In the world of modern software development, containerization has become a game-changer, simplifying the deployment and management of applications. Docker, a leading containerization platform, plays a pivotal role in this paradigm shift. In this article, we will delve into the core concepts of Docker, focusing on containers and images, providing a fundamental understanding for beginners.
A Simple Analogy: Images and Runtime Environment
Before we embark on our exploration of Docker, let’s begin with a simple analogy that will help demystify these fundamental concepts. Consider a scenario where you have a desktop computer and want to install an operating system like Ubuntu 18.10. In this case, you’d require a bootable DVD or CD containing the operating system. This DVD allows you to install Ubuntu on your desktop machine. Now, if you have additional systems, such as another desktop or a laptop, you can use the same DVD to install Ubuntu on these machines.
But what if you want to upgrade Ubuntu from version 18.10 to 20.04 or perform a clean installation of the newer version? You’d need a DVD or CD for the new operating system, and this process would entail creating a bootable media to install Ubuntu.
Now, with this analogy in mind, we can dive into the world of Docker, containers, and images.
Understanding Containers and Images
In the realm of Docker, containers and images are pivotal concepts. Let’s break down these terms to gain a clearer perspective:
- Images: In the context of Docker, an image is like a template, akin to the DVD in our analogy. It is not directly usable but serves as a blueprint for creating containers. Docker images are referred to as build-time constructs because they are used to build and configure containers. However, an image by itself is not executable. It acts as a frozen snapshot of a specific configuration, including all the necessary files, libraries, and dependencies to run an application or service.
- Containers: Containers, on the other hand, represent the runtime environment where an image comes to life. They are akin to running the Ubuntu operating system on your desktop after installing it from the DVD. A container is an instance of a Docker image, but it includes an additional writable layer. This writable layer allows you to make changes, store data, and run applications within the container. However, it’s crucial to understand that any changes made inside a container, like creating files or modifying configurations, are non-persistent. When the container is stopped or restarted, the changes made in the previous session are discarded, and a new writable layer is created. This ensures the isolation and portability of containers.
The Workflow
To further comprehend the Docker workflow, let’s explore how a container is created from an image:
- Request to Run an Image: To launch a container from an image, you instruct Docker to execute the image. For example, you might request Docker to run an Ubuntu image.
- Local Image Check: Docker first checks your local machine to see if the specified image is already present. If the image is found locally, Docker proceeds to run a container directly.
- Image Retrieval: If the requested image is not available locally, Docker initiates an image retrieval process. It connects to an image registry, as we’ll discuss in the next section, to locate and pull down the required image.
- Launching the Container: Once the image is retrieved, Docker launches a container based on that image, and you can interact with it.
Understanding this workflow is crucial for beginners, as it forms the foundation of Docker containerization.
Key Terminology: Image, Registry, and Repository
In the Docker ecosystem, several terms play significant roles in container management:
- Image: As previously discussed, a Docker image is a blueprint for a container, representing a build-time construct. It contains multiple read-only layers, akin to a stack of configuration snapshots.
- Registry: An image registry is a centralized repository where Docker images are stored and distributed. When you request an image, Docker knows which registry to connect to in order to fetch the image. Common Docker registries include Docker Hub and containerd.
- Repository: A repository is a collection of related Docker images with the same name but different tags. It’s essential to differentiate between a repository and an image. An image is a specific version of an application, while a repository is a collection of images that serve various purposes, often organized by version numbers or other attributes.
In the next part of this series, we will delve deeper into image registries and repositories, understanding how Docker knows where to fetch images and how to manage image versions effectively.
Understanding Image Registries: A Photo Album for Docker Images
To grasp the role of an Image Registry, think of it as a virtual photo album for your digital camera. Imagine you’re on vacation, taking photos with a digital camera. To save these memories, you copy the pictures to a safe location, such as a Cloud solution, your desktop, or a thumb drive. Now, when you want a physical copy of one of these pictures, you send a print job to a printer. The printer uses the digital photo to create a hard copy.
But what if someone, let’s say a playful child, gets their hands on the printout and decides to doodle on it with a marker? Erasing the marks isn’t easy, and the photo’s quality is compromised. In such cases, you prefer a clean, unaltered copy. To obtain a new pristine copy, you resend the print job, and the printer produces a fresh image without any marks or alterations.
In this analogy, the camera is analogous to creating Docker images, where you capture the settings and configurations for your applications. The photo album represents the Image Registry, a storage location for Docker images. Just as the images are collected in your photo album, Docker images are stored in a registry for future use. Docker users can “print” copies of these images in the form of containers.
To put it succinctly, an Image Registry is like a secure server that hosts Docker images, ensuring they are accessible when needed. Users can upload and download images to and from this registry.
Image Workflow: Build, Push, and Pull
In the Docker ecosystem, everything begins with a Dockerfile—a text file containing a list of instructions on how to build a Docker image. Once these instructions are laid out, the Docker image is created locally on your system using the docker build command. However, the image is confined to your local environment.
To make this image accessible to others or different systems, you use the docker push command to upload the image to the Image Registry. The Image Registry serves as a central repository where Docker images are stored. Docker Hub, a well-known registry, is often used for this purpose. Other registry providers, such as JFrog, offer both free and paid services, depending on your needs.
Subsequently, anyone with access to the registry can retrieve the image using the docker pull command. The image can then be run as a container using the docker run command. If you built the image locally, you can directly use docker run to initiate the container.
The Power of Repository and Tag Combination
In Docker, images within an Image Registry are organized into repositories. Repositories can be considered collections of related images, sharing a common name but differentiated by tags. This structure enables users to categorize and version images efficiently.
A crucial point to understand is that the syntax to reference a specific image comprises both the repository name and its associated tag. It follows the format: [repository]:[tag]. When you omit the tag, Docker defaults to the “latest” tag.
Here’s a practical example:
nginx_olb_fe:rel-1.2-arefers to the “nginx_olb_fe” repository with the “rel-1.2-a” tag.mongodb_cus:latestrefers to the “mongodb_cus” repository with the “latest” tag. The “latest” tag may change with newer releases.
In situations where a tag does not exist for an image, attempting to call an image with that tag will result in an error. Docker won’t be able to find the specified image, and the operation will fail.
By understanding the syntax and structure of repositories and tags, you can manage and access Docker images effectively, making sure you’re working with the desired versions.