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Being choose between 32 or 64 bit based OS to create Docker images I ask you to advice.

The primary goal is to run many small sized containers. That is, I don't need fancy features like > 4GB RAM support (something that 64-bits OSes are known for), but using 64-bit OS and apps will results in extra RAM usage (also well know fact).

So the choice is: I can use 32-bit and save RAM or I can use 64-bit and 'be modern'.

What would you advice?

I know I'll get a lot of negative votes but I hope I'll hear more that just "hey, that's 2016 now, you need to do whatever marketing guys want to sell you so get 64-bit". Really, that weird to use something just because new age is here.

BIG MISTAKE OF MINE WAS THAT DOCKER USES THE SAME OS AS HOST SINCE THIS IS NOT A VIRTUALIZATION. SO I HAVE TO CHOOSE 64 BIT OS ANYWAY TO SUPPORT MY AMOUNT OF RAM.

THANK YOU!

Alexander
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    Officially Docker does not support 32-bit, see https://github.com/docker/docker/issues/136 and the installation documentations at https://docs.docker.com/engine/installation/linux/ubuntulinux/ – faker Jun 03 '16 at 16:24

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checks watch yep, it's definitely 2016, why would you do anything in 32-bit unless you had zero choice in the matter.

Chopper3
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  • Why should I pay for extra RAM when I see no point in that? How year connects to number of bits? ) – Alexander Jun 03 '16 at 14:02
  • What extra RAM? – Chopper3 Jun 03 '16 at 14:05
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    You must have a fancy watch if it tells you what _year_ it is, but I agree with your point – Mark Henderson Jun 03 '16 at 14:08
  • Truth be known I don't wear a watch, I use my phone for time and that does indeed deal with whole years - on a 64-bit OS ironically – Chopper3 Jun 03 '16 at 14:19
  • @Chopper3, let me just put this link here https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/38d0ba0f-b481-4486-8b0e-ac780cce48c0/why-windows-7-64bit-requires-twice-as-much-ram-as-the-32bit-version won't copy here. – Alexander Jun 03 '16 at 14:28
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    You do realise the containers use the same kernel as your parent OS - so you're not really getting any 'memory savings' from 32 bit containers, and if you need to nickle and dime memory like that - and I quote a post there " You might end up running a dual architecture distro, so some libraries may be duplicated but that's about it I'm building an appilcation right now... The 32 bit version of the DLL takes 386 KB on disk. The 64 bit version takes only 14 KB more = 400 KB! There is no doubling here.", you clearly need to break open the piggy bank and buy more ram. – Journeyman Geek Jun 03 '16 at 14:49
  • @Alexander that's regarding Windows 7, from 2009, not docker, which needs to run on 64-bit only OS's - it's a pointless reference – Chopper3 Jun 03 '16 at 16:37
  • Well, it's 2021 and I've found this answer when googling for the same question of choosing between 32- and 64-bit host OS. I want to run a few lightweight services using Docker on low-profile hardware, and just as the author of the original question said, 32-bit software uses less RAM. Which is especially useful when you only have 2 GB or 4 GB of it total, and it's all soldered on the board of your mini- or micro-computer. – Violet Giraffe Jun 01 '21 at 14:47