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Windows Server 2016
Introduced Windows Containers and Nano Server — currently in its extended-support-only phase, with full end of support (including the eventual ESU cutoff) landing January 2027.
Platform
Windows
Released
October 2016
Support ends
January 12, 2027 (mainstream support already ended January 11, 2022; Extended Security Updates available for up to 3 years past 2027)
System requirements
1.4 GHz 64-bit CPU, 512MB RAM (2GB for Server with Desktop Experience), 32GB storage minimum.
Windows Server 2016 was the release that brought native container support to Windows Server for the first time, alongside Nano Server (a minimal, headless installation option) and Storage Spaces Direct. Its mainstream support (feature updates plus security fixes) already ended back in January 2022; it's currently in the security-updates-only extended support phase, which itself runs out January 12, 2027, after which a paid Extended Security Updates program can continue coverage for up to three more years.
Release dates, support windows, and system requirements come from Microsoft's and Apple's own published lifecycle pages (linked above) — always confirm there before relying on this for a production/enterprise deployment decision, since support policies occasionally change.