Cross-Operating-System Container Management Through Unified CLI
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container management techniques do not provide solutions for accessing source code within containers across multiple operating systems, necessitating manual switching between terminals to manage different operating systems.
Innovation Solution
A mechanism for managing containers across multiple operating systems, enabling seamless switching between containers corresponding to different operating systems using a command line interface (CLI), which includes creating and configuring containers with attachments of working directories, shell histories, and user identifiers, and providing a CLI for unified management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual switching between terminals is used to manage different operating systems, then access to source code in containers is achieved, but operation complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple terminal sessions into a single unified terminal interface. The container management component integrates the functionality of multiple separate terminals into one, allowing users to switch between different operating system containers without opening new terminal windows. This consolidation directly addresses the technical contradiction by reducing operation complexity while maintaining access to all container sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a container management component as an intermediary between the user and multiple container terminals. This intermediary component provides a unified interface that mediates access to different operating system containers, enabling seamless switching without requiring manual terminal management. The intermediary abstracts the complexity of multiple terminals into a single manageable interface.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate terminals are used to manage different operating systems, then access to source code is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal container management component that performs multiple functions through a single interface. This multi-functional component can manage different types of containers across various operating systems (Linux, Windows, macOS) without requiring separate specialized tools for each platform. The universal interface adapts to different container types, maintaining versatility while reducing overall system complexity.
3Productivity
If manual container switching is required, then container management is achieved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring the container management component with the ability to instantly switch between containers. The system prepares container context information (environment variables, working directories, process states) in advance, enabling rapid transition between containers without manual reconfiguration. This preliminary preparation eliminates time-consuming setup procedures and directly improves productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure provide for mechanisms for managing containers across operating systems in a computer system. A method of the disclosure includes: causing a first container management agent in a first container to run a user interface in the first container, receiving a user request to create a copy of the first container, creating a second container in view of the first container, receiving, from the user interface running in the first container, a first command to switch from the first container to the second container, and responsive to receiving the first command to switch from the first container to the second container: configuring the second container in view of one or more configurations of the first container, causing a second container management agent in the second container to run the user interface in the second container, and causing execution of the first container to stop.