Containerization and virtualization are both methods of deploying and managing applications. Virtualization involves creating multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a single physical server, with each VM running its own operating system and applications. This method provides strong isolation. As a result, it is often preferred when different OS environments are required, or when strict security and resource isolation are necessary. However, it can be resource-intensive due to the overhead of running multiple OS instances. In contrast, containerization involves packaging applications and their dependencies into containers that share the host operating system's kernel. This approach is more lightweight and efficient, allowing for higher density and faster startup times compared to VMs.