* [Topics](/en/topics "Topics") * [Containers](/en/topics/containers "Containers") * What is a container registry? What is a container registry? ============================= Published July 27, 2022•*4*-minute read Copy URL Jump to section --------------- OverviewContainer images and registriesA foundation for cloud-native applicationsPublic vs. private registriesWhat to look for in a private container registryA Red Hat container registry Overview -------- A container registry is a repository—or collection of repositories—used to store and access container images. Container registries can support container-based application development, often as part of [DevOps](/en/topics/devops) processes. Container registries can connect directly to container orchestration platforms like [Docker](/en/topics/containers) and [Kubernetes](/en/topics/containers/what-is-kubernetes). Container registries save developers valuable time in the creation and delivery of cloud-native applications, acting as the intermediary for sharing container images between systems. Container images and registries ------------------------------- A [container](/en/topics/containers) image includes the files and components that make up an application. In contrast to [virtual machines (VMs)](/en/topics/virtualization/what-is-a-virtual-machine), containers are lightweight packages of software that run on top of the Linux® operating system (OS). Container images can be multiplied to scale as workloads change. They are commonly associated with agile development, DevOps methodology, and [continuous integration and continuous delivery](/en/topics/devops/what-is-ci-cd) (CI/CD). Container images include system libraries, system tools, and other platform settings that your apps need to run—giving developers the benefits of portability and agility to quickly expand on or create new apps. An open source tool like [Buildah](/en/topics/containers/what-is-buildah) lets you create OCI- and Docker-compatible images—with or without Dockerfiles or an existing container image starting point—taking a lot of guesswork out of the process. When developing container images, you need somewhere to save, share, and access them as they are created, and that’s where a container registry comes in.  A container registry essentially acts as a place for developers to store container images and share them out via a process of uploading (pushing) to the registry and downloading (pulling) into another system, like a[Kubernetes cluster](/en/topics/containers/what-is-a-kubernetes-cluster). Once you pull the image, the application within it can be run on that system. In addition to container images, registries also store [application programming interface (API)](/en/topics/api) paths and access control parameters for container-to-container communication. APIs help  eliminate unintended coupling that restricts change and is a common source of outages, especially in hybrid cloud environments where applications no longer reside in the same data center. Container images can also communicate over a [service mesh](/en/topics/microservices/what-is-a-service-mesh), an infrastructure layer between containerized services that helps with scaling. For cloud-native apps built in a [microservices architecture](/en/topics/microservices), a service mesh is a way to comprise a large number of discrete services into a functional application. Red Hat resources ----------------- [Read the report](/en/resources "Read the report") A foundation for cloud-native applications ------------------------------------------ The [Cloud Native Computing Foundation](https://www.cncf.io/) says containers (including container images and registries) and [microservices](/en/topics/microservices/what-are-microservices) are the foundation for cloud-native app development. Containers and microservices are fully self-contained, making them a powerful tool for creating portable, cloud-native applications. Containers isolate the application processes, runtime files, and OS dependencies from the rest of the system. They promise greater portability across hybrid cloud environments and can be deployed for much shorter periods of time than virtual machines (VMs). This makes it easier for developers to push to and pull what they need from a container registry, allowing them to focus on building a great product, without the distraction of underlying infrastructure or execution details. In a DevOps environment, the use of containers—and container images/registries—allow developers to deploy each application service independently, eliminating the need to merge code changes, improving testing, and helping with fault isolation in both testing and production. Public vs. private registries ----------------------------- There are 2 types of container registries: public and private.  Public registries are commonly used by individuals or small teams that want to get up and running with their registry as quickly as possible. However, as their organizations grow, this can bring more complex security issues like patching, privacy, and access control that can arise. Private registries provide a way to incorporate security and privacy into enterprise container image storage, either hosted remotely or on-premises. These private registries often come with advanced security features and technical support.  Most cloud providers offer private image registry services:[Google](/en/partners/google) offers the Google Container Registry, [AWS](/en/partners/aws) provides Amazon Elastic Container Registry (ECR), and Microsoft has the Azure Container Registry. What to look for in a private container registry ------------------------------------------------ Using a private, internal registry affords the greatest potential for security and configuration, but it requires careful managing and ensuring the registry’s infrastructure and access controls stay within your organization.  Some important things to to consider when choosing a private container registry service for your enterprise include: * Support for multiple authentication systems * Role-based access control management (RBAC) for local images * Vulnerability scanning capabilities for enhanced security and configuration * Ability to record use in auditable logs so that activity can be traced to a single user * Optimized for [automation](/en/topics/automation) A private registry’s enterprise-ready features allow organizations to internally access container images in a secure and efficient manner. Multiple authentication systems put measures in place to verify the container image stored in it.  For example, the image must be digitally signed by the person uploading it before it can be pushed to the registry, as well as to enable activity tracking and prevent unauthorized user uploads. RBAC manages which user actions are allowed based on the individual’s role. A developer would need access to upload to and download from the registry, while a team member or tester would only need access to download. For organizations with a user management system like Active Directory (AD) or [lightweight directory access protocol](/en/topics/security/what-is-ldap-authentication) (LDAP), that system can be linked to the container registry directly and used for RBAC. A Red Hat container registry ---------------------------- A company can choose to create and deploy their own container registry, or they can choose a commercially-supported private registry service.  [Red Hat® OpenShift®](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift) is an enterprise-ready Kubernetes container platform that offers consistency across any cloud infrastructure—managing hybrid cloud, multicloud, and edge deployments. Through Red Hat OpenShift, an environment for a new microservice or application can be provisioned in minutes. In addition to other cloud services like middleware, languages, frameworks, and databases, it already includes a private registry that provides basic functionality to manage your container images. Private registries can be deployed as part of a Red Hat OpenShift-managed service on a cloud provider from Red Hat’s rich partner ecosystem, offering a seamless experience on [Azure](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/azure), [Amazon Web Services (AWS)](/en/partners/aws), [IBM Cloud](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/ibm), or [Google Cloud](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/dedicated). Red Hat OpenShift supports integration with other private registries you may already be using, such as JFrog’s Artifactory and Sonatype Nexus. Red Hat also offers self-managed services that build on its hybrid cloud foundation with enhanced security features and additional software elements you might use in your data center. If you need more advanced security and technical support functionalities,[Red Hat Quay](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/quay) is available as a standalone, scalable enterprise registry option. [Learn more about the benefits of Red Hat Quay](/en/resources/quay-datasheet "resources | Red Hat Quay datasheet: Private container registry | HTML") Red Hat named a Leader in 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Container Management -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Read the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Container Management to learn why Red Hat OpenShift has been named a “Leader” for the 3rd year in a row. [Keep reading](/en/engage/gartner-magic-quadrant-container-management-analyst-report "Red Hat named a Leader in 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Container Management") All Red Hat product trials -------------------------- Our no-cost product trials help you gain hands-on experience, prepare for a certification, or assess if a product is right for your organization. [Keep reading](/en/products/trials "All Red Hat product trials") Keep reading ------------ ### What is a Linux container? Find out more about Linux containers, which are a set of 1 or more processes that are isolated from the rest of the system. [Read the article](/en/topics/containers/whats-a-linux-container "article | what is a linux container?") ### What is container orchestration? Container orchestration automates the deployment, management, scaling, and networking of containers. [Read the article](/en/topics/containers/what-is-container-orchestration "article | what is container orchestration?") ### What is Kubernetes? Kubernetes is a container orchestration platform that eliminates many manual processes involved in deploying and scaling containerized applications. [Read the article](/en/topics/containers/what-is-kubernetes "article | what is kubernetes?") Containers resources -------------------- ### Related content * Blog post [Red Hat Named a Leader in 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Container Management for the Third Consecutive Year](/en/blog/red-hat-named-leader-2025-container-management) * Blog post [Zero trust starts here: Validated patterns for confidential container deployment](/en/blog/validated-patterns-confidential-container-deployment) * Blog post [Deploy sensitive workloads with OpenShift confidential containers](/en/blog/deploy-sensitive-workloads-with-openshift-confidential-containers) * Blog post [Confidential containers on Microsoft Azure with Red Hat OpenShift Sandboxed Containers 1.10 and Red Hat Build of Trustee](/en/blog/confidential-containers-microsoft-azure-red-hat-openshift-sandboxed-containers-110-and-red-hat-build-trustee) ### Related articles * [What is a Linux container?](/en/topics/containers/whats-a-linux-container) * [What is container 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