A new debate in how to build and ship applications.

A cargo ship is seen crossing through the New Suez Canal, Ismailia, Egypt, July 25, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer

In 2014, a startup called Docker rewrote the rules of the app development game when it spearheaded the push for "containers," a trendy and more efficient way to build software. It's a market that's still on the upswing, with Google's homebuilt Kubernetes emerging as one of the leading ways to manage the technology.

Around the same time, Amazon introduced Lambda, a "serverless" tool that helps developers execute code in the cloud exactly when they need it, no more, no less. It's a little wonky to the nontechnical person, but developers love it, and other cloud platforms are starting to embrace the notion in their own products.

Now, as both ways of building apps are building in popularity, we're hearing increased rumblings from Silicon Valley as debates brew on which is the superior architectural choice for building software. With Docker currently valued at over $1 billion, and lots of other container startups springing up around it, one side gaining significant ground could have ramifications across the market.