Containers, usually Docker images, let teams ship edge software the same way they ship cloud software. A protocol adapter, a local database and an inference service each run in their own container on an edge gateway, can be updated independently and restart cleanly if they crash. Orchestration tools built for the edge handle rollout across many sites.
Containers need a Linux-class microprocessor and a full operating system, so they do not apply to microcontroller-based sensors, whose firmware is updated as a single image through an OTA update. Image size and the memory overhead of the runtime still matter on small gateways, which is why minimal base images are common.
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