Linux containers in 2025 and beyond

The use of Linux containers has shown no sign of slowing down since their emergence in the early 1980s. One exciting thing to look forward to in 2025 and beyond is the integration of AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning) as in RedHat’s RamaLama project, which aims to make it easy for developers and administrators to run and serve AI models.

When first launched on a system, RamaLama determines whether GPU support is available (and falls back to CPU support if it isn’t) and then uses a container engine – such as Podman or Docker – to download a container image from RamaLama that contains everything that you need to run an AI model. RedHat has claimed that this makes working with AI “boring,” but that isn’t meant to imply it isn’t very exciting, just that it’s quite easy to work with. Sounds good to me. RamaLama currently supports llama.cpp and vLLM for running container models.

Another step forward is the expansion of container technologies into serverless, edge computing and WebAssembly (WASM) platforms – a natural progression in how developers might leverage lightweight, scalable and portable solutions. This brings together the operational simplicity of serverless tech with the customization and control provided by containers.

The upcoming years will also bring about an increase in the use of standard container practices, such as the Open Container Initiative (OCI) standard, container registries, signing, testing, and GitOps workflows used for application development to build Linux systems. We’re also likely see a significant rise in the use of bootable containers, which are self-contained images that can boot directly into an operating system or application environment.

Cloud platforms are often the primary platform for AI experimentation and container development because of their scalability and flexibility along the integration of both AI and ML services. They’re giving birth to many significant changes in the way we process data. With data centers worldwide, cloud platforms also ensure low-latency access and regional compliance for AI applications.

As we move ahead, development teams will be able to collaborate more easily through shared development environments and efficient data storage.

Linux containers have clearly become a cornerstone of modern application development. They enable lightweight, portable and efficient environments for computing challenges. In 2025 and beyond, expect the role of Linux containers to expand to accommodate emerging trends in technology and address many complex problems. We are living in exciting times. Hold onto your seat!

Also by Sandra Henry-Stocker:

• Red Hat completes Neural Magic acquisition
• Examining disk space on Linux
• Linux filesystems: Ext4, Btrfs, XFS, ZFS and more