June 2023 - Docker and Kubernetes Capabilities

Neon AI is pleased to announce additional ways you can use Docker and Kubernetes within our open-source platform. Docker and Kubernetes are essential tools in modern application development and deployment, and they serve distinct but complementary roles in the containerization and orchestration of applications.

These instructions below provide a basic overview of Docker and Kubernetes capabilities and usage. Both technologies have extensive documentation and communities that can help you delve deeper into their features and best practices for your specific use cases.

Docker:

1. Containerization: Docker allows you to package your application and its dependencies into a single container image, ensuring consistency across different environments.

2. Isolation: Docker containers provide process and filesystem isolation, making it possible to run multiple containers on the same host without interference.

3. Portability: Docker containers can run on any system that supports Docker, making it easy to move applications between different environments, such as development, testing, and production.

4. Version Control: Docker images can be versioned, allowing you to track changes and roll back to previous versions of your application.

5. Docker Compose: Docker Compose is a tool for defining and running multi-container Docker applications. It simplifies the management of complex applications with multiple services.

Docker Instructions:

• Installing Docker: You can install Docker on various operating systems. For example, on Ubuntu, you can use apt-get to install it, while on macOS, you can use Docker Desktop. Refer to the Docker documentation for detailed installation instructions.

• Creating a Dockerfile: To containerize your application, create a Dockerfile that specifies the base image, dependencies, and how to run your app. Here's a basic example:

  FROM ubuntu:20.04
  RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y nginx
  CMD ["nginx", "-g", "daemon off;"]
          

• Building a Docker Image: Use the docker build command to build a Docker image from your Dockerfile:

  docker build -t my-app:1.0 .
          

• Running a Docker Container: Launch a Docker container from your image using docker run:

  docker run -d -p 8080:80 my-app:1.0
          

• Pushing to Docker Hub: To share your Docker image with others, you can push it to Docker Hub or another container registry:

  docker push yourusername/my-app:1.0
          

Kubernetes:

1. Container Orchestration: Kubernetes automates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications, allowing you to focus on application logic.

2. Scaling: Kubernetes can automatically scale the number of containers based on resource utilization or custom metrics.

3. Service Discovery: It provides built-in service discovery and load balancing, making it easy for containers to communicate with each other.

4. Rolling Updates: Kubernetes supports rolling updates and rollbacks, ensuring that your application remains available during updates.

5. Secrets and ConfigMaps: Kubernetes provides mechanisms for managing sensitive information and configuration separately from your application code.

Kubernetes Instructions:

• Installing Kubernetes: Install Kubernetes using a tool like kubeadm for setting up a cluster or use managed Kubernetes services like Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) or Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS).

• Creating Deployments: Define your application's desired state using Kubernetes Deployments or StatefulSets. Here's a simple example:

  apiVersion: apps/v1
  kind: Deployment
  metadata:
    name: my-app
  spec:
    replicas: 3
    selector:
      matchLabels:
        app: my-app
    template:
      metadata:
        labels:
          app: my-app
      spec:
        containers:
        - name: my-app
          image: yourusername/my-app:1.0
          

• Applying Configuration: Use kubectl apply to apply your Kubernetes configuration:

  kubectl apply -f my-app-deployment.yaml
          

• Scaling: Scale your application up or down with kubectl scale:

  kubectl scale deployment my-app --replicas=5
          

• Service Creation: Expose your application to the internet using Kubernetes Services:

  apiVersion: v1
  kind: Service
  metadata:
    name: my-app-service
  spec:
    selector:
      app: my-app
    ports:
    - protocol: "TCP"
      port: 80
      targetPort: 80
    type: LoadBalancer
          

• Monitoring and Logs: Set up monitoring and log aggregation solutions like Prometheus, Grafana, and Elasticsearch to gain visibility into your cluster and applications.