Docker Course · 02

Docker Essentials

Run a Docker Engine in your browser. Start and debug containers, publish ports, build images from a Dockerfile, keep data in volumes, connect containers on networks and run a whole stack with Compose. Every lesson has a quiz and a hands-on lab. Nothing to install.

Start Chapter 1 free See pricing
9
chapters
128
lessons & labs
$19.99/mo
with Pro, Chapter 1 free
Linux basics
no Docker experience needed

Who it's for

Engineers who need containers to stop being a black box.

  • Sysadmins moving into DevOps who need containers to stop being a black box
  • Backend developers moving toward SRE and platform roles
  • Anyone who has copied a docker run command without knowing what each flag does

What you'll be able to do

Run, build and fix containers with confidence.

  • Run, inspect, debug and remove containers, and read their logs and exit codes
  • Publish ports and configure containers with environment variables and commands
  • Write a Dockerfile, build and tag images, and use the build cache well
  • Keep data in volumes and bind mounts, and connect containers on networks
  • Run a multi-service app with Docker Compose and push images to a registry

The path

9 chapters, from your first container to a stack you can fix.

Each lesson is short and ends in a quiz, then a lab on a simulated Docker host in your browser. Chapter 1 is free. Finish a chapter to open the next.

  1. 01Free

    Understand Containers

    Images, containers, registries and your first docker run

    • images
    • containers
    • registries

    6 lessons · 6 labs

  2. 02

    Manage Containers

    Start, stop, inspect and remove containers

    • docker ps
    • -d
    • stop / start

    8 lessons · 8 labs

  3. 03

    Configure a Container

    Ports, environment, commands and inspection

    • -p
    • -e
    • --env-file

    7 lessons · 7 labs

  4. 04

    Build Your Own Images

    Write a Dockerfile and build an image

    • Dockerfile
    • FROM
    • COPY

    10 lessons · 10 labs

  5. 05

    Keep Data Between Containers

    Volumes, bind mounts and the writable layer

    • writable layer
    • volumes
    • --mount

    7 lessons · 7 labs

  6. 06

    Connect Containers

    Networks, DNS and localhost

    • bridge
    • user-defined networks
    • DNS

    6 lessons · 6 labs

  7. 07

    Run an Application with Compose

    Define a stack in compose.yaml and run it

    • YAML
    • compose.yaml
    • services

    9 lessons · 9 labs

  8. 08

    Share Images and Clean Up

    Tags, digests, registries and pruning

    • tags
    • digests
    • docker push

    6 lessons · 6 labs

  9. 09

    Final Challenge: Recover a Broken Stack

    Fix an unfamiliar stack end to end

    • logs
    • Dockerfile
    • ports

    5 lessons · 5 labs

Start Chapter 1 free Next: Kubernetes Foundations