LXC vs. LXD: Key Differences, Use Cases & Which to Choose
LXC is a low-level container runtime that gives you raw Linux containers via traditional tools like lxc-create; LXD is the modern, REST-ful management daemon that sits on top of LXC and turns those containers into lightweight virtual-machine-like instances with snapshots, clustering and image remotes.
People mix them up because early tutorials used both names interchangeably, and “LXD” sounds like the next version of “LXC.” In real life, you might SSH into a server, see lxc commands everywhere, and assume it’s the same tech—until you notice the slick LXD web dashboard next door.
Key Differences
LXC exposes bare container primitives; you craft config files by hand. LXD wraps those primitives in a secure, daemon-driven API, offering cloud-style workflows like “lxc launch ubuntu:22.04 myapp” without ever touching cgroups manually.
Which One Should You Choose?
Pick LXC for embedded systems or when you need maximum control. Choose LXD for DevOps, CI clusters or homelabs where speed, snapshots and ZFS magic matter more than tinkering with sysfs knobs.
Can I run Docker inside LXD?
Yes, LXD supports nested containers; enable security.nesting and install Docker as usual.
Does LXD work without LXC?
No, LXD still uses liblxc under the hood; it just hides the complexity.
Is LXC abandoned?
Far from it—LXC remains actively maintained as the engine LXD relies on.