Freedom251 › Chaos Engineering Platforms
Pumba
What Pumba is
Pumba is an open-source chaos testing and network emulation tool for containers managed by Docker, containerd, or Podman. It can kill, stop, pause, remove, and restart containers, and simulate network delay, packet loss, duplication, corruption, and rate limits through netem or iptables. Its stress command uses stress-ng to exercise CPU, memory, and I/O. Choose targets by container name, regular expression, label, or random selection, then set chaos to recur at fixed intervals. Pumba supports Kubernetes, with deployment options documented for Docker, Kubernetes DaemonSets, and OpenShift. It is self-hosted and the Pumba plan costs nothing; the project is under Apache License 2.0. Linux is the primary platform. macOS binaries can drive a remote Linux container VM, while Windows is not supported or planned. Pumba interacts directly with container runtimes and needs privileged access, so its security guidance recommends controlled environments and restricted runtime socket access. It is distributed as released binaries and a GitHub Container Registry image; the Docker Hub image is deprecated. The project directs community support requests to GitHub Issues and its blog.
Who it suits
Pumba suits teams that operate Docker, containerd, or Podman containers and want to schedule container, network, or resource disruptions. It is aimed at self-hosted Linux environments, including Kubernetes deployments, where privileged runtime access can be carefully controlled.
What it does well
- Targets containers by name, regular expression, label, or random selection.
- Schedules recurring chaos at fixed intervals.
- Injects network delay, loss, duplication, corruption, and rate limits.
- Stress-tests CPU, memory, and I/O with stress-ng.
- Supports Docker, containerd, Podman, and Kubernetes.
What to know first
- Windows is not supported or planned.
- macOS binaries drive a remote Linux container VM.
- Runtime interaction requires privileged access.
- Cloud fault injection is not supported.
Limits
The free Pumba plan costs nothing under Apache License 2.0. Cloud fault injection is not supported; Windows is unsupported and not planned.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Pumba | Open-source container chaos testing tool · Apache License 2.0 | Free |
As github.com lists them, read 8 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the Pumba GitHub project page.
- Choose a released binary or the GitHub Container Registry image.
- Use Linux as the primary target, or use macOS binaries to drive a remote Linux container VM.
- Select Docker, Kubernetes DaemonSet, or OpenShift deployment as appropriate.
- Configure the container runtime and its socket or privilege requirements.
- Choose targets and configure the disruptions and interval.
Verdict
Choose Pumba if you need a free, self-hosted way to disrupt containers or inject scheduled network faults in a Linux or Kubernetes environment. Its privileged runtime access calls for careful control of the environment and socket access. Look elsewhere if you need Windows support or cloud fault injection.
Questions
How much does Pumba cost?
The Pumba plan is free. It is open source under Apache License 2.0.
Which platforms does Pumba support?
Linux is its primary target. macOS binaries can drive a remote Linux container VM; Windows is not supported or planned.
Which container runtimes can it work with?
Pumba supports Docker, containerd, and Podman. containerd and Podman have specific socket and privilege requirements.
Can Pumba run in Kubernetes?
Yes. The project documents deployment with Kubernetes DaemonSets and also documents Docker and OpenShift deployment options.
What kinds of faults can it create?
It can disrupt containers and inject network delay, packet loss, duplication, corruption, and rate limits. Its stress command tests CPU, memory, and I/O.
Does Pumba support cloud fault injection?
No. Cloud fault injection is not supported.
Facts from Pumba's own pages
- Container disruptions
- It can kill, stop, pause, remove, and restart containers. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- The project documents Docker, Kubernetes DaemonSets, and OpenShift deployment options. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Distribution
- Pumba is available as released binaries and a GitHub Container Registry image; its README marks the Docker Hub image as deprecated. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Network testing
- It can inject network delay, packet loss, duplication, corruption, and rate limits using netem or iptables. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Pumba is a chaos testing and network emulation tool for Docker, containerd, and Podman containers. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Runtimes
- Pumba supports Docker, containerd, and Podman, with containerd and Podman-specific socket and privilege requirements. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Security requirements
- Pumba interacts directly with container runtimes and requires privileged access; its security guidance recommends controlled environments and restricting socket access. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Security support
- Security fixes apply only to the latest released minor version, and vulnerabilities should be reported privately through GitHub or to the maintainer. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Security tooling
- The repository says it uses CodeQL, golangci-lint with gosec, and GitHub Actions with least-privilege permissions. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Stress testing
- Its stress command tests CPU, memory, and I/O using stress-ng. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Support
- The README points users to GitHub Issues and a project blog for community support. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Supported platforms
- Linux is the primary target, while macOS binaries are for driving a remote Linux container VM; Windows is not supported or planned. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Targeting and scheduling
- Targets can be selected by names, regular expressions, labels, or randomly, and chaos can recur at fixed intervals. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Where Pumba stands on Freedom251
- Chaos Engineering Platforms#15 of 25