1. Proxmox LXCs (Linux Containers)
- Offers OS-level virtualization
- Allows multiple isolated Linux instances to run together
- Shares host OS kernel
- Provides a full-fledged Linux environment in each container
- Features:
- Strong isolation between containers
- Low overhead
- Efficient system resource usage
- Granular control with full Linux environment
- Built-in networking capabilities
- Native Proxmox tools for container management
- Best suited for:
- System-level services
- Web servers, databases
- Long-running applications requiring tight resource control
- Scenarios needing a complete Linux environment
2. Docker Containers
- Originally forked from LXC
- Provides app-level virtualization
- Packages apps and dependencies into single containers
- Features:
- Highly portable ("build once, run anywhere")
- Extensive ecosystem and tooling support
- Robust image management system
- Centralized Docker Hub repository
- Strong support for container orchestration (e.g., Docker Swarm, Kubernetes)
- Better for scaling fast
- Best suited for:
- Packaging and deploying applications
- Microservices architectures
- Workloads benefiting from portability and scalability
- Lightweight requirements (can be installed on Debian/Ubuntu Server)
- Pro Tip – For combined VM and Docker needs: Use Docker inside an LXC container for the best of both worlds, although not officially recommended.
