Overview of Docker and Vagrant

Docker and Vagrant create a predictable and repeatable development environment, where Docker uses container technology and Vagrant uses a virtual machine. These tools help Developer to achieve ultimate productivity.

Docker, was beforehand know as dotCloud and it was publicly released in 2013. It is a virtual environment (VE) tool only for Linux platform. AVE is a lite version of a VM, It works on the already existing kernel’s image of the system hardware. In Docker, we use Container to run the apps and even recreate OS (also act like an app) so that it will place only a little load to the system and it only takes the resources, when it is necessary.

Vagrant is an open source product that released in 2010, it is a VM manager. It is intended to keep running on the highest point of any VM apparatus. It provides default support to the VirtualBox, for other providers need to use separate plug-ins. Vagrant has more capable highlights than the other standard VM devices. For example, we can coordinate the Vagrant with the CM devices like Puppet and Chef for the customization of VM setups and configs.

In Detail:

A VM copy a physical PC. It’ accompanies its own particular finish working framework and resource allotment. The host machine gives important physical resources and the virtual machine works as an independent machine. It has its own particular BIOS, CPU, Storage and system connectors. Current virtual machines keep running on Hypervisors. Hypervisors are the product, firmware or equipment in charge of the creation and execution of the VM’s.

Hypervisors example: KVM, Red Hat enterprise virtualization, Microsoft Hyper-V, Xen Server and VM Ware.

Vagrant is an open source apparatus that makes and keep up a virtual machine. Vagrant disentangles the administration of VM’s. Utilizing a “Vagrant document” engineers can locate the virtual machine properties like the working framework, programming establishment and the properties of the VM. The content-based Vagrant record can be shared through version control and the important machine can be begun utilizing the basic command “vagrant up”. At that point, the client can be signed into the machine like a physical server.

Containers make virtualization on the working framework level. They fill in as an executable programming bundle that disconnects application from its encompassing condition. Inside the bundle, a container has the essential properties of code, runtime, framework libraries and apparatuses to keep the application isolate from outside impact. It keeps running on the working arrangement of the host machine. Containers share libraries and binaries when possible and separate the needed resources only.

Docker is an open-source container technology based on LXC (is an os level virtualization method for running multiple outlying Linux systems on a control host using a single Linux kernel), It is popular because it makes it much easier to create, run and deploy the application in an independent environment. It doesn’t create an entire operating system like a virtual machine, Instead, it uses the kernel of the host operating system and create virtualization only for the application and necessary libraries. This functionality makes it much more lightweight than virtual machines.

Use and its Security

Use of Docker or Vagrant often comes down to the choice between Containers or Virtual Machines. The security separation of a virtual machine makes a VM failure more self-contained. On the other hand, container shows resources and can have a cascading crash effect. Also, container security threats can reach the kernel of the host operating system. However, the speed of execution and it’s lightweight footprint of containers makes the Docker very attractive for development. And progress is being made it makes docker secure every day.

Docker and Vagrant are both the useful technology that helps developers improve their productivity.

If application security is a concern then using Vagrants and VM’s might be a good idea. For faster development and sharing the Docker provides an advantage. Most teams choose to use both for getting a much smoother operation.