Containers are a form of virtualization that allows applications and their dependencies to be packaged and run consistently across different environments. They are lightweight, as they share the host system’s kernel, and can be started quickly. Containers provide a way to encapsulate and isolate applications and their dependencies, making it easier to deploy and manage applications in various environments.
Containers have several advantages over traditional virtual machines (VMs):
- Lightweight: Containers have a smaller footprint than VMs because they share the host system’s kernel and do not require a full guest operating system.
- Start quickly: Containers can be started almost instantly, whereas VMs take longer to boot up because they need to initialize a full operating system.
- Portable: Containers are self-contained and can be easily moved between different environments, making them ideal for deploying applications in various settings.
- Scalable: Containers can be easily scaled up or down, making them a good choice for applications that need to handle varying levels of traffic.
Containers differ from virtual machines in several ways:
- Virtualization level: VMs virtualize the entire hardware stack, including the operating system, whereas containers virtualize only the application and its dependencies.
- Performance: Containers have better performance than VMs because they do not require the overhead of virtualizing the entire hardware stack.
- Resource utilization: Containers are more efficient at using system resources than VMs because they share the host system’s kernel and do not require a full guest operating system.
Containers are typically used in conjunction with a container runtime, such as Docker or containerd, and a container orchestration platform, such as Kubernetes or OpenShift. These tools provide a way to manage and deploy containers at scale.
Here are some resources to learn more about containers:
- Container Fundamentals (https://developers.redhat.com/learn/openshift/container-fundamentals)
- Cockpit: Your entrypoint to the Containers Management World (https://developers.redhat.com/blog/2016/11/15/cockpit-your-entrypoint-to-the-containers-management-world)
- How Kubernetes Reinvented Virtual Machines (in a good sense) (https://iximiuz.com/en/posts/kubernetes-vs-virtual-machines)
- DevNation Deep Dive - Containers (https://developers.redhat.com/devnation/deep-dive/containers)
- What we learned about containers last year (https://opensource.com/article/19/1/best-of-containers)
- Containers vs. Pods - Taking a Deeper Look (https://iximiuz.com/en/posts/containers-vs-pods)
- Introducing Moby Project: a new open-source project to advance the software containerization movement (https://www.docker.com/blog/introducing-the-moby-project)
- 4 Linux technologies fundamental to containers (https://opensource.com/article/21/8/container-linux-technology)
- What are container runtimes? (https://opensource.com/article/21/9/container-runtimes)
- Building a Firecracker-Powered Course Platform To Learn Docker and Kubernetes (https://iximiuz.com/en/posts/iximiuz-labs-story)
- A guide to container orchestration with Kubernetes (https://opensource.com/article/22/6/container-orchestration-kubernetes)
I hope you find these resources helpful in your exploration of containers.
