Understanding Containerization
A strategy for software development, containerization is the idea of maintaining separation of individual
applications and their dependencies from all other aspects of the development as standalone packages. This packages
are known as containers, and are designed to ensure that each application will perform as expected within multiple
different computing environments. Heavily used in the application, Docker .
The ‘container’ label is taking from the use of shipping containers, where a standard size and design makes handling
and transport a simple process, regardless of what is actually inside the container. These containers are used
across ships, trucks and trains without any compatibility issues, and that is the aim of containerization in the
context of the digital world.
Whatever the underlying digital platform, these containerized applications will run as intended.
How Does Containerization Work?
Containerization is a simple concept, but how does it work in practice? Here are the steps you need to containerize
your next software development:
Application Packaging — First you need to take the application and everything it needs to
function, such as your libraries, frameworks and configuration files into a single bundle, which we call the
container.
Creating a Container Image — Once the application is bundled into a package, a container image
is made that acts as a blueprint for the application. Here, you define how the application will run, what it
needs to run successfully and so on. This image is usually stored in a registry so it can be accessed easily
when needed.
Running the Container — Here, a container engine, the most common being Docker , takes the image
from the registry, following the instructions to create a container that can run your application. The
container keeps the application entirely isolated when running, as if it were on a completely separate
machine of its own.
Resource Allocation and Isolation — The host system keeps each container completely separate
from all others, with apps having their own file systems and networks, as well as isolated process space to
work. Resources, such as CPU, RAM and so on, are assigned to individual containers, so they never interfere
with each other.
Portability — As long as a system has a container engine to create the environment for each
application, they can be run on it, no matter what the underlying platform may be. This portability is not
just an ability to run though, they run the same way, on every platform, so you can test and develop apps
regardless of system and get complete consistency across multiple platforms.
Orchestration — When using higher volumes of containers in large systems, a container
orchestration tool such as Kubernetes are used to manage the deployment, scaling and networking of your
containers. This allows easy management of even the most complex, multi-container system.
With its simplified deployment, management and organization, containerization ensures that your apps run reliably
and consistently wherever they are used. This is an essential aspect of modern software development, especially in
cloud computing environments.
Containerization Definition
Containerization can be defined as the encapsulation of an application and its required environment in a single,
isolated space. It is lightweight and can be rapidly deployed, so your project is more resource efficient and easily
scaled as a result.
The benefits of Containerization
There are several benefits to using containerization in your software development:
Consistency — Because each application operates in its own container isolated from the system,
it works the exact same way in every environment. In a world where we expect systems to work on multiple
platforms, this is an essential benefit.
Efficiency and Speed — A lightweight approach allows for faster startup than some alternatives,
such as virtual machines, using less resources while also being faster for you to scale when needed.
Isolation — The container concept means each application runs in isolation, and ONLY in
isolation, adding a layer of security and ensuring there is no interference between applications as they
run.
Portability — The development environment isn’t important, wherever you develop it, your
container will run in any other environment without modification.
Microservices — Fully supporting the microservices architecture, Containerization allows you to
break down larger applications into small, independent modules. This opens the door for parallel development
and efficiency scaling in your projects.
Docker Containerization
While there are several containerization engines, Docker containerization is by far the most commonly used in
software development today. It automates the seployment, scaling and management of your applications within
containers, adding a layer of simplicity and accessibility that allows developers to take full advantage of
containerization in an easy to use, reliable and turnkey solution.
With Docker, you have multiplatform support, an extensive community ready to assist, making it a wise choice for
transitioning to containerized development.
To see why Docker is the go-to option for containerization, we can see how easy it is to use in the automotive
industry. If you were looking to develop a Python application using very specific libraries for your telematics
project , you can use docker to create a container that includes your Python code and required libraries.
Once created, that docker container is fully portable, so you can run the application on any platform that docker is
installed on, no matter what OS you used for
development, whether Python or the libraries are installed on the system.
Conclusion
Containerization is an approach to software development that allows for increased security, reduced interference and
improved compatibility. While there are a number of containerization engines you can use, Docker is by far the most
common solution for a reason, it works extremely well and allows your applications to turn perfectly on endless
different platforms. In a world where we are continually seeing new systems introduced, Docker containerization
brings long term flexibility for any project.
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