Kubernetes vs. Docker: Industry Shake-up and Predictions

In 2020, Kubernetes announced that it was deprecating support for Dockershim. 

In the years since, Kubernetes has been steadily distancing itself from Docker, as the two companies occupy such a similar space in the market. Now Kubernetes seems well on its way to removing Docker entirely.

Before you get alarmed, know that this isn’t as catastrophic as it initially sounds. You will still be able to use Docker in other ways that are relevant to Kubernetes (more on that in a moment). However, you will not be able to use Docker as the container runtime underneath Kubernetes. In the past, Kubernetes and Docker were deeply intertwined, with Docker being the preferred container runtime and Kubernetes seamlessly managing these Docker containers. Therefore, their  separation is still a big deal.

Having a solid grasp of Kubernetes and Docker, coupled with an understanding of how they evolved together (and then moved apart), is important for any developer hoping to build scalable applications. And if you are interested in building your own product, you will want to have a firm understanding of the scale at which it’s necessary to leverage tools like Kubernetes or Docker.

If you’re looking to build a solid foundation with Docker and Kubernetes, take a look at The Beginners Guide to Docker or A Practical Guide to Kubernetes, or our curated learning path Kubernetes Essentials. Remember that these tools are complex at heart, so I highly recommend starting with the basics to familiarize yourself with the software.

Today let’s start by unpacking the history of these two revolutionary technologies and try to explain how we got to the present moment — which may give us some clues about where enterprise-scale applications are headed in the coming years.

History of Kubernetes vs. Docker

About a decade ago, software development as we knew it completely transformed. A new system of organizing and deploying modern applications was born from two unglamorous tools. What followed was a new generation of extremely complex and globally distributed systems — the foundation of all modern software applications.

The process of building new software, otherwise known as the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), used to be a slow and tedious practice. Issues arose in each phase of a software’s life cycle related to deployment, scaling, management, and consistency.

To address these problems, the tech community collaborated to create what is known as containerization platforms. A key aspect of these platforms was the implementation of what we know as containers — lightweight systems of organization. With these applications in play, developers finally gained a consistent and portable environment to run any software on any machine.

Going a step further, developers searched for a way to organize these containers. Out of this newfound portability, container orchestration platforms emerged. Now it was possible to not only universally run applications but to deploy and manage them as well.

As a result, shipping and scaling software became seemingly limitless due to these two new tools — Docker and Kubernetes. 

No matter what role you occupy in the field of software development and IT, a familiarity with these tools can give you a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

• For developers: Kubernetes and Docker equip you with a space to build platforms in a neat and organized fashion, which in turn makes taking on more challenging and complex projects more accessible. If you aren’t familiar with this software yet, check out our Docker for Developers Course to master it now.

• For IT teams and managers: These cost-efficient tools provide you with unwavering assistance, logistical support, and maximized availability,  saving valuable time and resources. Kubernetes and Docker bring a new level of scalability and productivity to development.

What is Docker?

Docker was the first containerization platform of its kind, originating from Docker Inc. in March 2013. This software singlehandedly revolutionized how we build, transport, and run modern applications.

Fun fact: The name Docker was inspired by the term used at shipping docks for containers that fit neatly onto ships, trucks, and trains.

Much like these shipping docks, Docker introduced a way in which applications can be “packaged” into containers, allowing for easy and consistent deployment. The Docker project quickly gained traction, attracting contributors and creating a community that further propelled its development and evolution.

Built on Linux containers, the platform’s reliability and speed noticeably aided the software lifecycle process for developers. Docker containers serve as isolated environments with no external dependencies. This means that software packaged inside a container can run across various environments including virtual machines, personal laptops, or even cloud providers. This was notably revolutionary, as the portability of containers created opportunities for cloud-based app development. It was now easier than ever to run programs on lots of different operating systems, hardware, and software.

The tool is versatile, helping developers run and package their applications smoothly. In essence, Docker makes it extremely easy to leverage Linux containers to package applications in a simple format known as Docker file. You can quickly send your software out into the world and have it up and running in no time — it's like a fast-track delivery service.

To this day, Docker software continues to grow in complexity, impacting our industry in a multitude of ways. At its heart though, it is just a set of configurations and scripts.

What is Kubernetes?

Kubernetes, often referred to as K8s, is the go-to container orchestration platform, widely recognized for its power and versatility in the realm of software development. It’s a popular tool, generally due to its flexibility and the fact that it’s open-source. It’s important to note that the software internally requires Docker containers (or a similar alternative).

The platform originated from an internal Google project and was announced to the public in June 2014. Kubernetes took off rapidly, attracting a global community of developers and organizations. It quickly became the gold standard for container orchestration, providing an efficient way to deploy, scale, and manage applications in a cloud-native and scalable manner.

Praised for its portability, efficiency, and rapidly growing ecosystem, Kubernetes is now a fundamental technology in the world of cloud computing and modern software development, enabling the efficient management of containerized applications across various infrastructures.

The success of Kubernetes remains a significant turning point in the world of software development.

Like any technology, Kubernetes has its strengths and weaknesses. Due to its complex architecture, Kubernetes comes with a fairly significant learning curve — it can be hard to get started completely without any prior knowledge.

Docker vs. Kubernetes

Docker & Kubernetes Use Cases

In an ideal, large-scale production environment, Kubernetes and Docker are both in play. In tandem, these two systems create the optimal environment for DevOp engineers. One helps organize the plans while the other ensures their smooth sailing.

When considering these two software on their own, it may be worth noting their separate use cases. As an orchestrator, Kubernetes doesn’t exist without a container tool such as Docker already in play.

If I had to build a brand-new service right now, implementing Kubernetes and Docker right off the bat might be overkill, given the added complexity and amount of up-front work required.

It makes way more sense to deploy small applications on a handful of servers rather than deal with the burden of implementing an orchestration software. Unless you’re dealing with an enterprise-scale application, you probably don’t need the uptime optimization that Docker and Kubernetes provide.

As a business grows, so does the amount of tedious, redundant work. These small annoyances add up, and eventually it will become time to invest in Kubernetes and Docker. Otherwise, your technical debt will grow and it’ll be a heavy lift.

When quick recovery, frequent upgrades, and scalability become critical for the business — it’s imperative to have these tools. Don’t let technical debt get prohibitively expensive!

Docker and Kubernetes Alternatives

Of course, there are other tools and services out there that help manage containers. Amazon ECS (Elastic Container Service) is comparable to Kubernetes in that it works alongside Docker.

Amazon ECS organizes containers into logical groupings known as clusters. Whereas Kubernetes uses pods and deployments, Amazon uses task definitions. These are comparable to blueprints that specify which Docker images to use, how to link containers, and which resources to allocate.

Docker Swarm — not to be confused with our handy containerization platform Docker — is another orchestration tool. Docker Swarm was built by the Docker team, allowing it to integrate seamlessly with Docker commands and workflows. Though Kubernetes is more comprehensive and powerful, Docker Swarm is a much simpler platform to utilize.

However, Docker Swarm never achieved the success its developers intended. Docker open-sourced Swarm, hoping it would become an enterprise-scale business. But since Kubernetes had already launched for free and had been open-sourced by Google, it was cemented as the industry standard. Docker has been struggling since to find its niche as a scalable enterprise business.

An alternative to Docker is Podman. Advertised as safer, this containerization tool has some key differences. Firstly, this utility is considered more secure on the basis of being “rootless” –– it can run and manage containers without requiring superuser privileges. This is known to have security benefits,  such as minimizing the risk of breaches and container breakouts. Additionally, many consider Podman a favorable tool in terms of ease of use. Simply put, it might just be the easier option for developers.

The Docker team is busy working on ways to make software deployment better and more accessible. However, they continue to struggle with no solid option for an enterprise-scale business.

What Is the Future of Containerization?

Moving forward, I expect Kubernetes to remain the most popular container orchestration platform despite its shifting support for Docker. Kubernetes’ robust ecosystem makes it a favorable option, as does the positive attention it has received from the tech community.

Undoubtedly, Kubernetes will continue to make developing enterprise-scale applications a smoother process. It’ll become even better at managing programs not just on one computer, but all over the place, including in the cloud and on special devices.

Unless other large cloud providers like Amazon succeed in recreating and improving upon Kubernetes, significant changes are unlikely.

As for Docker, some suggest it will become even more equipped to work with container orchestration platforms to secure a more simplified development process. In order to compete with alternatives such as Podman, Docker will hopefully become a more secure tool, so that everyone can use it without fear of breaches.

And what about Kubernetes reducing support for Docker as a container runtime? It’s not uncommon to see minor features deprecated as a way to optimize performance and consistency, but I suspect that Kubernetes, and the larger open-source Google community, are trying to hedge their bets against Docker. With a for-profit organization backing the containerization tool, it is clear that they need some way to make a profit, and the service that Kubernetes provides is an easy target.

As Kubernetes and Docker carve out their unique paths, they will each continue to play pivotal roles in shaping the landscape of software development and deployment, steering the industry toward efficient and secure application management.

If you do want to improve your Docker and Kubernetes knowledge, we do have a handful of useful content here at Educative covering a range of skill levels. I hope you start exploring today — you’ll learn a lot from it.

Happy learning!