<p>It contains pre-packaged Docker Images that provides you a wonderful <em>development</em> environment without requiring you to install PHP, NGINX, MySQL, Redis, and any other software on your machines.</p>
<p>Laradock is configured to run Laravel Apps by default, and it can be modified to run all kinds of PHP Apps (Symfony, CodeIgniter, WordPress, Drupal&hellip;).</p>
<p>Let&rsquo;s see how easy it is to install <code>NGINX</code>, <code>PHP</code>, <code>Composer</code>, <code>MySQL</code>, <code>Redis</code> and <code>beanstalkd</code>:</p>
<h2 id="what-is-docker">What is Docker?</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.docker.com">Docker</a> is an open-source project that automates the deployment of applications inside software containers, by providing an additional layer of abstraction and automation of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating-system-level_virtualization">operating-system-level virtualization</a> on Linux, Mac OS and Windows.</p>
<h2 id="why-docker-not-vagrant">Why Docker not Vagrant!?</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.vagrantup.com">Vagrant</a> creates Virtual Machines in minutes while Docker creates Virtual Containers in seconds.</p>
<p>Instead of providing a full Virtual Machines, like you get with Vagrant, Docker provides you <strong>lightweight</strong> Virtual Containers, that share the same kernel and allow to safely execute independent processes.</p>
<p>In addition to the speed, Docker gives tons of features that cannot be achieved with Vagrant.</p>
<p>Most importantly Docker can run on Development and on Production (same environment everywhere). While Vagrant is designed for Development only, (so you have to re-provision your server on Production every time).</p>
<p>Laradock and <a href="https://laravel.com/docs/master/homestead">Homestead</a> both give you complete virtual development environments. (Without the need to install and configure every single software on your own Operating System).</p>
<li><p>Homestead is a tool that controls Vagrant for you (using Homestead special commands). And Vagrant manages your Virtual Machine.</p></li>
<li><p>Laradock is a tool that controls Docker for you (using Docker &amp; Docker Compose official commands). And Docker manages your Virtual Containers.</p></li>
<p>Running a virtual container is much faster than running a full virtual Machine. Thus <strong>Laradock is much faster than Homestead</strong>.</p>