Containerd
Containerd is an industry-standard container runtime that manages the complete container lifecycle on a host system, including image transfer, container execution, storage, and network attachment. It provides a daemon that abstracts low-level container operations, enabling higher-level tools like Docker and Kubernetes to orchestrate containers efficiently. As a core component of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), it focuses on simplicity, robustness, and portability.
Developers should learn and use Containerd when building or managing containerized applications, especially in production environments where stability and performance are critical, as it offers a lightweight and reliable runtime compared to heavier alternatives. It is essential for working with Kubernetes, as it serves as the default container runtime in many distributions, and for integrating with CI/CD pipelines that require efficient container management. Use cases include deploying microservices, running cloud-native applications, and ensuring consistent container behavior across different platforms.