What is Docker?

Docker is a popular platform for building, shipping, and running software applications in a containerized environment. It allows developers to package an application and its dependencies into a single unit called a container, which can run consistently across different computing environments.

Docker provides a lightweight and flexible way to create and manage isolated containers that can run on a host operating system, without the need for a full virtual machine. This means that applications can be easily moved between development, testing, and production environments, and can run reliably across different operating systems and infrastructures.

Docker has become an essential tool for many software development and deployment workflows and is widely used in cloud computing, microservices architecture, and DevOps practices. Its popularity is due to its ease of use, portability, and scalability.