Comparison of Kubernetes and Docker

The debate between Kubernetes and Docker has resurfaced several times in the cloud computing sector. Whether you're coming from a non-technical background and need a short overview or you need to make a business choice, I hope the following few words will put your mind at ease. 

Beyond the buzz that surrounds both Kubernetes and Docker, we need to explore deeper. Before you can manage your firm on top of these terms, you must first understand what they mean.

The Kubernetes and Docker Partnership

The question "Kubernetes or Docker?" doesn't make any sense; it's similar to comparing apples and oranges. The one isn't a substitute for the other. Kubernetes can run without Docker, and Docker can run without Kubernetes. Kubernetes, on the other hand, may (and does) tremendously benefit from Docker and vice versa.

Docker is a piece of independent software that allows you to run containerized programs on any computer. Containerization is a method of running programs on an operating system that isolates them from the rest of the system. You give your application the illusion that it is getting its OS instance, even though other containers may be running on the same machine. Docker is the software that allows us to operate, build, and manage containers from a single operating system.

Kubernetes, in a sense, cranks things up to eleven. Kubernetes can be used if you have Docker deployed on several hosts (on various operating systems). These Docker hosts, known as nodes, might be physical or virtual machines. Kubernetes can then automate container provisioning, networking, load balancing, security, and scalability across all of these nodes from a single command line or dashboard. A Kubernetes cluster is a group of nodes controlled by a single Kubernetes instance.

Kubernetes is defined as a container orchestration system that automates the scaling, management, upgrading, and removal of containers. In other words, it's a platform for container orchestration. Docker, while at the heart of containerization, is what makes containers possible in the first place.

Differences Between Kubernetes and Docker

Kubernetes can work with any containerization technology in theory. The RKT and Docker are two of the most common Kubernetes integration choices. On the other hand, Docker has the most clout, which has resulted in far more effort being put into improving its connection with Kubernetes than any other containerization platform. 

Docker Inc., the company behind Docker, now offers Docker Swarm, its container orchestration engine. However, even the firm recognized that Kubernetes has grown in popularity to the point where Docker for Desktop (macOS and Windows) now includes its own Kubernetes distribution.

If anyone was on the fence about using Kubernetes for their Docker-based solution, the last argument should put their minds at ease. Both projects have enthusiastically embraced one another and have reaped the benefits of their collaboration.

Similarities Between Kubernetes and Docker

These initiatives are more than just technologies; they represent a community of people who, despite their differences, are among the industry's sharpest brains. When like-minded people work together, they share brilliant ideas and learn from one another's best practices. 

These are some of the concepts that Kubernetes and Docker have in common:

1. Their enthusiasm for microservices-based design is contagious (more on this later).
2. Their dedication to the open-source community. Both of these projects are significant open-source endeavors.
3. They're primarily developed in the Go programming language to be distributed as small, lightweight binaries.
4. They provide application stacks in human-readable YAML files.

You can theoretically learn about one without knowing anything about the other. However, keep in mind that you'll get a lot more out of it if you start with a simple case of Docker running on a single computer and then work your way up to understanding how Kubernetes works.