# Containers

### **What**

* Lightweight, portable, and isolated environments for applications.
* Package applications and their dependencies for consistent deployment.
* Encapsulate software code, runtime, system tools, libraries, and settings.

### **Why**

* Ensure applications run the same across different environments.
* Share the host OS kernel, making them more efficient than traditional virtual machines.
* Supports microservices architectures.
* Simplifies application deployment.
* Improves scalability.
* Enhances DevOps practices by streamlining the development-to-production pipeline.
* Enables more efficient resource utilization.

### **Popular Platforms**

* **Docker**: Tools for creating, distributing, and running containers.