From Docker to Kubernetes – The Story of How We Build the Next Generation of Digital Ecosystems

Ten years can feel like an eternity in the tech world. When Solomon Hykes released Docker in 2013, suddenly everyone was talking about containers. What had previously been reserved for Linux specialists became available to an entire developer community.

With Docker, you could package an app in a container – complete with all code, libraries, and configurations – and run it anywhere. Whether on a developer’s laptop, in the test environment, or in production. The infamous “It works on my machine” problem was practically solved.

For developers, it meant faster prototyping, easier testing, and fewer late nights fixing broken environments. For companies, it meant more reliable deliveries, shorter time-to-market, and reduced operational chaos. But this was only the beginning.

From Spark to Wildfire

Containers themselves weren’t a new invention. Linux had technologies like cgroups and namespaces for years. But it wasn’t until Docker packaged them into a user-friendly tool that the spark was lit.

The problem was that the spark quickly turned into a wildfire. As more and more applications ran in containers, a new question arose: how do we manage hundreds, or even thousands, of containers at once?

The answer came from Google. They had been running their own services in containers for many years through their internal system Borg. In 2014, they chose to open-source their learnings and released Kubernetes.

Kubernetes quickly became more than just a tool. It was like introducing traffic lights, roads, and maps into a city that had just exploded in size. For the first time, it became possible to organize, scale, and automate container-based applications for real.

And by donating Kubernetes to the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) in 2015, the project gained broad industry support. Today, in 2025, Kubernetes is regarded as the de facto standard for container orchestration. In CNCF’s latest survey, 96 percent of organizations say Kubernetes is strategically important for their IT future.

The Ecosystem That Grew Around It

Around Kubernetes, an entire ecosystem has emerged – almost like a new industry in itself:

Cloud platforms: AWS, Google Cloud, Azure and others build their managed Kubernetes services on the same standard (EKS, GKE, AKS).
CI/CD: Automated delivery pipelines with Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, and ArgoCD make it possible to take code from commit to production within minutes.
Observability: Tools like Prometheus, Grafana, and OpenTelemetry have become the backbone for understanding what’s happening in systems spanning hundreds of services.
Security: Service mesh solutions like Istio and Linkerd, along with policy management via OPA, weave security into the architecture instead of bolting it on afterward.

For decision-makers, this means more than just technical details. Container technology has opened the door to real flexibility (hybrid and multi-cloud as standard), scalability (handling global user bases without rebuilding systems), and delivery speed (innovation in weeks instead of years).

The Developer’s New Everyday Life

For developers, the journey has been just as dramatic. In the Docker era, it was all about running docker run, testing quickly locally, and sharing images. It was concrete, tangible, and immediate.

In the Kubernetes era, everyday life is more complex: YAML manifests, Helm Charts, CI/CD pipelines, security policies, and infrastructure as code. The developer role has shifted from being purely about coding to also encompassing operations, security, and understanding distributed systems.

It may sound like a burden – but it’s also an opportunity. For the first time, a single developer can be part of building systems that are distributed across the globe. Understanding Kubernetes is, in practice, a ticket into the global tech scene.

The Next Wave: AI and Edge

But the journey doesn’t stop here. Containers are the foundation for the next wave of digitalization.

AI/ML: A large share of AI models are trained and run in containers. Projects like Kubeflow and Ray are built directly on Kubernetes. Nvidia and other GPU vendors design their platforms with Kubernetes support to scale AI infrastructure.
Edge: More and more applications are moving out of the cloud – into factories, cars, and IoT devices. Lightweight variants like K3s and MicroK8s make it possible to run Kubernetes even in small, distributed environments. Gartner predicts that half of all distributed workloads will run at the edge before 2027.

In other words: containers have evolved from being a smart way to package apps into becoming the foundation for the next generation of digital ecosystems – from cloud to AI and edge.

HiQ’s Perspective – Where Technology Meets Business

At HiQ, we see Docker and Kubernetes not as the end goal but as the foundation. The real value emerges when technology is woven into business.

For companies, this means we help organizations move from “we run Docker” to “we have a container strategy that accelerates our innovation.”
For developers, this means that at HiQ you don’t just get to write code in containers – you get to help build the whole: cloud solutions, AI infrastructure, and edge applications that transform everyday life for businesses and society alike.

The Conclusion?

Docker changed how we package software. Kubernetes is changing how we run and scale it. The next chapter is about how containers become the foundation for AI and edge – where business value and technology merge into the next generation of digital ecosystems.

Work at HiQ