Docker Demystified: A Beginner's Guide to Docker

Docker Demystified: A Beginner's Guide to Docker

What exactly is docker?

Docker is an open-source platform that enables developers to automate the deployment and management of applications inside lightweight, portable containers. It provides a way to package an application and its dependencies into a standardized unit called a container, which includes the application code, runtime, system tools, libraries, and settings.

Containers are isolated and self-contained environments that can run on any operating system without requiring changes. They provide consistency and reproducibility, allowing developers to build an application once and run it anywhere, whether it is on their local machine, a testing environment, or a production server.

Docker utilizes containerization technology, which leverages features of the underlying operating system, such as kernel namespaces and control groups, to create isolated environments for running applications. This approach offers advantages like efficient resource utilization, improved scalability, and faster deployment.

Docker also provides a range of tools and features to simplify the container management process. It offers a command-line interface (CLI) and a graphical user interface (GUI) for managing containers, images, and networks. Additionally, Docker provides a platform called Docker Hub, which serves as a registry for sharing and discovering container images created by the community.

Overall, Docker has revolutionized the software development and deployment processes by enabling developers to build, package, and distribute applications in a consistent and efficient manner, while ensuring compatibility across different environments.

Installation

curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com/ | sh

sudo usermod -aG docker [your_username]

whoami

Using Docker - Cheat sheet

Pull an image

Docker images are the building blocks of containers. To pull an image from Docker Hub, use the following command:

docker pull [image_name]

For example, to pull the official Ubuntu image, you can use:

docker pull ubuntu

Run a Container

Containers are isolated instances of Docker images. To run a container from an image, use the following command:

docker run [image_name]

For example, to run a container from the Ubuntu image, you can use:

docker run ubuntu

You don't need to pull images before you want to run them - docker will do that for you.

List Containers

To see the list of running containers, use the following command:

docker ps

Stop a Container

To stop a running container, use the following command:

docker stop [container_id]

Replace [container_id] with the actual ID of the container you want to stop.

Remove a Container

To remove a container, use the following command:

docker rm container_id

Replace [container_id] with the actual ID of the container you want to remove.

List Images

To see the list of Docker images on your system, use the following command:

docker images

Remove an Image

To remove an image, use the following command:

docker rmi [image_name]

Replace [image_name] with the actual name or ID of the image you want to remove.

Conclusion

These are just a few basic Docker commands to get you started. Docker has many more features and commands to explore, such as creating custom images, networking containers, and managing volumes.

I hope this guide helps you get started with Docker on Linux, macOS and Windows!