Docker 2

12/9/23, 5:29 PM What is Docker? | Opensource.
com
LO G I N 
What is Docker?
Image by: Photo by Cameron Venti
Docker, a subset
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the Moby project, is a software framework for building, running,
and managing containers on servers and the cloud. The term "docker" may refer to
either We
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tools (the commands
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you disabletothem
wanted run aareweb
set application, you bought a server,
out in our Privacy Statement. By using this
installed Linux, set up a LAMP stack, and ran the app. If your app got popular, you
website you agree to our use of cookies.
practiced good load balancing by setting up a second server to ensure the
application wouldn't crash from too much traffic.
https://opensource.com/resources/what-docker 1/5
12/9/23, 5:29 PM What is Docker? | Opensource.com
Times have changed, though, and instead of focusing on single servers, the Internet
is built upon arrays of inter-dependent and redundant servers in a system commonly
called "the cloud". Thanks to innovations like Linux kernel namespaces and cgroups,
the concept of a server could be removed from the constraints of hardware and
instead became, essentially, a piece of software. These software-based servers are
called containers, and they're a hybrid mix of the Linux OS they're running on plus a
hyper-localized runtime environment (the contents of the container).
Understanding containers
Container technology can be thought of as three different categories:
Builder: a tool or series of tools used to build a container, such as distrobuilder

for LXC, or a Dockerfile for Docker.
Engine: an application used to run a container. For Docker, this refers to the
docker command and the dockerd daemon. For others, this can refer to the
containerd daemon and relevant commands (such as podman.)
Orchestration: technology used to manage many containers, including

Kubernetes and OKD.
Containers often deliver both an application and configuration, meaning that a

sysadmin doesn't have to spend as much time getting an application in a container to
run compared to when an application is installed from a traditional source. Dockerhub
and Quay.io are repositories offering images for use by container engines.
The greatest appeal of containers, though, is their ability to "die" gracefully and
respawn when load balancing demands it. Whether a container's demise is caused by
a crashHOW WE USE COOKIES
or because it's simply no longer needed because server traffic is low,
containers are "cheap" to start, and they're designed to seamlessly appear and
We use cookies on our websites to deliver our
disappear. Because containers are meant to be ephemeral and to spawn new
instances as often
cookies
as required,
and how
it's expected
you may disable them arethat
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real time, but is instead
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Alternatives to Docker
Linux containers have facilitated a massive shift in high-availability computing. There

are many toolsets out there to help you run services, or even your entire operating
system, in containers. The Open Container Initiative (OCI) is an industry standards
organization that encourages innovation while avoiding the danger of vendor lock-in.
Thanks to the OCI, you have a choice when choosing a container toolchain, including
Docker, CRI-O, Podman, LXC, and others.
Container utilities
By design, containers can multiply quickly, whether you're running lots of different
services or you're running many instances of a few services. Should you decide to run
services in containers, you probably need software designed to host and manage
those containers. This is broadly known as container orchestration. While Docker and
other container engines like Podman and CRI-O are good utilities for container
definitions and images, it's their job to create and run containers, not help you
organize and manage them. Projects like Kubernetes and OKD provide container
orchestration for Docker, Podman, CRI-O, and more.
When running any of these in production, you may want to invest in support through a
downstream project like OpenShift (which is based on OKD.)
What you need to know about Docker community

edition
The open source components of Docker are gathered in a product called Docker
Community Edition, or docker-ce. These include the Docker engine and a set of
Terminal commands to help administrators manage all the Docker containers they are
using. You can install this toolchain by searching for docker in your distribution's
package manager.
HOW WE USE COOKIES
Why use Docker

One ofonline services.
the great Details
things aboutabout
openhow we useis that you have choice in what technology
source
cookies and how you may disable them are set
you use to accomplish a task. The Docker engine can be useful for lone developers
who need a lightweight,
website clean
you agree to environment
our use of cookies. for testing, but without a need for
complex orchestration. If Docker is available on your system and everyone around you
is familiar with the Docker toolchain, then Docker Community Edition (docker-ce) is
a great way to get started with containers.
Dockerhub and Quay.io are repositories offering images for your container engine of
choice. If Docker Community Edition is unavailable or is unsupported, then Podman is
a wise option. The effort to ensure open standards prevail is ongoing, so the
important long-term strategy for your container solution should be to stick with
projects that respect and foster open source and open standards. Proprietary extras
may seem appealing at first, but as is usually the case, you lose the flexibility of
choice once you commit your tools to a product that fails to allow for migration.
Containers can be liberating, as long as they're liberated.
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12/9/23, 5:29 PM What is Docker? | Opensource.

Image by: Photo by Cameron Venti

Builder: a tool or series of tools used to build a container, such as distrobuilder

Orchestration: technology used to manage many containers, including

Containers often deliver both an application and configuration, meaning that a

Linux containers have facilitated a massive shift in high-availability computing. There

What you need to know about Docker community

Why use Docker

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share

ABOUT THIS SITE

Opensource.com aspires to publish all content under a Creative

Copyright ©2023 Red Hat, Inc.

HOW WE USE COOKIES

We use cookies on our websites to deliver our

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