Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Docker VS Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

Compare Docker VS Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) and see what are their differences

Docker logo Docker

Docker is an open platform that enables developers and system administrators to create distributed applications.

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) logo Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

Container Management
  • Docker Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-25
  • Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-23

Docker features and specs

  • Portability
    Docker containers are designed to run consistently across different environments such as development, testing, and production, ensuring that software behaves the same regardless of where it's deployed.
  • Efficiency
    Docker containers share the host OS kernel and use fewer resources compared to traditional virtual machines, which allows for faster startups and reduced overhead.
  • Isolation
    Containers encapsulate the application and its dependencies in a separate environment, which minimizes conflicts between different applications' dependencies.
  • Scalability
    Docker makes it easier to scale applications quickly and manage resource allocation dynamically, which is particularly useful for microservices architectures.
  • Continuous Integration and Deployment
    Docker facilitates CI/CD processes by making it easier to automate the deployment pipeline, resulting in faster code releases and more frequent updates.
  • Community and Ecosystem
    A vast community and a rich ecosystem of tools and pre-built images in Docker Hub, enabling you to quickly find and reuse code and solutions.

Possible disadvantages of Docker

  • Complexity
    While Docker can simplify certain aspects of deployment, it adds a layer of complexity to the infrastructure that might require specialized knowledge and training.
  • Security
    Containers share the host OS kernel, which can pose security risks if an attacker gains access to the kernel. Proper isolation and security measures must be implemented.
  • Persistent Data
    Managing persistent data in Docker can be challenging, as containers are ephemeral and the default storage solutions are not always suitable for all applications.
  • Monitoring and Debugging
    Traditional monitoring and debugging tools might not work well with containerized applications, requiring specialized tools and approaches which can complicate troubleshooting.
  • Performance Overhead
    Although lighter than virtual machines, Docker containers can still introduce performance overheads, especially when multiple containers are running simultaneously.
  • Compatibility
    Not all software and systems are fully compatible with Docker, which can limit its use in certain legacy applications and complex environments.

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) features and specs

  • Managed Service
    AKS is a managed Kubernetes service, which means Azure handles critical tasks such as health monitoring and maintenance, reducing the operational overhead for development teams.
  • Integration with Azure Services
    AKS offers seamless integration with a wide range of Azure services such as Azure Active Directory, Azure Monitor, and Azure DevOps, providing a comprehensive ecosystem for building and managing applications.
  • Scalability
    AKS supports easy scaling of applications, which allows businesses to quickly adapt to changes in demand by adjusting the number of nodes or implementing autoscaling policies.
  • Enhanced Security
    With features such as Azure Policy, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), and network isolation, AKS provides robust security mechanisms to protect containerized applications.
  • Cost Effective
    AKS does not charge for the Kubernetes control plane, so users only pay for the resources (VMs, storage) they use, which can make it cost-effective for many applications.

Possible disadvantages of Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

  • Complex Setup for Beginners
    For organizations or individuals new to Kubernetes, the initial setup and configuration of AKS can be complex and may require a steep learning curve.
  • Limited Customization
    As a managed service, AKS abstracts away some of the low-level control over Kubernetes components, which might not be ideal for all use cases that require extensive customization.
  • Regional Availability
    AKS is not available in all Azure regions, which may limit its use for globally distributed teams or applications that require specific regional deployments.
  • Dependency on Azure Ecosystem
    While tight integration with Azure services is an advantage, it can also be a limitation for organizations preferring multi-cloud or hybrid cloud strategies.

Docker videos

What is Docker in 5 minutes

More videos:

  • Tutorial - What is Docker? Why it's popular and how to use it to save money (tutorial)
  • Review - Real World PHP Dockerfile Review, from a #Docker Captain

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) videos

Introduction To Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) | Azure Container Service | Azure Training | Edureka

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Docker and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS))
Developer Tools
92 92%
8% 8
Containers As A Service
88 88%
12% 12
DevOps Tools
79 79%
21% 21
Cloud Computing
91 91%
9% 9

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Docker and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

Docker Reviews

Exploring 7 Efficient Alternatives to MAMP for Local Development Environments
Though not specifically designed for PHP development, Docker offers a containerized approach to create, deploy, and run applications. It enables easy installation of PHP, web servers, and databases within containers, facilitating quick and consistent development environment setups.
Source: medium.com
Top 6 Alternatives to XAMPP for Local Development Environments
Docker - A containerization platform that allows developers to package applications and their dependencies into containers. Docker Compose can be used to define multi-container application stacks, including web servers, databases, and other services. Features powerful portability and consistency, supports rapid building, sharing, and container management, suitable for...
Source: dev.to
The Top 7 Kubernetes Alternatives for Container Orchestration
Docker uses images as templates to create new containers using Docker engine commands such as Build -t or run -d.
Kubernetes Alternatives 2023: Top 8 Container Orchestration Tools
Docker is an open-source platform for building, managing, deploying containerized applications. Swarm is a native feature in Docker with a group of virtual or physical machines that lets you schedule, cluster, and run Docker applications. It is a Docker alternative for Kubernetes that provides high portability, agility, and high availability.
Top 12 Kubernetes Alternatives to Choose From in 2023
Docker Swarm is a native clustering and orchestration solution provided by Docker, the leading containerization platform.
Source: humalect.com

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) Reviews

We have no reviews of Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Docker seems to be a lot more popular than Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). While we know about 73 links to Docker, we've tracked only 5 mentions of Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Docker mentions (73)

View more

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) mentions (5)

  • Grant Kubernetes Pods Access to AWS Services Using OpenID Connect
    Having this foundation in place, it's easy to extend this pattern to managed Kubernetes clusters such as Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) or Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE). All you need from the managed Kubernetes cluster is the OIDC configuration endpoint, which in turn has the JWKs URL. With that, you can create the trust relationship in AWS or any other Service Provider and grant the relevant access to your... - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Microsoft Announced Application Gateway for Containers.
    Application Gateway for Containers is the evolution of the Application Gateway Ingress Controller (AGIC), a Kubernetes application that enables Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) customers to use Azure's native Application Gateway application load-balancer. In its current form, AGIC monitors a subset of Kubernetes Resources for changes and applies them to the Application Gateway, utilizing Azure Resource Manager (ARM). Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Learn How to Dockerize Strapi v4
    Another option is to use Docker to facilitate the deployment to various cloud providers, or Kubernetes managed services such as Amazon EKS, Microsoft AKS, or others. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • How To Deploy Apache Kafka With Kubernetes
    Instructions for setting up Kubernetes to run in your cloud provider of choice can be found in the documentation for each provider (for example, AWS, GCP, or Azure), but the YAML configuration files listed below should work across all providers, with minor adjustments for IP addresses and related fields. - Source: dev.to / almost 3 years ago
  • Getting started with AKS
    This place will help you to get started on the Kubernetes and AKS, even if you have a piece of simple knowledge on the cloud computing concepts. - Source: dev.to / about 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Docker and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), you can also consider the following products

Kubernetes - Kubernetes is an open source orchestration system for Docker containers

Rancher - Open Source Platform for Running a Private Container Service

Google Kubernetes Engine - Google Kubernetes Engine is a powerful cluster manager and orchestration system for running your Docker containers. Set up a cluster in minutes.

Apache Karaf - Apache Karaf is a lightweight, modern and polymorphic container powered by OSGi.

Portainer - Simple management UI for Docker

Helios - Docker container orchestration platform, by Spotify