What is the purpose of using containers in DevOps?

The purpose of using containers in DevOps is primarily to package applications and their dependencies in a standardized unit. This allows developers to create an environment that ensures consistency across various stages of the application lifecycle, from development to testing and production. By encapsulating the application alongside its libraries and configuration files, containers enable seamless movement between environments and reduce issues related to "it works on my machine" scenarios.

Containers are lightweight compared to virtual machines, as they share the host operating system's kernel and resources, allowing for more efficient utilization of system resources. This modular approach also enhances scalability and speed, facilitating faster deployment cycles and making it easier to manage microservices architectures.

In contrast, utilizing containers is not about creating virtual machines or replacing databases, nor does it pertain to maintaining manual deployment processes. Instead, containers thrive on automation and integration, embodying the DevOps philosophy of continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD). This aids teams in achieving rapid iterations and deployment of applications, ultimately improving collaboration and productivity across the development and operations teams.