Curious About Container Adoption? It’s Commanding Common Practice

Commanding the Red Hat list at 46%, containerization is the topmost software development priority across the globe.

But as containers are growing mainstream, many people are asking the question: why? Why would I want to use containers in my development stack? What benefits do they offer? 

In this blog, we'll explore the adoption of containers and study some of the reasons they're becoming so popular. We'll also look at some of the benefits containers offer, such as portability, efficiency, and reliability. 

So if you're curious (or confused) about containers and what they can do, read on!

WHAT IS CONTAINERIZATION?

Before we dig into containers, we have to get a basic understanding of what they are.

Containerization is a form of virtualization that packages applications with all necessary dependencies and ships them as a single unit. 

Not to be confused with microservices!

• Microservices are about software design.
• Containers are about packaging software for deployment. 

To get full value from both, we can use a container for hosting a microservice. It is significantly better to run microservices within containers.

Let's get back to containers. A container-based approach takes a piece of software and makes it run in isolation from the rest of the operating system. For developers, containerization simplifies creating portable applications that can run on any platform. For users, it provides better performance and security by separating these applications. 

In short, containerization is convenient for anyone with a hand in development!

IMPROVE PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY

There's no doubt that software engineering projects can be complex. With numerous dependencies and moving parts, it can be challenging to ensure everything runs smoothly. One way to improve the performance and reliability of your software projects is to adopt a container-based approach.

Containers allow you to package applications and their dependencies into a stand-alone unit, which can then be deployed in any environment. Isolating applications from the operating system reduces compatibility issues. It also simplifies recreating the production environment for testing, further improving reliability.

Moreover, containers are incredibly lightweight and portable, meaning they can quickly spin up or down as needed. This flexibility provides a significant boost in performance. Now, applications can scale according to demand without incurring high overhead costs.

So if you're looking for ways to improve the quality of your software engineering projects, adopting containers could be a great start.

YOUR TEAM WILL THANK YOU

A software project is a team effort, with developers working on various components simultaneously. 

Complex projects can lead to confusion and delays. Without a container-based strategy, teams must wait for all members to complete assignments before moving forward. However, containers allow teams to work independently. Individuals can finish their part of the project without waiting for others. Collaboration is easy, and delays are prevented! 

In addition, containers make it easy for team members to share their work. Developers can easily forward their container to the team member who needs it. 

Containers make software projects and developers more efficient and easier to manage.

AVOID PROBLEMS FROM USING THE SAME SERVER

If you've ever run multiple applications on the same server, you know disastrous it can be. 

One application could hog all the resources, leaving others to crawl along painfully. When another application is added to the stack, another might start malfunctioning. And even if everything appears seamless, adding one more program could tip the balance and compromise the flow.

One way to avoid these problems is to run each application in its own container. Each application can access necessary resources without impacting others. Containers also add or remove applications without disruption. As a result, containerization provides the ideal solution for running multiple software on the same server.

PLAN FOR MANAGING AND MONITORING

Any business that wants to modernize its development process should research containerization. Deploying containers will help your company deploy software faster while ensuring that the application works as intended. But before you jump into containerization, it's essential to have a plan for managing and monitoring your containers once they are active. 

Here are a few key considerations: 

1. Decide which container organization tool is right for you. There are many options available, each with its strengths and weaknesses. Do your research and choose the tool that best fits your needs. 
2. Establish clear protocols for how new code will be tested and deployed to production. Protocols will ensure that your application remains stable and fluid. 
3. Set up monitoring and logging tools to track your containers in production. These tools will help you identify and debug any issues that emerge. 

By taking the time to plan, you can secure a successful transition to containerization.

PREPARE TO ADAPT

In software development, there's always something new on the horizon. A new language to learn. A new framework to explore. A new platform to target. And with containerization gaining traction, there's a good chance you'll want to adapt your strategy.

Adaptability is standard in the development industry; we’re always prepared to learn new technologies. But containerization presents a unique set of challenges. Unlike traditional virtualization, which abstracts away the underlying hardware, containers isolate individual applications from each other and the OS. Isolation makes it resource-efficient to run multiple containers on a single server. But, careful consideration of how your applications will interact after deployment is critical. 

Fortunately, there are tools to help plan and manage containerized applications. Docker Compose helps define and manage multi-container applications using a YAML file. Another option is Kubernetes, an open-source orchestration system for managing containerized workloads and services. 

When choosing a tool, ensure it provides the flexibility to adapt your containerization strategy. Needs change and new technologies materialize overnight.

THE FUTURE IS NOW

If you're not using containers, you're behind the curve.

Containerization is the new standard for software applications. By 2023, 70% of organizations will execute two or more container-based applications. So, it’s time to modernize your approach. 

Our team of experts is ready to partner with you to implement containers. CODE/+/TRUST has extensive experience helping companies deploy containers in an efficient and scalable way. We can help you get started with container technology - and take your project to the next level. 

Contact us today to see how we put containers to work!