When comparing VMWare player vs Docker, the Slant community recommends Docker for most people. In the question“What are the best desktop virtualization solutions?” Docker is ranked 2nd while VMWare player is ranked 6th. The most important reason people chose Docker is:
Docker creates a single object, containing an application with its dependencies, that can be moved between any docker-enabled machines, guaranteeing the same environment for application execution.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro 3D graphic support
Not sure about games but WebGL works ok.
Pro Works well and fast with Windows host and Linux guest
Pro Microsoft VM support
Also supports Microsoft Virtual Server virtual machines or Microsoft Virtual PC virtual machines.
Pro User friendly
Somewhat more user friendly than VirtualBox.
Pro Allows for portable application deployment
Docker creates a single object, containing an application with its dependencies, that can be moved between any docker-enabled machines, guaranteeing the same environment for application execution.
Pro Git-like capabilities
Docker tracks changes in systems. It allows for commits and rollbacks and for quick deployment due to having to deploy only the updated code.
Pro Allows re-using components
Docker essentially allows creating boilerplate systems (a LAMP stack, for example) that can be used as a starting point on multiple projects. And you can find multiple such containers already created by people in their public registry.
Pro Automatic build
Allows automatically assembling a container from its source code.
Pro Provides easy sharing and installation of containers through a public registry
Docker allows easily pushing and pulling containers to and from their public index.docker.io registry. Additionally, dotCloud maintains a list of official repositories of the more popular containers.
Pro Application-centric
Pro Works in virtualized environments
You can set up Docker within an already virtualized environment such as a virtual machine. This allows you to run Docker on Mac and Windows, among other use-cases.
Pro Low overhead
Pro Supports a wide range of isolation tools
Docker can be used with OpenVZ, systemd-nspawn, libvirt-lxc, libvirt-sandbox, qemu/kvm, BSD Jails, Solaris Zones, and chroot.
Pro Tool ecosystem
Cons
Con Not open source
Which means having to install their intrusive tools manually on guest linux vms.