Containerization¶
Containerization is a technology that enables packaging applications and their dependencies into isolated containers, allowing consistent deployment across different environments.
Container Engines¶
Tools responsible for building, running, and managing containers at the runtime level. These engines handle image execution, isolation, and container lifecycle.
| Name | Description | Link | Tutorial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Docker | Platform for building, testing, and running applications using containers. | Docker | Docker Get Started |
| Podman | Daemonless container engine for managing OCI containers with a Docker-compatible CLI. | Podman | Podman Getting Started |
| containerd | Industry-standard container runtime used by Docker, Kubernetes, and other systems. | containerd | Getting started with containerd |
| Kata Containers | Open-source project combining lightweight virtual machines with container workflows for stronger isolation. | Kata Containers | Kata Containers Docs |
| Firecracker | Lightweight microVM technology for running container and serverless workloads. | Firecracker | Firecracker Getting Started |
Container Orchestration¶
Platforms for scheduling, scaling, and managing containerized workloads across multiple hosts and environments.
| Name | Description | Link | Tutorial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kubernetes | Open-source system for automating deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. | Kubernetes | Kubernetes Tutorials |
| OpenShift | Kubernetes-based platform providing tools for deploying and managing containerized applications. | OpenShift | OpenShift Documentation |
| Nomad | Flexible workload orchestrator supporting containerized and non-containerized workloads. | Nomad | Nomad Tutorials |
| Docker Swarm | Native Docker clustering and orchestration solution. | Docker Swarm | Swarm Mode Overview |
| AWS Fargate | Serverless compute engine for running containers without managing servers. | AWS Fargate | Getting Started with Fargate |
| AWS EKS | Managed Kubernetes service on AWS. | AWS EKS | EKS Workshop |
| K3s | Lightweight Kubernetes distribution for edge, IoT, and development use cases. | K3s | K3s Quick Start |
| MicroK8s | Lightweight Kubernetes distribution designed for local development and edge environments. | MicroK8s | MicroK8s Tutorials |
Management Tools¶
Tools that simplify container operations through packaging, configuration, visualization, and cluster management.
| Name | Description | Link | Tutorial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Docker Compose | Tool for defining and running multi-container Docker applications. | Docker Compose | Compose Get Started |
| Helm | Package manager for Kubernetes applications. | Helm | Helm Quickstart |
| Portainer | Web-based container management interface. | Portainer | Portainer Docs |
| Rancher | Platform for managing Kubernetes clusters across environments. | Rancher | Rancher Documentation |
Container Benefits¶
Development¶
- Consistency - Same environment from development to production
- Isolation - Applications run independently
- Portability - Run across different platforms
- Efficiency - Lower overhead compared to virtual machines
Operations¶
- Scalability - Supports horizontal scaling
- Resource Utilization - Improved hardware usage
- Deployment Speed - Fast startup and rollout
- Rollback Capability - Easier version rollback
Have any suggestions, additions, best-practices or references? Please contribute to help others learn!