10 things you didn't know about Docker
Tags: docker, linux, aws, devops
Published: 2020-09-22 15:12:33

You have heard of Docker, right? Maybe done a `docker run …`, yes? Here are 10 things about Docker you (likely) did not know …

## 1. Docker is French
To be precise, [dotCloud](https://web.archive.org/web/20140702231323/https://www.dotcloud.com/about.html), the original company creating it, had its origins in France. Three well-known names, connected with the original company, in that context are Solomon Hykes, Sebastien Pahl, and Jérôme Petazzoni should help driving this point home. 

## 2. Docker: software or company?
Docker can be either seen as the [software](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docker_(software)) or the [company](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docker,_Inc.).

## 3. What is OCI and how does it relate to Docker?
In June 2015 Docker (the company) established the [Open Container Initiative ](https://opencontainers.org/) and many of its specifications are based on or directly derived from the original Docker (software).

## 4. What is Moby and how does it relate to Docker?
To make the go-to-market and relationship with the software clearer Docker (the company) created [Moby](https://github.com/moby/moby), explaining it with:

> The components and tools in the Moby Project are initially the open source components that Docker and the community have built for the Docker Project. [...] Docker is committed to using Moby as the upstream for the Docker Product.

## 5. Docker and Go
Docker (both the software and the company) has contributed greatly to making Go (the programming language) mainstream.

## 6. Docker running on fruits?
You can use Docker on many different platforms, [from Linux to macOS to Windows](https://docs.docker.com/engine/faq/#does-docker-run-on-linux-macos-and-windows). My fav has got to be Docker on [Raspberry Pi](https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/docker-comes-to-raspberry-pi/) … since 2016, nonetheless(!)

## 7. Docker in the cloud
Not only can you run Docker on almost any desktop (yeah, I know, laptop) but also on pretty much any cloud. For example, here at AWS it's super easy launching Docker containers using [Copilot](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/introducing-aws-copilot/).

## 8. Docker the company (part 2)
As of end of 2019, Docker really exists in two companies: [Mirantis acquired Docker’s Enterprise business and team](https://techcrunch.com/2019/11/13/mirantis-acquires-docker-enterprise/) and Docker, Inc. [focuses on developer tooling](https://www.docker.com/company).

## 9. Docker has many ancestors
Starting in 1979 where the `chroot` system call was introduced to FreeBSD jails and Solaris zones in the 2000s, Docker continued the ops tradition and made it mainstream for devs. Learn more about the history in this nice [K2 Cyber Security](https://www.k2io.com/container-history-adoption-trends-2020/#The_Evolution_of_Containers_-_A_Brief_History_of_Container_Technology) article.

## 10. Docker is a world-wide topic
Hundreds of [Docker User Groups](https://events.docker.com/chapters/) exist world-wide and the conferences (pre-Covid) were legend. I remember [DockerCon 2015](https://thenewstack.io/dockercon-2015-what-did-we-learn-this-week/) in San Francisco and the excitement around the technology as if it was yesterday.

_With that, thanks for stopping by and I'm wondering: what's your favorite thing about Docker that few people know? Care to share?_

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Cover image kudos to <span> <a href="https://unsplash.com/@rubavi78?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">Rubén Bagüés</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/container?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></span>.