What are Docker Containers?
Small, self-contained applications known as Docker containers run on top of Linux servers. With the help of these containers, programmers can package an application into a container image that can be quickly transported and deployed to any server supporting Docker.
Developers may design and deploy apps rapidly and effectively with the aid of Docker containers. They also facilitate the transition of applications between various environments, including cloud computing services, development, testing, staging, and production.
what do we use them FOR?
Ability to Run Anywhere: Portability
If the container engine supports the underlying operating system, containers can run anywhere. They can run on Linux, Windows, MacOS, and many more operating systems. Containers can be run directly on a developer’s laptop, on bare metal servers, or in virtual machines. They can be readily transferred between on-premises equipment and the public cloud, and they continue to function reliably in each of these settings.
Resource Density and Effectiveness
Containers consume fewer resources because they don’t need a separate operating system. Containers often weigh only tens of megabytes, whereas virtual machines (VMs) are typically a few GB in size. This means that a server can execute many more containers than VMs. By using less hardware, containers enable higher server densities and lower data center or cloud costs.
Resource sharing and Container Isolation
On the same server, you can execute numerous containers while making sure they are totally separated from one another. When containers break or the programs, they contain stop working, the same application can still be running normally in another container. If containers are safely designed to prevent attackers from obtaining access to the host operating system, container isolation has security advantages as well.
Rapid Start, Creation, Duplication, or Destruction of Containers
Containers are small packages that include all the components necessary for a program to run, such as the program’s operating system, code, dependencies, and libraries.
In only a few seconds, you can develop a container image and deploy it. Once the image is created, you may easily reproduce containers and fast deploy as necessary. A container can be destroyed in a couple of seconds as well.
Since containers are made to be lightweight, you may quickly deliver new applications and updates, such as bug patches and new features. This frequently accelerates the development process, the time to market, and operational activities.
Extreme Scalability
Distributed application horizontal scaling is made simple using containers. To run the same application in additional instances, you can add more identical containers. By operating only, the number of containers necessary to handle application loads while considering the resources the container cluster has available, container orchestrators can execute smart scaling.
Increased Productivity of Developers
With the use of containers, programmers may build predictable runtime environments that are separated from other applications on the same machine and contain all the software dependencies needed by a component of an application. This ensures that the component being worked on may be deployed consistently regardless of where it is deployed, which is important from the perspective of a developer. With container technology, there is no longer a problem with the aphorism «it worked on my machine.»
With a containerized architecture, development and operations teams can focus on creating and delivering new product features rather than troubleshooting bugs and identifying environmental variations. Developers may also test and improve containers, which helps to cut down on errors and adapt them to product development.
What Is a Container Image Repository?
In a containerized application architecture, a container repository provides storage for container images. Public repositories allow the storage and sharing of container images with a closed community or with the public, whilst private container repositories can be utilized to exchange images with internal teams and approved parties.
Using predefined definitions found in the image itself, container images are utilized to construct new containers during runtime. A container image can contain the configurations, system tools, code, and libraries needed to deploy a new container without having to create each one from scratch.
To build new container instances, one can use container images that are kept in a container image repository. All containers that are formed from an image are identical because of the immutability principle.
Why Do You Need a Container Repository?
Container repositories require numerous key benefits, including:
Collaboration: Businesses can share their own container images with internal teams using private repositories and external communities using public repositories. In addition to ensuring consistency across teams and projects and speeding up development processes, this also protects the privacy of more sensitive software assets.
Integration: When using platforms like Docker and Kubernetes to orchestrate containers in production, it is possible to retrieve images from the repository and deploy them automatically in a fashion that supports DevOps practices.
Convenience: Developers can access their own photos, images made by their peers, and a wide range of images made by the cloud native community with ease thanks to a container repository.
There are numerous advantages to using a private repository within a business, including:
Security: Images downloaded from public or external repositories could be tampered with, contain malware, or have been made for malicious purposes. They could also contain security hazards. Controlling security risk exposure to unknown or untrusted assets and making sure that any risk mitigation measures are reflected in the images stored in the container repository are both made achievable by using a private container repository.
Performance: When downloaded via the Internet, large photos may have issues with latency and performance. Instead, to streamline development workflows, photos can be retrieved from a private repository installed on-premises within an organization.
Availability: When transferring photographs over the Internet from a distant source, this service transforms into a crucial component of a company’s ecosystem of cloud-native applications. The photos are unavailable if the repository is compromised or goes down during that time. Organizations have more flexibility and control over the availability and accessibility of the container image repository with private container repositories.