Docker Inc. is more tightly integrating its Docker Desktop into Microsoft Azure and Visual Studio products in an attempt to make it easier for developers to move their container deployments between the two ecosystems. The move builds on Docker Inc.’s migration from an infrastructure company to a support company.

The integration will allow Docker Desktop tools to work through Visual Studio Code as a native way for developers to run containers in the cloud via Azure and run Azure containers specifically with fewer steps. Developers will be able to create Azure Container Instances (ACI) without the need for orchestration.

These moves allow a developer to automatically trigger an ACI cloud container environment using defaults and no infrastructure overhead, switch between their local desktop environment to a cloud environment to run applications, and use Docker Compose for single container and multi-container application development.

Docker Inc. CEO Scott Johnston, during a keynote address at this week's DockerCon 2020 virtual event, noted that an example of the process showed that it helped "application developer teams quickly iterate and get their ideas, their apps, from code to cloud and helped development teams build, share, and run great applications. This is what Docker is all about. Docker is able to simplify for development teams, getting their app and code to cloud quickly."

A beta of the integration is set to be released later this year.

Docker Inc.’s re-imaging began last year when the company ran into a financial squeeze that eventually resulted in the vendor selling off its halo Enterprise Technology Platform and associated intellectual property to Mirantis for an undisclosed amount. Docker Inc. also overhauled its management structure with Scott Johnston taking over as CEO from Rob Bearden. Johnston became Docker Inc.’s fifth leader in less than two years.

The vendor earlier this year set its new course that focused on its Docker Desktop and Docker Hub assets. Justin Graham, VP of products at Docker Inc., at that time explained in a blog post that this will see the company “partnering with the ecosystem” as it aims to make Docker Hub the “nexus for all integrations, configuration, and management of the application components.”

Graham explained to SDxCentral that as containers have become ubiquitous, developers were being challenged further “up the stack.”

“We see this in the middle space between where source control ends and production runtime of applications begins,” Graham said. The “middle space” Graham is referring to is also known as middleware, or the software glue that lies between an operating system and the applications running on it.

“We think there’s a unique opportunity for Docker, through Docker Desktop, Docker Hub and our open source work, to help make that middle space and code-to-cloud space incredibly efficient, simple, cost effective for development teams and individual developers,” Graham added.

Microsoft also has had a hand in Docker Inc.’s operational evolution.

At one point, Microsoft was rumored to have been considering an outright acquisition of Docker Inc. for a reported $4 billion. Others were also reportedly interested in a purchase, including Red Hat and VMware.

However, none of those deals (obviously) ever occurred, but Microsoft did spend $7.5 billion on GitHub in 2018 in a move that acted as an end-around for Microsoft to directly connect with the developer community.