What is the purpose of the docker plugin system and how does it extend Docker functionality?

Question

Docker Fundamentals — Hard

What is the purpose of the docker plugin system and how does it extend Docker functionality?

Accepted Answer

The purpose of the Docker plugin system is to extend Docker's capabilities by adding new volume drivers, network drivers, log drivers, and authorization plugins. These plugins run as privileged containers managed by Docker, communicating via a Unix socket API, enabling third-party storage systems, custom networking, centralized logging, and access control.