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4 reasons why you should use Docker containers on your PC
When you step into the world of virtualization, you'll definitely come across containers. Designed as standalone environments that include everything from apps to their config files and dependencies, containers are as useful to programmers and DevOps maestros as they are to casual users and self-hosting enthusiasts. If you're not already using these neat tools to enhance your computing experience, this article will convince you to give Docker containers a shot.
How I use Docker with Proxmox for the perfect home lab duo
Although Proxmox provides built-in support for LXC containerization, it's possible to run Docker containers on the virtualization platform
Containers are ultra-lightweight
Especially when compared to the average virtual machine
Containers and virtual machines may be the most essential aspects of home labs and self-hosting workstations, but it might be a bit harder to run multiple instances of the latter on the average laptop and mini-PC. That's because virtual machines emulate everything from the OS to the kernel, meaning you'll require multiple CPU cores alongside plenty of memory to run a couple of VMs. That's before you include the overhead caused by GUI-based operating systems!
Meanwhile, containers rely on the kernel of your underlying OS and require a surprisingly low amount of system resources. Given how its possible to deploy multiple containers on underpowered devices like the Raspberry Pi without taking major hits to the performance, you won't have any issues running your favorite apps using Docker on budget-friendly systems.
No need to worry about conflicting packages
File-spaghetti, begone!
If you've tried building projects without initializing virtual environments beforehand, you may already be familiar with the nightmare that's managing packages. Not only do you have to pick the correct version of the package that's compatible with the other dependencies in your project, but you'll also need to ensure that none of the packages conflict with each other.
Thankfully, Docker containers get rid of this ordeal with their isolated nature. Since every container is a standalone app with its own sets of packages and libraries, all you have to do is deploy separate container instances for each service and bid adieu to conflicting dependencies.
Perfect for experimentation
And updates are no longer a pain
Lets say you came across a fun project and want to build it on your PC. But configuring every service, dependency, and package can be quite a chore, especially if the project you're working on isn't very well-documented. Throw in all the hours you'll need to spend troubleshooting in case a system update breaks your packages, and you can see why manually installing all dependencies for your project is more trouble than it's worth.
In contrast, Docker containers are extremely easy to manage and even simpler to update. Since 'work with images instead of multiple dependencies, all you have to do is pull the latest image and re-deploy the container with the newer version.
Simplify the process of self-hosting apps
With the power of docker compose and YML files
From saving some odd couple of bucks to preserving your privacy, self-hosting your own services has several perks. Unfortunately, easy access isnt one of them, and you might have a hard time navigating the self-hosted landscape when youre a newcomer. However, Docker removes most of the complexity associated with hosting your own apps and services.
Nearly every big-name app in the self-hosted space has dedicated container images on the Docker Hub. As such, you can run the docker pull command to grab an image before executing docker run to deploy a container with said image. But if youre someone who prefers fine-tuning their containers, you can download the docker-compose.yml files of your favorite apps, modify the variables using a text editor, and run the docker compose up -d command to get them up and running without any hassle.
25 essential commands every Docker user should know
Docker's command-line interface may seem intimidating, but these commands can help you master it in no time!
Turning your PC into a powerful server with Docker containers
Aside from these advantages, Docker containers are also more secure than running services directly on top of your OS. Don't get me wrong, containers are still vulnerable to threats, and its possible for attack vectors to escape the confines of a container. But you can further harden them with several precautionary actions, such as deploying them in rootless mode and utilizing the AppArmor security module.
That said, if you're a Windows 11 user, you'll have to bear with a rather cumbersome installation process for Docker. That's because, unlike Linux distros, Windows 11 needs WSL2 to run Docker containers. As such, Type-2 hypervisors such as VirtualBox and VMware Workstation Pro can come in handy when you wish to experiment with Docker containers without going through the trouble of setting up WSL2.
