> So my issue is that now I have PostgreSQL running... inside a container? So I need to figure out where the data for it is stored and figure out how to ensure it is being backed up.
And how is that different from running directly on the OS?
And how is that different from running directly on the OS?
this makes sense when you're trying to be deployable universally, but it increases the amount of onboarding that someone needs to receive before they're proficient with the container system; onboarding they may have not actually needed to get the software working and well understood, simply 'docker overhead'.
from personal experience : i'm a long time old linux person, the insistence on going 'all in' on Docker (or whatever) just to run a python script that has two or three common shared dependencies gains me nothing but the hassle of now having to maintain and understand a container system.
if you're shipping truly fragile software that is dependent on version 1.29382828 rather than version 1.29382827 then I understand the benefits gained, but just to containerize something very simple in order to follow industry trends is obnoxious, increasingly common, and seemingly has soured a lot of people on a good idea.
p.s. : I can also understand the idea of containerizing very simple things as parts of a larger mechanism; I just don't get it with the promise that it'll reduce end-user complexity, it isn't that simple.
1. I can start it and stop it automatically with Compose. That's a big increase in ergonomics.
2. I don't have to write my own scripts to set up and tear down the database in the dev environment. The Postgres image + Compose does all that for me.
3. Contributors who don't know much about Unix or database admin stuff (data analysts learning Python & data scientists contributing to the code) don't have to install or mess with anything. It works on everyone's machine the same way.
Volume and port mapping are basically trivial concepts anyway. There's been zero downside for me in using it, even though I personally have the skills and knowledge to not "need" it. Why would I go without it? It saves me time and effort that could be significantly better used elsewhere.
However, we live in the world where the choice we have for new hires is: a) teach them all of those OS fundamentals, b) give them Docker.
This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive to teach said new developers all those underlying concepts, but when we talk about training juniors and have them contribute relatively quickly, it’s a much smaller surface area to bite through.
That's what I said.
Furthermore, let's be pragmatic. The operations team needs to know, yes. We want new hires to contribute and feel productive. They'll naturally learn while working on software. A junior person can contribute almost immediately with a limited surface knowledge.
Less friction: no need to understand systemd/upstart/rc what have you, /etc, /opt, /usr, mount, umount, differences between various distros, build-essentials, Development Tools, apt, dpkg, rpm, dnf, ssh keys, ...
The right time will come but give them an easy way in. Containers provide exactly that.
All they need to know: it's somewhat isolated so under normal circumstances whatever you do in the container doesn't affect the host, how to expose ports, basics of getting your dependencies in, volumes, basic understanding of container networks - for things to talk to each other they need to be in the same network. Enough to start.