https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ylS-lY7eDUXDoOz7TQ6oMAfqx_Hum0CNFEzwSmy-Fdo/edit?usp=sharing
Environment consistency is a problem for software development. Examples include Windows vs. Mac and M1 vs. Intel. You get the idea. The adage “It worked on my computer” is a refrain that most developers will hear at some point in their careers.
Attempts have been made to address this problem, such as using virtual machines, but they are resource intensive and lack seamless portability due to compatibility issues that can arise when moving them between different devices.
While containers utilize host resources, they are lighter weight than virtual machines as they only contain the necessary dependencies needed for development.
One drawback of containers is that setting them up and using them requires expertise. Although scripts can help with setup, separate scripts are needed for Windows and Mac. You can avoid this problem by setting up the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), but as complexity increases, so does the risk of encountering errors.
Visual Studio Code Dev Containers originally came out as the Remote - Containers extension in 2019 and have since been renamed Dev Containers. Instead of disparate scripts to manage the starting, stopping, and manual management of dependencies of containers, we can now use containers out of the box that were developed to be robust, secure, and updated by the maintainers allowing you to focus on development.
Getting set up with Dev Containers is easy. Let’s walk through a basic example for Python that you can use immediately.