Have you ever wondered why we moved on to container-based applications in an era where we have virtual machine applications? How does docker make the task of development easier? Some of the top tech companies like Google, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Intel, Tesla, and Juniper Networks have their own custom version of container engines. They heavily rely on them to build, run, manage, and distribute their applications. Before trying to judge the usefulness, you should get to know the most important elements and tools around the Docker ecosystem when getting started. Let’s see what is Docker and know its concepts.

What is heck is Docker?

Docker is a light weighted alternative to a virtual machine (VM) which is designed to make it easier to create, deploy and run applications by using containers. Wikipedia defines Docker as,

“an open-source project that automates the deployment of software applications inside containers by providing an additional layer of abstraction and automation of OS-level virtualization on Linux.”

On any Host OS, we have a docker engine which runs the multiple containers present on it. These docker containers have an application running on it which in turn is equipped with all the binaries and libraries needed to run the application.

But why Docker?

Before Docker, industries were facing challenges where an application developed in one machine worked in developing environment but not in testing or production environment. This is due to the difference in the computing environment between development and production. This is when dockerization makes our task easier.

Docker provides a consistent environment throughout the whole Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) thereby providing better productivity throughout the life cycle.

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