What Is a Container Streaming Platform?
A container streaming platform delivers applications — browsers, desktop software, development
tools, and entire workspaces — as live streams from cloud containers to your browser. Instead of installing software
locally, you access fully functional applications running in isolated Docker or Kubernetes containers on remote
servers.
The concept is simple: the application runs on a powerful cloud server inside a container, and the visual output is
streamed to your browser in real time. Your mouse clicks and keyboard input are sent back to the container. The
result is a fully interactive application experience without any local installation, compatible with any device that
has a web browser.
How Container Streaming Works
The Technical Architecture
Your Device (Browser)
↕ WebRTC/WebSocket Stream
Cloud Infrastructure
├── Container Orchestrator (Kubernetes/Docker Swarm)
│ ├── Container 1: Browser (Chrome/Firefox)
│ ├── Container 2: IDE (VS Code/JetBrains)
│ ├── Container 3: Design Tool (Figma/GIMP)
│ └── Container N: Any Application
├── GPU Pool (for rendering)
├── Storage (persistent volumes)
└── Network (per-container isolation)Key Technologies
| Component | Technology | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Container runtime | Docker, containerd, CRI-O | Run isolated application instances |
| Orchestration | Kubernetes, Docker Swarm | Scale and manage containers |
| Streaming protocol | WebRTC, VNC-over-WebSocket | Low-latency video/input streaming |
| Display server | Xvfb, Xpra, Wayland | Render GUI in headless containers |
| GPU virtualization | NVIDIA vGPU, Intel GVT-g | Hardware-accelerated rendering |
| Storage | Persistent volumes, NFS, S3 | Save state between sessions |
Top Container Streaming Platforms
1. Kasm Workspaces
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Self-hosted container streaming |
| Containers | Browsers, desktops (Ubuntu, Fedora), IDEs, games |
| Streaming tech | WebRTC-based KasmVNC |
| GPU support | ✅ NVIDIA GPU passthrough |
| Community Edition | Free (limited features) |
| Enterprise price | $5/user/month |
Pros: Open-source core, wide container library, good performance with KasmVNC
Cons: Self-hosted only (requires server management), resource-intensive
2. Send.win
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Fully managed cloud browser platform |
| Focus | Browser isolation and multi-account management |
| Self-hosting | Not required — fully managed cloud |
| Session persistence | ✅ Saved between uses |
| Team sharing | ✅ One-click session sharing |
| Free tier | ✅ Available |
Pros: Zero infrastructure management, built-in session sharing, unique browser fingerprint per profile, cross-device access
Cons: Browser-focused (not full desktop environments)
3. Apache Guacamole
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Clientless remote desktop gateway |
| Protocols | RDP, VNC, SSH, Telnet, Kubernetes |
| Self-hosting | Required |
| Container support | ✅ Can connect to containerized desktops |
| Price | Free (open-source) |
Pros: Completely free, supports multiple remote desktop protocols, mature and stable
Cons: Gateway only — doesn’t create containers, requires separate infrastructure
4. Neko (n.eko)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Self-hosted virtual browser / desktop |
| Streaming | WebRTC with H.264/VP8 |
| Multi-user | ✅ Multiple users can share one session |
| Containers | Docker-based |
| Price | Free (open-source) |
Pros: Lightweight, WebRTC for low latency, collaborative (multiple users same screen)
Cons: Limited to one session per container, no orchestration built in
5. Coder
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Cloud development environments |
| Focus | Developer workspaces (VS Code, JetBrains) |
| Infrastructure | Kubernetes, Docker, VMs, cloud |
| Templates | ✅ Pre-built dev environment templates |
| Price | Free (open-source) / Enterprise pricing |
Pros: Purpose-built for development teams, excellent IDE integration, infrastructure-as-code
templates
Cons: Developer-focused only, requires Kubernetes knowledge to deploy
Container Streaming vs. Traditional Approaches
| Aspect | Local Install | Remote Desktop (RDP/VNC) | Container Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup time | 10-60 min per app | 30-60 min per VM | Seconds per container |
| Isolation | ❌ Shares OS | ⚠️ VM-level | ✅ Container-level |
| Resource efficiency | ⚠️ Per-app overhead | ❌ Full OS per VM | ✅ Minimal per container |
| Scaling | ❌ Manual per machine | ⚠️ Per-VM provisioning | ✅ Auto-scaling with orchestration |
| Cross-platform | ❌ OS-specific | ✅ Via web client | ✅ Any browser |
| State persistence | ✅ Always saved | ✅ VM persists | ⚠️ Requires persistent volumes |
| Security | ❌ Local attack surface | ⚠️ VM escape risk | ✅ Container isolation + ephemeral |
Use Cases for Container Streaming
1. Browser Isolation and Multi-Account Management
Stream isolated browsers for managing multiple accounts across platforms. Each browser container has its own fingerprint, cookies,
and session state. Close and recreate containers for complete cleanup.
2. Developer Workspaces
- Pre-configured development environments with all dependencies
- Consistent environments across the team (no “works on my machine”)
- Quick onboarding — new developers get a fully set up workspace in minutes
- Disposable environments for testing and experimentation
How Send.win Helps You Master Container Streaming Platform
Send.win makes Container Streaming Platform simple and secure with powerful browser isolation technology:
- Browser Isolation – Every tab runs in a sandboxed environment
- Cloud Sync – Access your sessions from any device
- Multi-Account Management – Manage unlimited accounts safely
- No Installation Required – Works instantly in your browser
- Affordable Pricing – Enterprise features without enterprise costs
Try Send.win Free – No Credit Card Required
Experience the power of browser isolation with our free demo:
- Instant Access – Start testing in seconds
- Full Features – Try all capabilities
- Secure – Bank-level encryption
- Cross-Platform – Works on desktop, mobile, tablet
- 14-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Ready to upgrade? View pricing plans starting at just $9/month.
3. Education and Training
- Provide students with pre-configured lab environments
- No software installation on student devices
- Reset environments between classes
- Support any device (Chromebooks, tablets, old laptops)
4. Security Research
- Analyze malware in disposable containers
- Browse suspicious websites without risk to host systems
- Network isolation prevents lateral movement
- Forensic snapshots for analysis
5. Legacy Application Access
- Run legacy Windows applications in containers
- Access old browser versions for compatibility testing
- Maintain deprecated software without affecting modern systems
Building Your Own Container Streaming Platform
Minimum Requirements
Server Requirements (for ~10 concurrent users):
CPU: 8+ cores (more is better for multiple containers)
RAM: 32GB+ (2-4GB per browser container)
Storage: 100GB+ SSD (fast I/O critical)
Network: 100Mbps+ upload (1Mbps per active stream)
GPU: Optional but recommended for media-heavy workloads
Software Stack:
OS: Ubuntu 22.04+ or similar Linux
Runtime: Docker Engine or containerd
Orchestration: Docker Compose (small) / Kubernetes (large)
Reverse proxy: Nginx or Traefik
SSL: Let's EncryptQuick Start with Docker Compose
# docker-compose.yml for a basic Kasm deployment
version: '3'
services:
kasm:
image: kasmweb/core-chrome:latest
ports:
- "6901:6901"
environment:
- VNC_PW=password123
volumes:
- kasm-data:/home/kasm-user
shm_size: "2g"
volumes:
kasm-data:Performance Optimization
| Optimization | Impact | How |
|---|---|---|
| Edge servers | Reduce latency 40-60% | Deploy closer to users geographically |
| GPU acceleration | Smoother rendering | NVIDIA vGPU for hardware encoding |
| WebRTC over VNC | Lower latency streaming | Use WebRTC-based solutions (KasmVNC, n.eko) |
| Image preloading | Faster container startup | Pre-pull container images on all nodes |
| Resource limits | Prevent noisy neighbors | Set CPU/RAM limits per container |
| Persistent volumes | Faster re-launches | NVMe-backed persistent volumes |
Security Considerations
Container Isolation Best Practices
- Run containers as non-root: Prevent container escape vulnerabilities
- Network segmentation: Each container on its own network namespace
- Seccomp profiles: Restrict system calls available to containers
- AppArmor/SELinux: Mandatory access controls on container processes
- Image scanning: Scan container images for vulnerabilities before deployment
- Ephemeral containers: Rebuild from scratch regularly to eliminate persistent threats
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the latency of container streaming?
With WebRTC and a nearby server, expect 20-50ms latency — comparable to local applications for most tasks. Video
playback and fast-paced interactions may show slight delay. VNC-based streaming typically adds 50-100ms more
latency.
Can I run GPU-intensive applications in containers?
Yes, with NVIDIA GPU passthrough (vGPU). This enables hardware-accelerated rendering, video encoding, and even gaming
in streamed containers. GPU support typically requires NVIDIA Enterprise licenses.
How much bandwidth does container streaming use?
Typically 1-5 Mbps per active session for standard browser/desktop use. Video streaming or screen sharing within the
container increases bandwidth. WebRTC with adaptive bitrate adjusts quality based on available bandwidth.
Can I use container streaming for browser isolation?
Absolutely — this is one of the most popular use cases. Each browser container is completely isolated from others and
from your local device. If a container is compromised, the others remain unaffected. Cloud browser solutions like
Send.win build on this principle with virtual browser profiles that add fingerprint isolation on top of container isolation.
Is container streaming suitable for production workloads?
Yes, for appropriate use cases. Interactive applications (browsers, IDEs, admin tools) work well. Latency-sensitive
applications (real-time trading, video editing with frame-level precision) may not be suitable. Always test with
your specific workflow before committing.
Conclusion
A container streaming platform transforms how organizations deliver applications — replacing local
installations with instant, isolated, browser-accessible environments. Whether you choose a self-hosted solution
like Kasm Workspaces for maximum control, or a managed cloud platform like Send.win for
zero-infrastructure browser isolation, container streaming eliminates the overhead of software management while
adding security through isolation.
The technology is mature enough for production use, with WebRTC providing near-native performance for most
interactive applications. As remote work and BYOD policies continue to expand, container streaming platforms will
become the standard way organizations deliver secure, accessible workspaces to their teams.