Containerization in DevOps: Streamlining Software Delivery

This article will explain Containerization in DevOps using real-life examples. You will also learn the benefits of containerization.

Containerization technology has enabled DevOps teams to streamline their software delivery process in several ways. It allows applications to be packaged into isolated containers, which can be deployed and run on any platform. This makes it easier to move applications between different environments, such as development, test, and production, without needing to change the underlying code. Additionally, containerization allows DevOps teams to deploy multiple versions of an application on the same host, each running in its isolated environment. This increases the flexibility of the software delivery process, as it makes it easier for teams to roll out new features and test in different environments quickly.

Table of contents

• What is Containerization?
• Real-life example of containerization
• Benefits of Containerization
• Widely-Used Containerization Tools

What is Containerization?

Containerization is a lightweight form of virtualization that enables developers to bundle applications and their dependencies into isolated containers. These containers can run on any environment that uses the same container runtime, guaranteeing consistent behaviour across development, testing, and production stages. Containerization also allows for increased scalability, as developers can quickly and easily spin up containers to handle increased traffic or requests. This is especially beneficial for cloud-based applications, as developers can quickly modify their containers to accommodate changes in demand. Additionally, containers are highly portable, making it easy to move applications between different cloud providers or even between on-premise and cloud-based infrastructures. Finally, containers provide enhanced security, as they are isolated from other containers and the underlying host system, ensuring that applications remain secure even when running on shared infrastructure.

Real-life example of containerization

 Some of you must need clarification on containerization and virtual machine concepts. Let’s understand the difference with real-life examples. Suppose you want Windows 10 on your computer, and you want to install a virtual machine(Linux) on your computer as a project can only run in Linux. In that case, your virtual machine will need different RAM, CPU, hard disk, and kernel, and obviously, your computer will slow down. We have a solution where you don’t need to allocate separate RAM, hard disc and kernel. 

Only the resources needed to deploy the application will be needed, and this concept is called containerization.

Let’s understand this with one more example. Suppose you want to install a Flask application; you need Ubuntu and some packages library on the server. You will make a Docker image(blueprint of your container) of it. You can use this docker image on any server and extract a container from it. In short, the work will be easy, especially if you are making a big application, as you don’t need to install all the software needed to run that application on a different server or machine. Just extract the docker image and use it wherever you want. Tools like Docker and Kubernetes for this will be explained later in the article.

Note: Different containers will be there for different applications. 

Also read: Best Resources to Learn DevOps In-Depth in 2023

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Benefits of Containerization

DevOps represents a culture shift emphasizing teamwork, communication, and integration between development and operations teams. Containerization is vital in fostering this collaboration by providing a shared platform for managing application deployment, monitoring, and scaling. Here’s how containerization fits into the DevOps process:

1. A Streamlined Development Pipeline

Containerization simplifies the development pipeline by enabling developers to use the same environment across different stages. This consistency cuts down on time spent debugging environment-specific issues and ensures the application behaves the same way in production as in development.

2. Better Teamwork

Containers make it easier for developers and operations teams to collaborate. Developers can concentrate on writing code and creating containers, while operations teams can manage these containers’ deployment, scaling, and monitoring. This division of labour encourages a collaborative environment where both teams can contribute to the project’s success.

3. Continuous Integration and Deployment

Containerization supports continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) by automating the building, testing, and deploying processes. With containers, developers can quickly roll out new features and fixes without concerns about disrupting the existing application. This automation speeds up the development cycle and ensures the software stays current.

4. Resource Management and Scalability

In comparison to traditional virtual machines, containers offer better resource management and scalability. Containers share the host operating system and use fewer resources, making them perfect for deploying microservices and scaling applications as needed. This efficiency allows development teams to optimize resource usage and minimize infrastructure costs.

Widely-Used Containerization Tools

Various containerization tools are available to help implement containerization in DevOps. Docker and Kubernetes are among the most popular choices.

Docker

Docker is an open-source platform that simplifies container creation, management, and deployment. It offers a comprehensive ecosystem for managing containers throughout the software development lifecycle, including Docker Engine, Docker Compose, and Docker Hub.

Kubernetes

Kubernetes is a robust container orchestration system that automates container deployment, scaling, and management. It works seamlessly with Docker, providing a complete solution for managing containerized applications in a DevOps setting.

Conclusion

Containerization has undeniably had a significant impact on software development. Its ability to streamline development pipelines, improve collaboration, and support CI/CD makes it a critical element of the DevOps mindset. By adopting containerization, organizations can speed up their development processes, lower infrastructure costs, and deliver top-quality software to their customers.