Quickemu vs dockur/windows
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A wrapper around QEMU that sets up and runs Windows, macOS and Linux virtual machines with little configuratio
Open source · MIT
Runs full Windows inside a Docker container, with a browser-based viewer and automatic install.
The short answer
Choose Quickemu if you need…
- People who want to try a Linux distribution without manual QEMU configuration
- Users who want to run Windows 10 or 11 guests on a Linux or macOS host
- Anyone testing many operating systems and wanting configs stored in a portable folder
- Users who prefer a command-line tool over a full VM manager
Choose dockur/windows if you need…
- People who need a Windows environment on a Linux server or PC without installing Windows directly
- Developers testing software on different Windows versions
- Users who want to run legacy Windows releases such as XP or 98 in a container
- Anyone who already uses Docker Compose and wants Windows managed the same way
Side-by-side
| Quickemu | dockur/windows | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dev tool | Dev tool |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 16.6k | 54k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Run with Docker |
| Main language | Shell | Shell |
| Last code update | 7 days ago | 29 days ago |
What each one is
Quickemu
Quickemu is a wrapper for QEMU, a widely used virtualization program. You pick an operating system, and its quickget tool downloads the upstream image and writes a configuration file; its quickemu tool then inspects your hardware and launches the virtual machine with settings it considers suitable. The project was originally aimed at quickly testing Linux distributions, and it says VMs can be stored on external drives and run without elevated permissions.
dockur/windows
dockur/windows packages a Windows virtual machine inside a Docker container. It downloads a Windows edition for you, installs it automatically, and lets you view the desktop in a web browser or connect with a Remote Desktop client. It needs a Linux host with KVM virtualization support.
Best for
Quickemu
- People who want to try a Linux distribution without manual QEMU configuration
- Users who want to run Windows 10 or 11 guests on a Linux or macOS host
- Anyone testing many operating systems and wanting configs stored in a portable folder
- Users who prefer a command-line tool over a full VM manager
dockur/windows
- People who need a Windows environment on a Linux server or PC without installing Windows directly
- Developers testing software on different Windows versions
- Users who want to run legacy Windows releases such as XP or 98 in a container
- Anyone who already uses Docker Compose and wants Windows managed the same way
Strengths
Quickemu
- Automates downloading images and generating VM configuration
- Supports a wide range of guests, including Windows, several macOS versions and many Linux and BSD systems
- Open-source under the MIT license with a documented wiki
dockur/windows
- Installation is automated, and the README describes it as hands-free after the container starts
- Supports many Windows releases, from Windows 95 through Windows 11 and Server 2025, according to the version table
- Configuration is done through environment variables and volumes in a standard Docker Compose file
Not ideal for
Quickemu
- Users who need fine-grained control over every VM setting, since the README stresses minimal configuration
- Users on Windows hosts, because the README lists host support only for Linux and macOS
- Users who need a graphical VM manager; the README mentions separate frontends only in the wiki
dockur/windows
- Machines without KVM support, since the README says Docker Desktop on Linux, macOS, and Windows 10 does not provide KVM access to containers
- Systems with less than 2 GB of free RAM or 32 GB of free disk space, which are listed as minimums
- Users who need ARM64 Windows; the README points to a separate project, dockur/windows-arm, for that
Trade-offs
Quickemu
- macOS guests and some features depend on the host and on upstream image availability, which the README does not fully detail
- Some features such as Samba sharing require extra host software like smbd
- The README is truncated, so details of setup requirements and limitations are not fully visible here
dockur/windows
- Requires KVM hardware virtualization, so it will not run on many desktop setups such as Docker Desktop on macOS
- Downloads are large, from about 0.1 GB to 7.9 GB depending on version, and the default disk is 64 GB
- The README states the web viewer is less responsive than RDP and lacks clipboard sharing
Getting started
Quickemu
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/quickemu-project/quickemudockur/windows
Run Windows 11 with Docker CLI
docker run -it --rm --name windows -e "VERSION=11" -p 8006:8006 --device=/dev/kvm --device=/dev/net/tun --cap-add NET_ADMIN -v "${PWD:-.}/windows:/storage" --stop-timeout 120 docker.io/dockurr/windowsFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Quickemu and dockur/windows?
Quickemu: A wrapper around QEMU that sets up and runs Windows, macOS and Linux virtual machines with little configuratio. dockur/windows: Runs full Windows inside a Docker container, with a browser-based viewer and automatic install. Quickemu suits people who want to try a linux distribution without manual qemu configuration, while dockur/windows suits people who need a windows environment on a linux server or pc without installing windows directly.
Are Quickemu and dockur/windows free?
Quickemu: Free and open source. dockur/windows: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Quickemu or dockur/windows?
Quickemu is easier to get started with (rated beginner); dockur/windows is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Quickemu or dockur/windows more popular?
dockur/windows has more GitHub stars (54k) than Quickemu (16.6k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Quickemu and dockur/windows?
Other options people compare them with include WinBoat, macOS, Laradock.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.