diff --git a/Sources/ContainerClient/CredentialHelper.swift b/Sources/ContainerClient/CredentialHelper.swift
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d87ae37c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Sources/ContainerClient/CredentialHelper.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
+// Copyright © 2025 Apple Inc. and the container project authors.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//   https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
+
+import Containerization
+import Foundation
+
+/// Response from a credential helper execution
+struct CredentialHelperResponse: Codable {
+    let ServerURL: String
+    let Username: String
+    let Secret: String
+}
+
+/// Executes Docker credential helpers to retrieve registry credentials
+public struct CredentialHelperExecutor: Sendable {
+    public init() {}
+
+    /// Execute a credential helper for a given host
+    /// - Parameters:
+    ///   - helperName: The name of the credential helper (e.g., "cgr" for "docker-credential-cgr")
+    ///   - host: The registry host to get credentials for
+    /// - Returns: Authentication if the helper succeeded, nil otherwise
+    public func execute(helperName: String, for host: String) async -> Authentication? {
+        // Validate helper name to prevent unexpected characters
+        let allowedCharacterSet = CharacterSet.alphanumerics.union(CharacterSet(charactersIn: "-_"))
+        guard helperName.rangeOfCharacter(from: allowedCharacterSet.inverted) == nil else {
+            return nil
+        }
+
+        let executableName = "docker-credential-\(helperName)"
+
+        let process = Process()
+        process.executableURL = URL(fileURLWithPath: "/usr/bin/env")
+        process.arguments = [executableName, "get"]
+
+        let inputPipe = Pipe()
+        let outputPipe = Pipe()
+        let errorPipe = Pipe()
+
+        process.standardInput = inputPipe
+        process.standardOutput = outputPipe
+        process.standardError = errorPipe
+
+        do {
+            try process.run()
+
+            // Write the host to stdin
+            let hostData = Data("\(host)\n".utf8)
+            inputPipe.fileHandleForWriting.write(hostData)
+            // Close stdin to signal EOF to the credential helper
+            try inputPipe.fileHandleForWriting.close()
+
+            process.waitUntilExit()
+
+            guard process.terminationStatus == 0 else {
+                return nil
+            }
+
+            let outputData = outputPipe.fileHandleForReading.readDataToEndOfFile()
+
+            let decoder = JSONDecoder()
+            let response = try decoder.decode(CredentialHelperResponse.self, from: outputData)
+
+            return BasicAuthentication(username: response.Username, password: response.Secret)
+        } catch {
+            // Ensure stdin is closed even if we error out
+            try? inputPipe.fileHandleForWriting.close()
+            return nil
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Sources/ContainerClient/DockerConfig.swift b/Sources/ContainerClient/DockerConfig.swift
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..06e1b618
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Sources/ContainerClient/DockerConfig.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
+// Copyright © 2025 Apple Inc. and the container project authors.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//   https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
+
+import Foundation
+
+/// Represents the Docker configuration file structure
+struct DockerConfig: Codable {
+    /// Maps registry hosts to credential helper names
+    let credHelpers: [String: String]?
+
+    enum CodingKeys: String, CodingKey {
+        case credHelpers
+    }
+}
+
+/// Helper to read and parse Docker configuration
+public struct DockerConfigReader: Sendable {
+    private let configPath: URL
+
+    /// Initialize with a custom config path
+    public init(configPath: URL) {
+        self.configPath = configPath
+    }
+
+    /// Initialize with default Docker config path (~/.docker/config.json)
+    public init() {
+        let homeDirectory = FileManager.default.homeDirectoryForCurrentUser
+        self.configPath = homeDirectory.appendingPathComponent(".docker/config.json")
+    }
+
+    /// Get the credential helper name for a given registry host
+    public func credentialHelper(for host: String) -> String? {
+        guard let config = try? readConfig() else {
+            return nil
+        }
+        return config.credHelpers?[host]
+    }
+
+    private func readConfig() throws -> DockerConfig {
+        let data = try Data(contentsOf: configPath)
+        let decoder = JSONDecoder()
+        return try decoder.decode(DockerConfig.self, from: data)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Sources/Services/ContainerImagesService/Server/ImageService.swift b/Sources/Services/ContainerImagesService/Server/ImageService.swift
index 6ca43f8c..a95add31 100644
--- a/Sources/Services/ContainerImagesService/Server/ImageService.swift
+++ b/Sources/Services/ContainerImagesService/Server/ImageService.swift
@@ -163,6 +163,13 @@ extension ImagesService {
         if let authentication {
             return try await body(authentication)
         }
+        
+        // Try credential helper if configured
+        authentication = await Self.authenticationFromCredentialHelper(host: host)
+        if let authentication {
+            return try await body(authentication)
+        }
+        
         let keychain = KeychainHelper(id: Constants.keychainID)
         do {
             authentication = try keychain.lookup(domain: host)
@@ -197,6 +204,16 @@ extension ImagesService {
         }
         return BasicAuthentication(username: user, password: password)
     }
+    
+    private static func authenticationFromCredentialHelper(host: String) async -> Authentication? {
+        let configReader = DockerConfigReader()
+        guard let helperName = configReader.credentialHelper(for: host) else {
+            return nil
+        }
+        
+        let executor = CredentialHelperExecutor()
+        return await executor.execute(helperName: helperName, for: host)
+    }
 }
 
 extension ImageDescription {
diff --git a/Tests/ContainerClientTests/CredentialHelperTests.swift b/Tests/ContainerClientTests/CredentialHelperTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fbd034f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/ContainerClientTests/CredentialHelperTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
+// Copyright © 2025 Apple Inc. and the container project authors.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//   https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
+
+import Foundation
+import Testing
+
+@testable import ContainerClient
+
+struct CredentialHelperTests {
+
+    @Test("Execute credential helper with nonexistent helper")
+    func testCredentialHelperWithNonexistentHelper() async {
+        let executor = CredentialHelperExecutor()
+
+        // Try to execute a nonexistent credential helper
+        // This should return nil without crashing
+        let auth = await executor.execute(helperName: "nonexistent-helper-\(UUID().uuidString)", for: "example.com")
+
+        #expect(auth == nil)
+    }
+
+    @Test("Execute credential helper with invalid helper name")
+    func testCredentialHelperWithInvalidHelperName() async {
+        let executor = CredentialHelperExecutor()
+
+        // Try to execute a credential helper with invalid characters
+        // This should return nil to prevent command injection
+        let auth = await executor.execute(helperName: "../../../bin/sh", for: "example.com")
+
+        #expect(auth == nil)
+    }
+
+    @Test("Execute credential helper with valid helper name")
+    func testCredentialHelperWithValidHelperName() async {
+        let executor = CredentialHelperExecutor()
+
+        // Valid helper names should be accepted (even if they don't exist)
+        // The validation should pass, but execution will fail
+        let auth = await executor.execute(helperName: "valid-helper_123", for: "example.com")
+
+        // Should be nil because the helper doesn't exist, but validation passed
+        #expect(auth == nil)
+    }
+
+    @Test("Validate helper name with special characters")
+    func testValidateHelperNameWithSpecialCharacters() async {
+        let executor = CredentialHelperExecutor()
+
+        // Test various invalid characters
+        let invalidNames = ["helper;echo", "helper|cat", "helper&ls", "helper$PWD", "helper`ls`", "helper/bin"]
+
+        for name in invalidNames {
+            let auth = await executor.execute(helperName: name, for: "example.com")
+            #expect(auth == nil)
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test("Validate helper name with valid characters")
+    func testValidateHelperNameWithValidCharacters() async {
+        let executor = CredentialHelperExecutor()
+
+        // These should pass validation (though they won't exist)
+        let validNames = ["cgr", "gcloud", "ecr-login", "helper_123", "my-helper"]
+
+        for name in validNames {
+            // Should not crash, returns nil because helper doesn't exist
+            let auth = await executor.execute(helperName: name, for: "example.com")
+            #expect(auth == nil)
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Tests/ContainerClientTests/DockerConfigTests.swift b/Tests/ContainerClientTests/DockerConfigTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..578e128e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/ContainerClientTests/DockerConfigTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
+// Copyright © 2025 Apple Inc. and the container project authors.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//   https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
+
+import Foundation
+import Testing
+
+@testable import ContainerClient
+
+struct DockerConfigTests {
+
+    @Test("Read Docker config with credHelpers")
+    func testReadDockerConfig() throws {
+        let tempDir = FileManager.default.temporaryDirectory
+        let configPath = tempDir.appendingPathComponent("test-docker-config-\(UUID().uuidString).json")
+
+        let configJSON = """
+            {
+                "credHelpers": {
+                    "cgr.dev": "cgr",
+                    "us-east4-docker.pkg.dev": "gcloud"
+                }
+            }
+            """
+
+        try configJSON.write(to: configPath, atomically: true, encoding: .utf8)
+        defer {
+            try? FileManager.default.removeItem(at: configPath)
+        }
+
+        let reader = DockerConfigReader(configPath: configPath)
+
+        #expect(reader.credentialHelper(for: "cgr.dev") == "cgr")
+        #expect(reader.credentialHelper(for: "us-east4-docker.pkg.dev") == "gcloud")
+        #expect(reader.credentialHelper(for: "docker.io") == nil)
+    }
+
+    @Test("Read Docker config without credHelpers section")
+    func testReadDockerConfigWithoutCredHelpers() throws {
+        let tempDir = FileManager.default.temporaryDirectory
+        let configPath = tempDir.appendingPathComponent("test-docker-config-\(UUID().uuidString).json")
+
+        let configJSON = """
+            {
+                "auths": {}
+            }
+            """
+
+        try configJSON.write(to: configPath, atomically: true, encoding: .utf8)
+        defer {
+            try? FileManager.default.removeItem(at: configPath)
+        }
+
+        let reader = DockerConfigReader(configPath: configPath)
+
+        #expect(reader.credentialHelper(for: "cgr.dev") == nil)
+    }
+
+    @Test("Read nonexistent config file")
+    func testReadNonexistentConfig() {
+        let tempDir = FileManager.default.temporaryDirectory
+        let configPath = tempDir.appendingPathComponent("nonexistent-\(UUID().uuidString).json")
+
+        let reader = DockerConfigReader(configPath: configPath)
+
+        #expect(reader.credentialHelper(for: "cgr.dev") == nil)
+    }
+
+    @Test("Read config with empty credHelpers")
+    func testReadConfigWithEmptyCredHelpers() throws {
+        let tempDir = FileManager.default.temporaryDirectory
+        let configPath = tempDir.appendingPathComponent("test-docker-config-\(UUID().uuidString).json")
+
+        let configJSON = """
+            {
+                "credHelpers": {}
+            }
+            """
+
+        try configJSON.write(to: configPath, atomically: true, encoding: .utf8)
+        defer {
+            try? FileManager.default.removeItem(at: configPath)
+        }
+
+        let reader = DockerConfigReader(configPath: configPath)
+
+        #expect(reader.credentialHelper(for: "cgr.dev") == nil)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/docs/command-reference.md b/docs/command-reference.md
index 68fda381..f47070cc 100644
--- a/docs/command-reference.md
+++ b/docs/command-reference.md
@@ -781,6 +781,28 @@ No options.
 
 The registry commands manage authentication and defaults for container registries.
 
+### Credential Helpers
+
+`container` supports Docker-compatible credential helpers for dynamic authentication with registries. Credential helpers are external programs that provide short-lived credentials on demand, which is useful for registries that prefer or require token-based authentication.
+
+To configure credential helpers, create or edit `~/.docker/config.json` with a `credHelpers` section:
+
+```json
+{
+  "credHelpers": {
+    "cgr.dev": "cgr",
+    "us-east4-docker.pkg.dev": "gcloud"
+  }
+}
+```
+
+When pulling from or pushing to a configured registry, `container` will execute `docker-credential-<helper-name>` (e.g., `docker-credential-cgr`) to retrieve credentials dynamically.
+
+The authentication priority order is:
+1. Environment variables (`CONTAINER_REGISTRY_HOST`, `CONTAINER_REGISTRY_USER`, `CONTAINER_REGISTRY_TOKEN`)
+2. Credential helpers (from `~/.docker/config.json`)
+3. Keychain (from `container registry login`)
+
 ### `container registry login`
 
 Authenticates with a registry. Credentials can be provided interactively or via flags. The login is stored for reuse by subsequent commands.