Containers: meaning, definitions and examples

General term for anything that can hold objects or substances. Often used when the specific type of holder doesn't matter.

• Please put the leftovers in containers.
• There were many containers of various sizes at the shipyard.

Often refers to large, sturdy containers for transporting or storing bulky or heavy items. Commonly made of wood or plastic.

• The furniture was shipped in large wooden crates.
• They use plastic crates for delivering vegetables.

Typically used for flat-sided storage objects, usually with a lid or cover. Commonly used for packing, storage, or shipping items.

• She packed her clothes in cardboard boxes.
• The chocolates came in a beautifully decorated box.

Generally refers to hollow containers designed for holding liquids. Can also refer to ships or large boats.

• The potter crafted beautiful clay vessels.
• The drinking vessels were made of silver.

Use in general contexts when referring to lightweight and portable software environments, also in the context of modern software development and deployment.

• Containers help in isolating applications from the environment in which they run.
• Developers often use containers to ensure consistency across different environments.

Used when referring to fully virtualized systems that act like real computers, with their own operating systems. Mostly used in the context of virtualization and cloud computing.

• Virtual machines are often used to run multiple operating systems on a single physical server.
• The company moved their old applications to virtual machines to cut down hardware costs.

Specifically refer to software packages used in Docker, which provide the basis for running applications within Docker containers. Mostly used in scenarios involving Docker platform.

• Docker images need to be built before creating and running Docker containers.
• The team decided to create a custom Docker image for the application.

Use when talking about bundles of software or libraries that can be installed on a system. This term is more generic and can be used outside containerized environments.

• Many software packages are available through package managers like apt or npm.
• The software package includes all necessary dependencies for the application to run.