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Docker Tutorial

LAST UPDATED: MAY 29, 2021

Docker is an open-source platform using which a developer can build, package, and distribute any application as a lightweight container. A container is nothing but an isolated self-sufficient environment.

With docker, developing an application locally has become easier. If you have to work with multiple different frameworks or versions of any programming language, you can create separate containers, build your apps, test everything inside different containers, and then destroy them.

Another use of docker is in the distribution of applications. When you develop an application you set everything that is required by the application in your local environment, but what if some dependencies are missing in the production environment? This situation is handled by docker, as you can dockerize an application along with its runtime environment and dependencies by creating a docker image, and then that docker image can be used to start a container and run the application inside it.

Docker has made software deployment super easy, and with Docker, you can move applications between development, testing, and production environments without losing your sleep.

Tutorials List

Why do we need Docker?

Docker has simplified the lives of developers in two ways:

  1. Local development with multiple frameworks, programming languages, operating systems, services, etc. is so much easier now with Docker. With Docker, you can easily create and start a container with whatever operating system, programming language, or service and verify your application locally.

  2. Once your application is ready to be deployed. You can use docker to create a docker image. A docker image has all the information related to setting up the environment required for running the application starting from the operating system requirements.

This way the applications run reliably across different environments. So no more excuses, "It's working on my local machine". ????

Uses of Docker

  1. Isolation of application: Using Docker you can run your application in isolated environments (containers) with all the dependencies.

  2. Scalability and Load Balancing: The containers used in Docker are lightweight therefore it becomes easier to implement horizontal scaling, to handle traffic surges.

  3. CI/CD: Or Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment. Docker can be used to automate the build, test, and deploy process.

  4. Microservices Architecture: If you want to create and deploy microservices, then Docker should be your first choice.

Apps using Docker

Many applications use Docker for simplifying deploying them, for example:

  1. Databases such as MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and MySQL.

  2. Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress and Drupal.

  3. Big data frameworks like Apache Spark and Hadoop.

  4. E-commerce platforms like Shopify and Magento.

  5. DevOps tools such as Jenkins, GitLab, and Ansible.

Companies using Docker

Almost every product company in the world uses Docker these days. Here are a few examples,

  1. Spotify: Uses Docker to improve scalability and deployment efficiency.

  2. PayPal: Used in the web application of Paypal.

  3. Microsoft: Used across different products.

  4. Uber: Docker is used to deploy microservices-based apps on a scale.

  5. Airbnb: Uses Docker to deploy their web application.

  6. Studytonight: We use Docker containers to run our development environments.

Job Opportunities in Docker

The docker market is hot right now. And so is the demand for Docker experts. Here are some job profiles that you can explore if you know Docker.

  1. Docker Administrators: Manages the Docker infrastructure, basic config, performance tuning, etc.

  2. DevOps Engineers: Utilize docker in the setup of complete CI/CD for software development.

  3. Cloud Engineers: Leverage Docker to deploy and manage applications in cloud environments, ensuring scalability and reliability.

  4. Containerization Architects: Plans docker containerization, and orchestration along with how an application can be dockerized.

  5. Kubernetes Operators: Docker is often used in Kubernetes clusters, so if you are good with Kubernetes then you can explore this.