Containers

What is Docker? Docker is a tool that makes it easier to create, deploy, and run applications using containers. Why use Docker? Imagine you built an app that works perfectly on your machine. You send it to your teammate, and suddenly… it doesn’t work! Different OS, different dependencies, different versions — it’s a mess. Docker solves this by putting your app and everything it needs into a container. A container is like a box with your app, its settings, and all dependencies — isolated and portable. ...

Why Dockerfile Best Practices Matter Poorly written Dockerfiles lead to large, insecure, and hard-to-maintain container images. Following best practices ensures faster builds, smaller images, better security, and improved maintainability. 1. Use Official or Minimal Base Images Choose minimal or well-maintained base images like: FROM alpine:3.19 # or FROM python:3.11-slim 2. Pin Versions Explicitly Avoid surprises by pinning versions of dependencies and packages: RUN apt-get install -y curl=7.68.0-1ubuntu2.6 3. Combine RUN Commands Reduce layers by chaining commands: ...

Introduction Containers revolutionized the way we package and deploy applications. Two major containerization technologies are LXC (Linux Containers) and Docker. While they serve similar purposes, their underlying architecture and usage differ significantly. What is LXC? LXC is a userspace interface for the Linux kernel containment features. It creates system-level containers that behave more like lightweight virtual machines. Key Characteristics System containers (can run full OS) Uses cgroups and namespaces directly Close to the kernel Pros Great for simulating full Linux environments Low overhead Flexible networking Cons More complex setup Less standardization across environments Not focused on developer UX What is Docker? Docker is a platform for developing, shipping, and running applications in containers. It builds on top of container runtimes and provides tooling, APIs, and images. ...