Docker: What are the new Linux Container on Windows (LCOW) with Linuxkit

  • 9 months ago
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Linux Containers on Windows (LCOW) is a technology that allows you to run Linux containers natively on Windows without the need for a virtual machine. LCOW leverages components like Hyper-V, the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), and the LinuxKit project to enable this functionality.

Here's a breakdown of the key components and concepts involved in Linux Containers on Windows (LCOW):

  1. Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL):
    WSL is a compatibility layer that allows you to run a Linux distribution alongside your Windows system. It provides a Linux-compatible kernel interface, which makes it possible to run Linux executables on Windows. LCOW uses WSL to provide a Linux runtime environment for running Linux containers.

  2. Hyper-V Lightweight Virtual Machine (LCOWVM):
    Hyper-V is Microsoft's virtualization technology. With LCOW, a lightweight Hyper-V virtual machine (LCOWVM) is created on Windows. This virtual machine hosts the Linux containers and acts as an isolation boundary between the Windows host and the Linux containers.

  3. LinuxKit:
    LinuxKit is an open-source project that enables the creation of minimal, secure, and portable Linux distributions. It's used as a base image for the LCOWVM. LinuxKit provides essential components for running containers, such as the containerd runtime and runc container runtime.

  4. Containerd:
    Containerd is a high-level container runtime that manages the lifecycle of containers. It handles tasks like container creation, execution, and deletion. Containerd is used as the runtime within the LCOWVM to manage Linux containers.

  5. runc:
    runc is a command-line tool for creating and running containers according to the Open Container Initiative (OCI) specification. It's used by containerd to start and manage containers.

In summary, Linux Containers on Windows (LCOW) leverages Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), Hyper-V, LinuxKit, containerd, and runc to provide a seamless way to run Linux containers natively on Windows. LCOW offers a more efficient and lightweight solution compared to using a full virtual machine to run Linux containers on Windows. It's particularly useful for development and testing scenarios where you want to use Linux containers without setting up a separate Linux environment.