Container is a logical packaging of an application and its dependencis in a resource isolated way.
Container based applications can be deployed easily and consistently regardless of a target platform , it can run in Private cloud, public cloud, linux VM , windows VM OR even in developers laptop. Containers also gives you more control over the resources needed for your application to run.
Often containers are compared with Virtualized environments with major difference as it doesn’t have Guest OS installed on each Container rather it contains only the Application and its dependent binaries and libraries needed for the application to run.
Why Containers ?
Consistency :
It provides developers the ability the ability to create predictable environment , It encapsulates all the necessary application files and it dependencies as a package which enables them to run the container on any operating system. Same package developed and deployed in Developer local environment can be run on a different operating system in Production environment.
Platform Indipendent:
Containers can run any where which will ease the development and deployment of the container, whether it may be in any operating system or any cloud provider, or even in developer local laptop. Docker is the popular container image format most organizations will use.
Productivity :
Containers increase Productivity of a developer and Ops Engineers greatly , developer can create an Image and work in an environment with very little to no dependency on Operating system and Ops Team don’t need Modify OS global variables for Applications which will ease every ones life and improves productivity .
