In this digital world, there is an increasing demand for fast and flexible software development processes. Because of this, DevOps practices are witnessing a progressive adoption, especially among developers. But, there are some challenges that many organisations face while adopting DevOps.

For example: How can we make it easy to deploy new code in production without risking production stability? How can we avoid creating separate build and CI servers? These are some common problems that most development teams experience while implementing DevOps. In order to overcome these challenges, you need a solution that helps you streamline your software delivery process so you can focus on your business strategy rather than implementation details. That’s where Docker comes into play! This article will discuss what is Docker, its pros and cons, its uses and benefits, along with an overview of the different ways you can use it in your organisation. Keep reading to know more!

What is Docker? #

Docker is an open-source software that automates the deployment of applications inside software containers. This technology helps developers and system engineers to build, ship, and run distributed applications more efficiently by enabling a higher level of resource utilisation. Containerisation has been around for a long time, but it was not widely adopted until Docker came into the picture.

Docker is a technology that provides a standardised way to create, run, and deploy software in containers. It can be used to package up any application or service, including all of its dependencies, and run it in any environment. This includes the application’s operating system, libraries, and other dependencies. By using containers, Docker helps you create a more consistent and repeatable software architecture. Since containers are lightweight, they have less performance impact on your systems than virtual machines (VM).

Docker containers are portable and can run on any host operating system. This means you can develop your application on a Windows host and then deploy it on a Linux host without having to change anything about your application.

Why use Docker? #

As mentioned above, containers enable developers and system engineers to build, ship, and run distributed applications more efficiently by enabling a higher level of resource utilisation. But why use containers when we already have virtualisation technologies? We can compare the use cases of virtual machines and containers and find out the benefits of containers over VMs: –

Containers are more resource efficient: Perhaps the biggest advantage of containers over VM is that they use fewer system resources; this is particularly important if you are running multiple containers on the same host.

Containers are more portable: The mobility of containers is another advantage over VM; you can easily move containers from one host to another without having to shut them down. This makes containers an excellent choice for DevOps because you can test and release containers quickly.

Containers are easier to manage: Containers are much simpler to manage than VM, and therefore, it’s easier to scale containers. This simplicity also comes with a security advantage. Containers provide an additional layer of security when compared with VM, because you can apply additional security policies to containers.

VM is more secure than containers: A major advantage of VM is that it offers better security than containers. This is particularly true in the context of operating systems. In general, containers are less secure than VM, although they are certainly more secure than other non-virtualized systems.

VM is better suited to long-running applications: However, containers are a better fit for applications that are stateless and short-lived, meaning they don’t need a lot of resources, and they are generally meant to be shut down quickly.

3 ways to use Docker in your organisation #

As we now know the advantages of Docker, let’s find out how you can use it to improve your software delivery process. There are three ways you can use Docker to improve your software delivery process: –

Build and test with containers – Use containers for continuous integration and continuous delivery

Deploy your application with containers Build and test with containers: In this workflow, developers are responsible for building the containers for their application and testing the application within the container. The build and test phase usually happens only once per application. When the build and testing phase is done, the container image is pushed to a container registry. The build and test phase is done using a standard operating system.

Use containers for continuous integration and continuous delivery: In this workflow, the container that is built and tested is used to run tests and build the application. When the application is finished, the container image is pushed to a container registry.

Deploy your application with containers: In this workflow, the container that is built and tested is used to deploy the application. When the application is finished, the container image is pushed to a container registry.

2. Installing Docker and using it in Linux-based OS #

In order to get the most out of Docker, you need to install it on your Linux-based operating system.

Docker is supported for the following operating systems:

Let’s take a look at how you can use Docker on each of these operating systems.

• Installing Docker on Debian
• Installing Docker on Ubuntu
• Installing Docker on CentOS
• Installing Docker on RedHat
• Installing Docker on OpenSUSE
• Installing Docker on SLES
• Installing Docker on Arch

3. Using Dockers in Windows Environment #

Though Docker was primarily developed to work on Linux-based OS, it can also be used in a Windows environment. However, it is not as straightforward as installing it on a Linux-based OS. There are three ways you can use Docker in Windows: – 

• Use Docker Toolbox
• Use Docker on Windows
• Use Docker on Windows Server

4. Conclusion #

Docker is a powerful tool that allows you to build, ship and run distributed applications with ease. However, it can be challenging to install and use Docker on Windows machines. If you’re stuck in any of these processes, please feel free to reach out to us at