How can I make a local docker container?

Question

I installed Docker and kitematic. I had VirtualBox before that and used many machines on Vbox. Docker is working, I can pull containers and other stuff like that. Like this link : https://docs.docker.com/mac/started/ I can add containers by:

<i> docker run docker/whalesay cowsay boo </i>

I want to know if there is any way that I can import some of my Vbox machines into docker as a Container locally? I have ova and ovf file in my local pc. I don't wanna get involved with online containers! Is there any way to accomplish this. Thank you.

Answer 1

Looks like you have some confusion on the concept of a container.

A container is not a virtual machine .

You can't import virtual machines into Docker. What you can do is build and run a Docker container which eliminates the need for a virtual machine (depending on your use case of course).

You can find a good explanation about the difference between a container and a virtual machine here .

TL;DR :

Both virtual machines and containers allow you to run multiple applications on a shared hardware.

When using virtual machines , the hardware is shared among all applications, however each application runs on a separate operating system .

When using containers , both the hardware AND the operating system are shared, and each application runs in a separate container .

This is in no way an exhaustive explanation regarding Docker containers - there are MANY more advantages to using Docker instead of a virtual machine (portability, consistency, infrastructure-as-code). This is just the main difference between them.