Docker is “containerization” software. It can encapsulate an application, and the application’s system-level configuration and environment, into a modular unit called a container. Each container has a dedicated filesystem, similar to a traditional virtualized OS. Many containers can be loaded and installed simultaneously, and they are automatically managed by the Docker software.

Docker was originally developed in France by Solomon Hykes, and was open sourced in March 2013. By 2016, Cisco, Google, IBM, Microsoft, and Red Hat were the primary contributing organizations to Docker. In addition to the Docker Team, over a thousand individuals have contributed code to the project.

The open-source containerization components of Docker are named Moby. They are available on GitHub.

Companies that use Docker

  • eBay
  • Expedia
  • GrubHub
  • Lyft
  • PayPal
  • The New York Times
  • The Washington Post
  • Uber
  • Spotify
  • Yandex
  • Yelp

Container, Environment, Kubernetes, Software terms, System

  • The official Docker website.
  • The Moby page on GitHub.