Container Storage Basics

In containerized environments, storage typically falls into two main categories: stateless and stateful. Each type serves distinct purposes and is suited to specific use cases.

Stateless Storage

Definition: Stateless storage does not retain data after a container is stopped or restarted. When a container using stateless storage is restarted, any data stored within it is reset to its original state or cleared completely.

Use Cases: This type of storage is ideal for applications that don't need to persist data beyond the lifespan of a container, such as temporary data processing tasks, caching, or scenarios where data is stored in an external database. It's useful for services where a clean start is required every time.

Stateful Storage

Definition: Stateful storage, by contrast, retains data across container restarts. When a container using stateful storage is restarted, the data stored in its volume remains intact, ensuring continuity of data.

Use Cases: Stateful storage is essential for applications that require persistent data, such as databases, file storage systems, or any service where data needs to be preserved across container restarts or migrations. This type of storage is crucial for ensuring data integrity and continuity in applications that need to remember their state.

Take a deeper dive into stateless vs stateful containers.