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When reading articles on the Internet and textbooks, they use the above terms and make us confused. When we try to understand emerging technologies, I believe the vocabulary behind them is a key point. So, please help to clarify the following confusion on these terms.

  1. Is the usage of "Container image" and "Docker image" similar and interchangeable?
  2. Are they different on usage?
  3. What is the purpose of the usage of "Container image"?
chandrasiri
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  • Does this answer your question? [What is the difference between a Docker image and a container?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/23735149/what-is-the-difference-between-a-docker-image-and-a-container) – Justinas Nov 24 '22 at 00:51
  • Thank you for your reply. But it is not. If you can notice, what I mention is "container image" not the container. So I think we have to discuss three terms (container image, docker image, container) together. If containers create using docker image, what is the purpose of using the term container image? – chandrasiri Nov 24 '22 at 01:02

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Docker, Inc. originally created the Docker product, which is a specific implementation of containerization technology,

Docker is a set of platform as a service products that use OS-level virtualization to deliver software in packages called containers.

There are many alternatives to Docker, like Podman, Containerd and etc.

Nowadays, Docker as a product is getting so popular, people often refer to containerisation technology as Docker. Almost like when we talk about search engines, we use Google.

So, I would use Container Image when talking about general containerization technology and use Docker Image when talking about the Docker product specifically.

Charles Han
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  • Thank you. I got it. According to your explanation, the general term should be the container image and we can use the Docker image instead of that when we implement the container concept using Docker. That means Containerization is a concept and Docker is a technology which can enable that technology. Am I right? – chandrasiri Nov 24 '22 at 04:51
  • You are right and I am happy that you've grasped the idea. – Charles Han Nov 24 '22 at 05:15
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    This is a useful link - [developers.redhat.com/blog](https://developers.redhat.com/blog/2018/02/22/container-terminology-practical-introduction) – chandrasiri Nov 24 '22 at 23:17