A data processing method and apparatus are disclosed. The data processing method includes: receiving, by a first edge computing node in an edge computing cluster, a container image update instruction; obtaining, by the first edge computing node, a to-be-updated container image; and sending, by the first edge computing node, the to-be-updated container image to another edge computing node in the edge computing cluster. The first edge computing node is an edge computing node in the edge computing cluster, the edge computing cluster includes at least two edge computing nodes, and the container image update instruction is used to instruct the at least two edge computing nodes in the edge computing cluster to update a container image. In this way, the time required for downloading the container image is reduced.