Abstract: An online system generates a set of container images that are each stand-alone executable software packages for a corresponding subset of applications of the online system. Responsive to a client request, the software in a container image can be deployed in a container instance to generate rendering information for the subset of applications associated with the container image. The rendering information includes information on the code that can be parsed by the client device to generate a set of display elements of the application. The online system receives a client request to display elements of an application of the online system. The online system routes the request to a container deployment system that contains the set of container images. The container deployment system provides the rendering information to the online system, and the online system forwards the rendering information to the client device.