What is Docklet
Definition and Architecture
Docklet is an open source project from Software Engineering Institute, Peking University. It is released uner the New BSD License. Its source code is hosted in GitHub.
The goal of Docklet is to provide a solution of Personal Development Workspace in the Cloud for enterprises. With the help of Docklet, enterprises can easily virtualize their small-scale data centers, creating virtualized clusters for their staff users, and then providing users a customizable Workspace in the cloud. Users only need a modern browser to visit their own Workspace located in the enterprise's Intranet from anywhere, at anytime. They can do works like online editing source codes, debugging, testing, managing data files, analyzing data, visualizing results, etc.
The kernel technology of Docklet is LXC virtual cluster (vcluster) that is based on Linux Container (LXC) and software defined networks technologies. The Docklet vcluster provides a virtualization solution of physical clusters, supports the installation and running of most existing Linux applications.
Based on vcluster, Docklet provides users their Personal Workspace. Users visit their Workspace throught the integrated Jupyper Notebook to do most development tasks.
The architecture of Docklet is illustrated as follows:
Docklet and Docker
Docklet has no direct relationship with Docker. They are two different projects, with totally different design goals.
The goal of Docker is to provide a lightweight operating system virualization solution. It is in the IaaS layer of cloud computing architecture. Docker encapsulates LXC to make LXC easy, so that the users can operate a Docker container as simple as operate a fast and lightweight virtual machine. Although later on Docker has clustering component, it in essence still focuses on single node operating system layer.
The goal of Docklet is to provide Personal Development Workspace in the Cloud solution. It covers all the SaaS, PaaS and IaaS layer of cloud computing architecture. The basic of Docklet is LXC vcluster, but not Docker container. For Docklet users, what they face directly is their Workspace. They use browser to do software development, debuging and testing, etc, using tools Docklet provide, working in a high layer.