The process of encasing a Docker image, often referred to as Moby, involves bundling it into a deployable and distributable format. This often entails creating a package, archive, or registry entry that allows the image to be easily transported and deployed across different environments. An example includes building a `.tar` archive containing all the layers of the image, which can then be loaded onto another Docker host.
This practice is crucial for portability and version control. It enables developers to reliably move applications between development, testing, and production environments, ensuring consistency. Historically, this capability has been fundamental to the widespread adoption of containerization, offering a standardized method for application deployment and management, mitigating dependency conflicts and simplifying infrastructure orchestration.