Containerization

What Is Containerization?

Containerization is when a software code and everything it needs, such as frameworks, libraries, binaries, and other dependencies, are packaged together in its own isolated container. While the idea of containerization has been around for decades, it wasn’t until 2013 that the implementation of this technology increased. Because the individual containers are isolated from the host OS, applications can run on several different types of infrastructure. 

Benefits of Containerization

Flexibility

Containers provide an independent package that can run reliably and consistently on any potential platform or cloud. 

Agility

Whether a team uses Windows or an operating system (OS) similar to UNIX, containers are easier to set up than virtual machines (VM). Universal and user-friendly developer tools make it possible to quickly create, package, and deploy containerized programs across OSes. In addition, the use of containerization technology by DevOps engineers is used to enhance workflow speed.

Speed

Because containers share the machine’s OS kernel, they are considered “lightweight” as they are not burdened by the additional overhead. Eliminating the need to support an operating system increases server efficiency and lowers server and licensing fees.

Isolation

Isolation ensures that each application runs independently and is separated from others. This means developers can address technical issues within a single container without affecting the rest. In addition, container engines can utilize various OS security isolation techniques like SELinux access control to isolate container errors.

Efficiency

Applications running in containerized environments share the same OS kernel as the host computer, meaning application layers can be shared with other containers. As a result, many more containers can run on the same amount of computing as one virtual machine (VM) because they are naturally smaller in capacity than VMs and have a faster startup time.

Ease of management

Scaling, management, and installation of containerized programs and services are made possible by container orchestration using a system like Kubernetes. 

Security

By isolating and protecting applications within containers, malicious code cannot compromise the host system or other containers. Additionally, security permissions can be configured to prevent unwanted components from entering containers or restrict communication with unnecessary resources, further enhancing security.

Containerization vs. Virtual Machines

A VM is a virtual environment that performs as a computer system with its own CPU, memory, network interface, and storage. The ability to completely isolate apps so they can run in various contexts is a feature shared by containerization and virtualization. The two fundamental distinctions are size and portability.

Containerization is a method of deploying applications that isolates them from the host operating system and other containers on the same system. Containers share the same host operating system kernel, which makes them more lightweight and efficient than VMs. In addition, each container includes only the necessary dependencies for the application to run.

While both containerization and virtual machines provide isolation and security for running applications, containers are generally faster and more efficient than VMs due to their lightweight nature. Additionally, containers are more portable and easier to deploy across different computing environments.

Containerization vs. Microservices

Microservices can divide a large application into smaller, more focused services, each with its own database. Microservices enable development teams to upgrade specific components without affecting the entire application. In addition, these services can communicate with each other via standard interfaces like REST and APIs, such as HTTP, resulting in quicker development, testing, and deployment.

Microservices and containerization share similar principles. Both break down programs into portable, scalable, and maintainable components. In addition, containers provide lightweight encapsulation of any application, whether it is a monolith or a modular microservice. As a result, developers can take advantage of benefits such as fault isolation, server efficiency, automation of installation, and multiple layers of security.