What is the difference between Dockerfile and Docker Compose in containerization?

Dockerfile is a script with instructions for creating a Docker image. It describes how to build the image: base image, dependencies installation, copying files, running commands, etc. The Dockerfile is responsible for creating a specific image.

Docker Compose is a tool for defining and running multi-container Docker applications. In the docker-compose.yml file, multiple services (containers), their images, networks, volumes, and dependencies are described. Compose simplifies the deployment and management of a containerized application.

Example:

• Dockerfile describes how to build a web application image.
• Docker Compose describes what needs to be launched: the web application, database, and perhaps a cache, and how they are connected.

Thus, Dockerfile is for creating an image, Docker Compose is for orchestrating multiple containers.