Docker, Kubernetes, and containers are already a big deal in the tech space. If you’re unfamiliar with any of these terms, I’ll give you a brief rundown. Containers allow developers to package up applications into an isolated instance and run it on a server or in the cloud without changing the source code. Docker provides tools that make it easy to create images of these containers so teams can build upon them quickly. Finally, Kubernetes is an open-source project designed to provide scheduling and deployment functionality in application environments.
Now that you know the basic pieces of the puzzle and have a better idea of what containers, Docker, and Kubernetes are all about, you can dive deeper into how they work together to help you build modern web apps through this introductory article.
Let’s get started!
What are containers?
A container is essentially an application packaged in its own file format so that it can be run without having any dependencies between one another. Containers are fast because they don’t require any additional libraries during runtime as they use container images and engines; instead everything happens within the same process space which makes them extremely efficient compared with traditional virtual machines (VMs).
Why are containers popular?
Containers are quite extensively used by devops engineers in today’s software development arena. Here are some reasons why they are important:
- Portability:
Running an app in a container makes it far easier for the developer to deploy the app on multiple platforms and OS. This helps them to cut down on time while streamlining the DevOps process.
- Faster delivery:
Containers scale up the deployment process of the application. This is because the benefits that containers offer help in scaling up the app development process.
- Efficiency:
Containers boost up the development process and its efficiency makes it a cost effective alternative compared to regular virtual machines.
What is Docker?
Docker is a container technology that allows you to package code and dependencies together in a standardized way. You can then run these containers on any Docker Engine host without need to worry about the host machine or configuration. Docker containers are lightweight and they can be kept running for long periods of time.
When Docker was first released in 2013, container technology was far from where it is today. But it required a lot of work and tools outside of the standard OS to accomplish its concept. Docker came about to change all that and make building container images easier than ever before.
Top Benefits of Docker:
Here are some benefits of using Docker:
- Light-weight:
Docker does not require a separate operating system for each application because of which it helps to cut down costs. Because of this feature, the architecture of Docker is light-weight compared to traditional virtual machines
- Faster:
One of the primary advantages of using Docker is that it makes the development process faster as the architecture ships only what is needed.
- Great community support:
Docker receives great support and the technology has many forums and discussions happening on top of it. The tech stack also has a great open source program where developers from all over the world collaborate.
- Easy Configuration:
Docker is quite simple to configure. Refer to the documentation which is linked in the notes below to learn more about it
NOTE: You can install Docker by referring to its docs.
Popular Alternatives For Docker:
- Podman
- Buildah
Limitations of Docker:
Here are some of the limitations that may present when using Docker:
- Communication between containers is hindered.
- Scaling and load balancing may become an issue in case of increase in the number of containers.
- Separating sensitive information becomes a hurdle when deploying an app using Docker.
- Docker does not roll out updates very often.
- It becomes significantly harder to mount and unmount files on Docker.
Now that you are familiar with both the advantages and disadvantages of Docker as well as containers, let us cut to the chase and answer the question on hand.
WHY KUBERNETES? Secondly, why are they the buzzword they are in the DevOps space?
Let’s get started on an in-depth exploration of Kubernetes and their significance!
What is Kubernetes and Why use it?
Kubernetes, also known as K8s, is a distributed system for automating deployment, scaling and management of containerized applications. It was originally developed by Google in 2013, but has since been adopted by other large organizations.
It’s a powerful and highly scalable container orchestration platform that makes it easy for developers to get their applications up in the cloud. Kubernetes gives users access to a cloud-native approach to building distributed services using containers.
SNIPPET: Kubernetes can be deployed on every major cloud provider including AWS, GCP (Google Container Engine), Azure Container Service and OpenShift from Red Hat.
What is Kubernetes (K8s) used for?
In this segment, let us explore some potential use cases and benefits of Kubernetes in development environments:
- Increased usage of containers
Kubernetes is a container orchestrator that allows users to run and manage distributed services on clusters. It is a cloud-native approach to building distributed applications, which means you can use it to build microservices and other service-oriented architectures (SOAs).
- Supports scalability across machines:
Kubernetes supports horizontal scalability with multiple nodes running in parallel on host machines. It provides tools for automating management of these applications across multiple clouds or data centers.
- Enhanced management of containers:
You can also use it to manage clusters of different types of containers — for example, servers versus desktops or data center applications versus mobile apps — and automate the observability and control of those applications across environments.
- Has self-healing capabilities
The Kubernetes architecture also allows for self-healing capabilities. This feature is what allows files in Kubernetes to self-detect and independently resolve issues that arise when a component goes down.
- Features high availability
Kubernetes also comes with a high availability Kubernetes clusters which have more than one node to minimize failure as API services run on multiple nodes.
Kubernetes Architecture Diagram
Refer to the image given below to understand the Kubernetes architecture through a visual diagram:
Alternatives for Kubernetes (K8s):
- Docker Swarm
- OpenShift by Red Hat
- AWS Fargate
- Nomad by HashiCorp
- AWS ECS
Containers and Kubernetes are two sides of the same coin. Together they allow us to use containers at scale, and do so in a more organized, efficient way. What were once pipe dreams that existed only on the backs of giants like Google and Amazon are now easily within reach for a variety of different use cases. When it comes to modern Serverless architecture though, there’s simply no beating the cost savings that go along with deploying and scaling applications in this way.
We hope you liked our article which delivers the foundation of Kubernetes. We’ll have more coming your way about this tech stack in the near future with the next piece which will talk about the components in Kubernetes.
If you’d like to know more about Kubernetes and the components of its architecture, please refer to the next article in this series.
