What is the difference between Docker Service and Docker Container?

Question

When do we use a docker service create command and when do we use a docker run command?

Answer 1

• docker run is used to create a standalone container
• docker service create is used to create instances (called tasks) of that service running in a cluster (called swarm) of computers (called nodes). Those tasks are containers of cource, but not standalone containers. In a sense a service acts as a template when instantiating tasks.

For example

docker service create --name MY_SERVICE_NAME --replicas 3 IMAGE:TAG

creates 3 tasks of the MY_SERVICE_NAME service, which is based on the IMAGE:TAG image.

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