A Crane Alternative for Downloading Images
Crane is great for registry workflows, but not always installable. ContainerDL gives you a hosted way to export images.
Base URL
https://containerdl.com
Why teams pick ContainerDL
No CLI install
Use a browser or API instead of installing crane.
Team friendly
Share a tarball link with teammates and stakeholders.
Secure downloads
Private credentials are temporary and never stored.
How it works
-
Enter an image reference in ContainerDL.
-
Export and download the TAR.
-
Automate with:Bearer token
Authorization: Bearer <key>
Example
Export an image without a local CLI
curlcurl -X POST https://containerdl.com/v1/exports \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer cdl_live_xxx" \
-d '{"image":"alpine:latest"}'- Use ContainerDL when installing crane is not possible.
- For registry mirroring, crane is still the right tool.
Common use cases
- Locked-down laptops and build environments.
- Quick tarball exports without installing tools.
- Sharing images with non-technical teams.
- API-driven exports in CI.
FAQs
Does this replace crane copy?
For downloading tarballs, yes. For registry syncs and catalog tasks, crane is still best.
Do I need docker login?
No for public images. Private access is supported for GHCR and Docker Hub on Light/Pro.
Is there an API?
Yes. API access is available on Light and Pro plans.