What is Distribution used for?

Distribution is a stateless, highly scalable server-side application that stores and distributes container images and other content, implementing the OCI Distribution Spec. It is a good fit for tightly control where images are stored, own the image distribution pipeline and integrate image storage into in-house development workflow.

Is Distribution open source?

Yes. Distribution is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at distribution/distribution and is written mainly in Go.

Is Distribution free?

Yes. Distribution is open source, so the software itself is free to use.

Can I self-host Distribution?

Yes. Distribution can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure; there is no official hosted version.

What is Distribution an alternative to?

Distribution is an open-source alternative to Docker Hub and Quay. Other open-source alternatives to Docker Hub include Harbor.

Is Distribution actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to Distribution was on 12 October 2026, and the latest release is v3.1.2, published on 24 September 2026. The project has 11k stars on GitHub.

Distribution: open-source alternative to Docker Hub, Quay

About Distribution

The Registry is a stateless, highly scalable server-side application that stores and lets you distribute container images and other content. It is open-source under the Apache license.

It is designed for users who want to control where images are stored, own the distribution pipeline, and integrate image storage into their development workflow. It implements the OCI Distribution Spec version 1.0.1.

Key features

Stores and distributes container images and other content
Stateless and highly scalable
Open-source under Apache license
Implements OCI Distribution Spec version 1.0.1
Supports various storage drivers including filesystem, S3, Google Cloud Storage, Azure, and in-memory (testing only)
Supports token authentication and OAuth2 token authentication

Good fit for

Tightly control where images are stored
Own the image distribution pipeline
Integrate image storage into in-house development workflow

Built with: Go tools
Tags: container registry; oci distribution; docker; open-source; storage

Distribution: questions and answers

What is Distribution used for?: Distribution is a stateless, highly scalable server-side application that stores and distributes container images and other content, implementing the OCI Distribution Spec. It is a good fit for tightly control where images are stored, own the image distribution pipeline and integrate image storage into in-house development workflow.
Is Distribution open source?: Yes. Distribution is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at distribution/distribution and is written mainly in Go.
Is Distribution free?: Yes. Distribution is open source, so the software itself is free to use.
Can I self-host Distribution?: Yes. Distribution can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure; there is no official hosted version.
What is Distribution an alternative to?: Distribution is an open-source alternative to Docker Hub and Quay. Other open-source alternatives to Docker Hub include Harbor.
Is Distribution actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to Distribution was on 12 October 2026, and the latest release is v3.1.2, published on 24 September 2026. The project has 11k stars on GitHub.