The article provides an introduction to Docker, a popular toolset for building, managing, and deploying containers, and explains the process of containerizing a Java application. It outlines the steps required to install Docker, choose a suitable base image, and incorporate frameworks like Spark for running Java applications within containers. Emphasizing efficiency, the article recommends using Alpine Linux for its minimal size, while discussing compatibility issues with its musl libc. It also covers essential practices for logging and configuration management within containers, highlighting the use of standard output for logs and the significance of Docker volumes and environment variables for managing application configurations. Additionally, it touches on service discovery and the use of configuration key/value stores for more complex setups, while cautioning against exposing secrets through unencrypted environment variables.