Docker Inc. today introduced two new offerings, Docker Build and Docker Debug, that promise to help software teams develop container applications faster.

The offerings are currently in public beta. They made their debut at the company’s annual DockerCon conference alongside a new version of its existing Docker Scout cybersecurity tool. Originally introduced in February, the tool helps software teams scan their container applications for vulnerabilities.

Palo Alto, California-based Docker provides a suite of popular tools for developing container applications. Its tools enable engineers to create and test containers on their local machines, as well as share code with colleagues. Docker’s products also promise to simplify more specialized tasks such as building applications composed of multiple containers.

The company disclosed on occasion of today’s product updates that its tools are used by 20 million developers worldwide. The paid versions of its tools, meanwhile, have an installed base of more than 79,000 companies. Those customers include 78 of the enterprises on the Fortune 100 list.

“The cloud offers many potential benefits for development teams, but most ‘inner-loop’ solutions require a complete change in tools and workflows — and very few developers want to ship their entire laptop to the cloud,” said Docker Chief Executive Officer Scott Johnston. “The new products we announced today meet development teams where they are with ‘just enough cloud,’ seamlessly blurring the boundaries between local and remote development.”

The company’s first new offering is called Docker Build. It aims to simplify the so-called build process, or the task of turning raw code files into a container image. A container image is a software package that contains application code, settings and all the other components necessary for a program to run.

Building an image can take up to an hour in some cases, which slows down developers’ work. Docker says Docker Build can speed up the task by a factor of up to 39. It does so by performing many of the computations involved in the process on speedy cloud-based servers, which can process code files faster than a developer’s local machine.

Docker Build also caches some of the software assets that are created during a build workflow. The next time those assets are needed, the tool doesn’t create them from scratch but rather reuses the existing cached copies. Docker says this arrangement delivers further time savings for developers.

Docker Build is rolling out alongside another new offering called Docker Debug. It aims to ease the task of finding and fixing code issues in container applications.

Often, applications written in different languages have to be troubleshooted using different debugging tools. Developers must likewise use separate tools for containers running in production and containers installed on their local machines. According to Docker, Docker Debug provides all the debugging tools developers require in a single integrated package to reduce complexity.

At DockerCon today, the company also launched its Docker Scout cybersecurity tool into general availability. The new release includes enhancements designed to speed up the process of fixing application vulnerabilities.

A typical container application comprises multiple containers, third-party software libraries and various other building blocks. Docker Scout can analyze an application and automatically create a detailed list of its components. It then scans those components for known cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

Docker says that the new release of the tool can not only highlight whether an application contains vulnerabilities, but also generate remediation suggestions. Furthermore, Docker Scout explains each remediation option’s impact to help developers choose the best course of action.

Companies can optionally extend Docker Scout’s feature set by integrating it with third-party tools. The newest such integration, from cybersecurity provider Sysdig Inc., debuted today. It allows customers to use Sysdig’s namesake software platform to scan their container applications for security issues.

In many cases, only some of the vulnerabilities that affect an application pose a cybersecurity risk. That’s because a portion of the vulnerabilities are usually found in code components that are difficult or impossible for hackers to target. According to Sysdig, its platform allows Docker Scout users to quickly identify which security issues pose an active risk and prioritize their remediation efforts accordingly. 

Image: Docker