Should you consider skipping containers for faster delivery times?

2023-05-11 06:18:23

The concept of Containers has revolutionized the way software is developed and deployed. It has been an important tool for DevOps engineers to achieve faster delivery times, greater scalability, and better resource utilization. However, there are situations where Containers might not be the best choice. In this article, we explore why skipping containers might be a good idea to improve delivery times.

Containers are an abstraction layer that offers encapsulated environments for software applications to run. They are popular because they provide the same environment in every stage of the software development life cycle, from development to testing to production. They help in simplifying the deployment process, as developers can package the application along with its dependencies into a single container. It is the container that contains everything necessary to run the application.

Containers have gained popularity because of their portability. Developers can create and deploy containers on any platform that supports the container runtime, such as Docker. This feature makes it easy to move applications between different environments, be it from a developer's laptop to a production server or from one cloud provider to another. Containers save time as they enable developers to write code, port it to a container, and deploy it without worrying about the underlying infrastructure.

However, there are cases where skipping containers could be a better solution. Here are a few instances where avoiding containers could make sense.

1. The application is small and simple

Containers provide a consistent environment for the application to run, but they come with a cost. Containers add an extra layer of abstraction, which consumes additional resources from the host system, such as memory, CPU, and file storage. For small applications that do not have complex dependencies, skipping containers can save time as the application can run without requiring any additional setup. In a small application, the developer can directly deploy the code on the target system without containers.

2. Lack of containerization skills

To use containers, development teams must have the necessary skills to create, test, and deploy containerized applications. The team must have expertise in tools such as Docker, Kubernetes, and container orchestration. If the team lacks the skills, it can take time to train them, which can delay the deployment. In that case, skipping containers could be a better option as the development team can focus on writing code instead of learning a new tool.

3. Infrastructure cost

Containers have reduced infrastructure cost compared to traditional virtual machines. But, if the organization runs low traffic applications, the additional overheads that come with container orchestration can outweigh the benefits. In such cases, it can be easier to avoid containers and opt for a simpler approach.

Taking the above factors into consideration, we can conclude that skipping containers could make sense in specific scenarios. However, it is important to note that containers still play an important role in most software development projects. They make the deployment process more efficient, more secure, and scalable.

Conclusion

Containers are an essential tool for faster delivery times, but there are cases where skipping containers could be a wise decision. Small applications that do not have complex dependencies, the lack of containerization skills, and infrastructure cost are some of the reasons to avoid using containers. Skipping containers could save costs associated with learning a new tool, and reduce the overhead burden of managing the containers. However, it is necessary to evaluate the pros and cons of containerization before making a decision.