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1st chunk of `content/manuals/build/builders/drivers/_index.md`
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---
title: Build drivers
description: Build drivers are configurations for how and where the BuildKit backend runs.
keywords: build, buildx, driver, builder, docker-container, kubernetes, remote
aliases:
  - /build/buildx/drivers/
  - /build/building/drivers/
  - /build/buildx/multiple-builders/
  - /build/drivers/
---

Build drivers are configurations for how and where the BuildKit backend runs.
Driver settings are customizable and allow fine-grained control of the builder.
Buildx supports the following drivers:

- `docker`: uses the BuildKit library bundled into the Docker daemon.
- `docker-container`: creates a dedicated BuildKit container using Docker.
- `kubernetes`: creates BuildKit pods in a Kubernetes cluster.
- `remote`: connects directly to a manually managed BuildKit daemon.

Different drivers support different use cases. The default `docker` driver
prioritizes simplicity and ease of use. It has limited support for advanced
features like caching and output formats, and isn't configurable. Other drivers
provide more flexibility and are better at handling advanced scenarios.

The following table outlines some differences between drivers.

| Feature                      |  `docker`   | `docker-container` | `kubernetes` |      `remote`      |
| :--------------------------- | :---------: | :----------------: | :----------: | :----------------: |
| **Automatically load image** |     ✅      |                    |              |                    |
| **Cache export**             |     ✓\*     |         ✅         |      ✅      |         ✅         |
| **Tarball output**           |             |         ✅         |      ✅      |         ✅         |
| **Multi-arch images**        |             |         ✅         |      ✅      |         ✅         |
| **BuildKit configuration**   |             |         ✅         |      ✅      | Managed externally |

\* _The `docker` driver doesn't support all cache export options.
See [Cache storage backends](/manuals/build/cache/backends/_index.md) for more information._

## Loading to local image store

Unlike when using the default `docker` driver, images built using other drivers
aren't automatically loaded into the local image store. If you don't specify an
Title: Build Drivers: Configurations for BuildKit Backends
Summary
Build drivers are configurations that define how and where the BuildKit backend runs, offering customizable settings for fine-grained control. Buildx supports 'docker', 'docker-container', 'kubernetes', and 'remote' drivers, each suited for different use cases. The 'docker' driver is simple but limited, while others offer more flexibility. A table outlines the differences in features such as automatic image loading, cache export, tarball output, multi-arch images, and BuildKit configuration. Notably, images built with drivers other than 'docker' aren't automatically loaded into the local image store.