What is Docker? Is it Right For You?
What is Docker? Well, it is an open source project to provide a platform based on Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP and Java for developers and designers to develop, test, debug and distribute their applications on the cloud. Docker is actually a collection of open source tools that use OS-level virtualization to deliver powerful software in very small packages known as containers. Containers are basically isolated from each other and package their own libraries, software and configuration files; they may communicate with each other through well-known channels. We will explore the concept behind Docker in detail.
You can imagine that a container is nothing more than a tiny operating system that runs specific programs/services in isolated containers, just like virtual machines. The advantage of this setup is that it guarantees portability, availability, reliability and scalability – three important needs for running applications. With these benefits, every web user would want to deploy his or her application in the most efficient way possible, and this is what we get with Docker.
Docker is a collection of cross-platform, platform-as-a-service solutions that utilize OS-level virtualization to bring applications in packaged containers. Containers are independently isolated from each other and bundle their own libraries, code and configuration information; they may communicate through well-defined interfaces. With such features, it is easy to use a single system for handling a variety of purposes like serving HTTP, SMTP, STD and VPN connections as well as managing the security of servers. As well as web applications, it can be used for solving various server management tasks such as load balancing, allocation of resources, monitoring and controlling the health of servers. This service is very helpful for enterprises that are moving towards cloud-based solutions for managing their business requirements. The best thing about it is that it can be used both on desktop machines as well as in a virtual environment.
There are two components that make up a fully-functional Docker setup: the server and the client. The server is what hosts the web services; it is usually a standalone machine that acts as the “web server” for your application. A typical Docker server consists of a cluster of Linux boxes or a single Windows server, depending on your requirements. The client side of the setup is composed of several pre-installed image builders and custom scripts, which allow the client machines to communicate with the running containers via HTTP or otherwise. The advantage of using a client-side language for managing containers is that you only need to learn one language to manage your containers. The pre-installed image builders will create the necessary images for you, while you only need to install the right scripts to access them.
Since the time when it was introduced, there have been several open source community projects dedicated to building the most advanced version of the docker software stack as well as maintain its backwards compatibility.. The latest version comes with a lot of new features such as support for Linux and windows, Mac, better compatibility for server deployment across multiple platforms and enhanced logging and reporting tools. There is also a beta version available for users who want to try out the latest features before switching to the official version.
So, what is the core benefit of using Docker in your stack?
The most obvious one is that Docker serves as an efficient system for performing the task of managing multiple servers, containers and remote services. You can define and run your own commands, and even add on custom ones, from your command line if you so desire. As a matter of fact, the official Docker documentation even encourages the use of Docker as the “de facto” programming language. There are two ways to run applications within containers. First, developers can use the local installation of the framework, and the second is to use a virtual image hosted on the cloud. With local installation, the developer needs to create a development server and then configure their local machine to serve content through that server. With a virtual image, developers need not worry about any of these things, as the image serves as the only copy of the code and configuration on the local machine. The only thing that developers need to do is copy their code over to the image to make the local machine serve it.
What is also good about Docker is that the language used for controlling the container is quite simple: there is an HTTP server based on the language employed for the language Apache. This makes it easy for the user to access the container’s capabilities, since the HTTP commands are similar to those of the language of Apache. Furthermore, the language of Docker is just like the language of the command line. You can start a container by simply running a command, and then return a status to indicate that the container has been properly started. You can also stop the container with the kill command, just like you would do with your favorite web server. In short, you don’t need to learn any complex server-side languages when using a container-based system.
What is even more interesting about Docker is the fact that the underlying infrastructure of the system is very simple. There are basically two things to be considered here: the “web server” and the “web browser.” The web server is responsible for providing the interface for the browser, and is generally a piece of software developed for Linux or Unix. Meanwhile, the browser has to be written in HTML or compatible scripting code, and usually works via a plug-in.
Now let’s take a look at how Docker can be used in the production environment. One of the great advantages of using containers is that they allow the developer to easily test out new features on a new platform without having to modify the production environment. By running the containers in a virtual hosting environment, the developer can isolate the bugs and find out the performance issues before rolling out a production version. This also saves time and money since the production version won’t have any compatibility issues.
With these basic definitions, it’s easy to see why Docker is quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to use cloud services in the enterprise. Containers make it easy to run applications on a variety of platforms, allowing developers to run their programs on anything from the laptop to the mainframe. Plus, Docker makes it easy for people and companies of all sizes to quickly and easily deploy and manage their services. While there are plenty of cloud computing options on the market today, it’s no match for what Docker offers. And by looking at what Docker enables businesses to accomplish, it’s easy to see why this technology is quickly becoming the de facto method of using the cloud in the enterprise.
for more information about docker :- https://www.docker.com/resources/what-container#/package_software