Kubernetes vs. Docker

Kubernetes vs. Docker

To answer this question, we first need to realize that this comparison is not entirely accurate. Although they can be operated as a separate entity, Kubernetes and Docker can run together and compliment each other.

Kubernetes

Kubernetes (also known as K8s or Kube) is a production-grade container orchestration that manages automated container deployment, scaling, and management. It allows you the bring together and manage multiple containers called Kubernetes Clusters. Kubernetes Clusters can be made out of public, private, or in-cloud containers – it helps to scale them more fluidly.

Kubernetes allows you to schedule and run containers on either physical or Virtual Machines. Moreover, Kubernetes declaratively manages services, which ensures that deployed applications run the way you intend them to run. Furthermore, it provides features like autoplacement, autorestart, autoscaling, and autoreplication so that you can have an insight into​ the health of your application.

Docker

Docker is a containerization system that enables developers and teams to handle application deployment and scaling much easier.

With Docker, you can build and run containers in isolated environments for development purposes. Later, you can store and share container images through a container registry. Docker Hub is the most popular container registry.

Docker allows you to virtualize a containerized environment that is specific to the application running in the container and provide it with the necessary dependencies and libraries. Docker does not virtualize the whole Operating System as Virtual Machines does; instead, it only offers the missing dependencies and packages. This approach of containerization is more efficient, faster, and does not impose a heavy toll on host machine resources.

Kubernetes AND Docker?

Kubernetes is a container orchestration software.

Docker is a containerization software.

Docker is meant to run one node; whereas, Kubernetes is meant to run a cluster of those nodes. Docker inc., the company behind Docker, introduced its​ own cluster manager,Docker Swarm. However, Kubernetes is still a more extensive and sought after software to couple with Docker than Docker Swarm.

You can make a Docker container once and run it anywhere without changing them. By coupling the container with Kubernetes you are allowed to orchestrate them. Kubernetes acts like a control station that lets you look, after managing them, and take necessary actions. It helps you in networking, load-balancing, security, and scaling across all Kubernetes nodes that run your containers. Kubernetes makes your application highly availableYour application remains online even if you go offline. by providing fault tolerance services. Furthermore, Kubernetes makes your application highly scalable by letting you upscale or downscale the number of nodes according to the load on the application.

Kubernetes and Docker work together like bread and butter: one compliments the other. The illustration below further describes their relationship.