Docker and containers allow for developing, shipping, and running applications using lightweight executable packages of code, dependencies, and settings. Containers provide benefits like everything in a single package, repeatability, being lightweight, and portability. Docker can be installed on Linux systems like RHEL/CentOS using yum install and the docker service can be started and enabled using systemctl commands. Common docker commands allow searching for images, running containers, getting help, and checking image/container history and details.