[paulddraper]

> Containerisation seems like the only way to do this that doesn't involve keeping packages and system configurations in sync in two or more systems.

Virtual machines will also work.

Docker serves as a lightweight virtualization that will provide the same experience, assuming you are willing to keep to the kernel and Docker version "in sync" between prod and local.

[XorNot]

Lately I've been sending a bunch of patches upstream to the runv project (https://github.com/hyperhq/runv). Turns out that wrapping the docker interface with full VM isolation is a model I very much like.