Freedom251 › Container Engines
ocijail

What ocijail is
ocijail is an experimental OCI runtime that uses FreeBSD jails. It is intended for people using Buildah and/or Podman who want those tools to work with this FreeBSD-based runtime. The project targets FreeBSD hosts, uses the OCI image format, and has a runtime interface categorized as other. It is self-hosted and open source under the BSD-2-Clause license, with source code available in a public GitHub repository. The README documents building and installing it with `bazel run //:install -- -s /usr/local/bin`. Doug Rabson is identified as the repository owner and maintainer, and users can report project issues through GitHub Issues. The repository does not list paid plans, prices, releases, or packages. Distribution therefore centers on the source repository and its Bazel install command. ocijail is free to use.
Who it suits
It suits FreeBSD users working with Buildah or Podman who are comfortable with an experimental OCI runtime. Users need to build and operate it in a self-hosted environment.
What it does well
- Uses FreeBSD jails as an OCI runtime
- Works with Buildah and Podman
- Open source under BSD-2-Clause
- Public source repository available
- Documented Bazel install command
What to know first
- Experimental project status
- Supports FreeBSD hosts only
- No listed releases or packages
- Self-hosted setup required
Verdict
ocijail offers a focused, open-source bridge between OCI workloads and FreeBSD jails. Its experimental status and source-based distribution make it a fit for users prepared to manage their own FreeBSD setup.
Facts from ocijail's own pages
- Build
- The README gives `bazel run //:install -- -s /usr/local/bin` as the build and install command. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
- Build and install
- The README gives `bazel run //:install -- -s /usr/local/bin` as the build and install command. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Container tooling
- The project is intended to be used with Buildah and/or Podman. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Distribution
- The repository provides source code and a Bazel install command. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
- Host platform
- The runtime is for FreeBSD jails. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The README names Buildah and Podman as intended companion tools. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- License
- The repository is licensed under BSD-2-Clause. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Maintainer
- The repository owner is Doug Rabson. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
- Open source license
- The repository identifies its license as BSD-2-Clause. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
- Pricing
- The project repository does not list paid plans or prices. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
- Project status
- The README describes the runtime as experimental. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- ocijail is an experimental OCI runtime using FreeBSD jails. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Release downloads
- The repository page has no listed releases or packages. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Runtime model
- The project describes itself as an OCI runtime using FreeBSD jails. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
- Source availability
- The project source is hosted in a public GitHub repository. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Support
- The repository exposes a GitHub Issues page for project issues. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
- Who it is for
- The stated intended users are people using Buildah and/or Podman with the experimental FreeBSD jail runtime. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Where ocijail stands on Freedom251
- Container Engines#31 of 31