What is the difference between Docker host and Docker container

You need* a Docker host in order to run Docker containers- except remember 'Docker' is just a marketing term for *containers* which run directly as part of the Linux kernel.

Docker provides various tools and pieces of software (such as Docker Desktop) to make it easier to run Linux containers

• Docker containers are packages of software
• A Docker 'host' refers to a server which is able to run containers
• Don't get too hung up of the word "Docker", there are many other ways to run containers, like Podman etc (Julia Evans has produces a beautiful cartoon explaining how containers work. See especially her Cgroups cartoon

Docker host vs Docker container summary

A docker host is a server which can run docker containers- but the word "Docker" is redundant- that's just good branding on Dockers part, all containers are actually Linux cgroups/namespaced.

That is, untill you look into the history and find Solaris Containers from ~2004 and FreeBSD Jails in 1999.

See also "What is container hosting?"

Want more Podman? Don't know if you do? Daniel Walsh has recently published Podman in Action which is about Secure, rootless containers for Kubernetes, microservices and more!.