Container-Optimized OS is an operating system image for your Compute Engine VMs that is optimized for running Docker containers. With Container-Optimized OS, you can bring up your Docker containers on Google Cloud Platform quickly, efficiently, and securely. Container-Optimized OS is maintained by Google and is based on the open source Chromium OS project.

Start your proof of concept with $300 in free credit

  • Develop with our latest Generative AI models and tools.
  • Get free usage of 20+ popular products, including Compute Engine and AI APIs.
  • No automatic charges, no commitment.

Keep exploring with 20+ always-free products.

Access 20+ free products for common use cases, including AI APIs, VMs, data warehouses, and more.

Documentation resources

Find quickstarts and guides, review key references, and get help with common issues.

Concept guides

How-to guides

Resources

Related videos

Except as otherwise noted, the content of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, and code samples are licensed under the Apache 2.0 License. For details, see the Google Developers Site Policies. Java is a registered trademark of Oracle and/or its affiliates.

Last updated 2026-02-19 UTC.