While Docker popularized containers, the ecosystem has grown — with standards (OCI), alternative runtimes (containerd, CRI-O), alternative tools (Podman, Buildah), and orchestration. Understanding the broader ecosystem and standards clarifies that containers are bigger than Docker the product.
Containers are standardized (OCI)
The OPEN CONTAINER INITIATIVE (OCI) standardizes container IMAGES and RUNTIMES:
→ OCI image format & runtime spec → images/containers are PORTABLE across tools
→ Docker images are OCI images; many tools can build/run them interchangeably
→ "Containers" are an open standard, not locked to Docker the company/product.
