How Does Docker Registry Differ from Docker Repository?
Docker images are the essential components of Docker. They are portable, reusable, and easy to update. Developers create several Docker images while working on Docker. However, they may have to store their Docker images and share them with team members. Docker Registry provides a centralized location for storing and sharing Docker images. Users can share and use Docker images across teams and projects.
This study will illustrate:
- What is Docker Registry?
- What is Docker Repository?
- How Does Docker Registry Differ from Docker Repository?
What is Docker Registry?
The Docker registry is a particular service that saves and shares Docker images. The Docker image is a file that has all the information required to execute a container. The Docker registry can be public or private, depending on who can access and download the images.
The popular Docker registries are Docker Hub, Amazon ECR, JFrog Bintray, Codefresh registry, and Google Container registry.

Docker Registries
What is Docker Repository?
The Docker registry is a centralized location where Docker images are stored, and it refers to the collection of these images. Each repository can have multiple versions of a specific image and each version can contain numerous tags. The tags point to versions of an image.
The Docker repositories can be seen in the below image:

Docker Repositories
How Does Docker Registry Differ from Docker Repository?
Look at the below table to see how the Docker registry differs from the Docker repository:
Parameters | Docker Registry | Docker Repository |
---|---|---|
Purpose | It is a central storage location for storing Docker images | It is a collection of related Docker images |
Function | It acts as a distribution center for Docker images | It stores Docker images for a specific project or team |
Hosting | It can be hosted by Docker or by a third party | It is hosted by users or organization |
Storage | It can store and manage Docker images across multiple hosts | It stores Docker images on a single host |
Examples | Docker Hub, Google Container Registry, Amazon ECR | A repository for a web server, a database, or an application |
We have efficiently explained the difference between the Docker registry and the Docker repository.
Conclusion
Docker Registry is the forum for saving and sharing Docker images. It can be hosted by Docker or by a third party. On the other hand, Docker Repository is the collection of Docker images within a registry that is used to control and organize Docker images. It is hosted by users or organization. This blog has illustrated how the Docker registry differs from the Docker repository.
Source: linuxhint.com