting and more coding when you’re iterating on your project.
Docker Desktop Goes GA on RHEL
Good news for enterprise developers: Docker Desktop is now generally available (GA) on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). RHEL is a Linux distribution widely used in corporate environments because of its performance and rock-solid reliability. With Docker Desktop officially supported on RHEL, companies can use the same trusted OS for desktop development as they do in production.
Why does this matter? RHEL is optimized for heavy workloads and has strict security and compliance features. By running Docker Desktop on RHEL, you get a “smoother, faster experience from development through production”. Your container workflows can tap directly into RHEL’s efficient resource management. Plus, RHEL’s certified environment (secure kernels, quick updates, SELinux, etc.) means your development containers inherit that security model. For example, financial or healthcare firms that require certified systems can now use Docker Desktop on a platform they trust, without juggling multiple OS’s. In essence, RHEL users get all the Desktop conveniences (GUI, CLI, Kubernetes integration) on their native OS, which can simplify setup and improve stability.
Under the Hood: Continuous Improvements (VirtioFS and More)
Besides the big features, Docker Desktop keeps rolling out smaller performance wins in every release. A lot of the recent work has focused on VirtioFS, the file-sharing engine Docker Desktop uses under the hood (especially on macOS and Windows). These are low-level changes, but they add up to real speed-ups:
- Docker Desktop 4.33: Fine-tuned VirtioFS caching and notifications. The team increased directory cache timeouts and optimized host change notifications while removing extra FUSE operations. They also added an API to clear file caches after a container stops, so stale data doesn’t slow you down. These tweaks help reduce unnecessary file checks and keep I/O smooth.
- Docker Desktop 4.32: Boosted read/write performance on bind mounts. In simple terms, reading and writing files that come from your host drive (bind mounts) got faster. If you share a big folder with a container, those extra optimizations mean less lag when accessing many files.
- Docker Desktop 4.31: Improved VirtioFS caching strategy. The team extended attribute caching timeouts and made cache invalidation smarter. This means Docker doesn’t repeatedly check file metadata (like permissions or timestamps) as often, cutting down on overhead. Containerized apps that work with shared files (e.g., compile code or process many files) will see a nice bump.
All these behind-the-scenes upgrades mean that Docker Desktop keeps getting faster and more efficient, even in ways you might not notice until you try it. Think of it as your car’s engine receiving subtle tuning each month. You might not point to one big change, but overall, the drive feels quicker and smoother. Developers working on large projects or complex file-intensive tasks will especially notice these continuous improvements.
Why These Updates Matter
All these updates share the same goal: less waiting, more building. Whether you’re an enterprise dev or a hobbyist, performance enhancements translate to saving precious time. Here are some takeaways:
- On a Mac, Docker VMM slashes container startup and file-scanning times, so commands like
git status or npm run build feel snappy.
- On Windows, ARM laptop users can finally use Docker Desktop natively, taking advantage of their hardware’s speed for container workflows.
- Syncing files between your host and container is smoother than ever, which means your code changes appear instantly without stutter.
- RHEL support lets corporate users stay on their preferred Linux distro without compromise, gaining both Docker productivity and enterprise reliability.
- Under-the-hood optimizations (VirtioFS, caching, etc.) add up to a faster and more responsive Docker environment overall.
In short, these are not just marketing bullet points – they’re practical boosts. You’ll spend less time watching progress bars and more time shipping features. As Docker’s team notes, these performance optimizations “help you work faster, reduce downtime, and boost productivity”.
So keep your Docker Desktop updated and explore these features. Try toggling the new options and benchmark your workloads. And if something still feels off or you have ideas, Docker welcomes feedback to keep making it better. Happy coding!
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