A warm welcome to the Docker Essentials for Cloud and DevOps Professionals course by Uplatz.

Docker is an open-source platform that enables developers to build, ship, and run applications inside lightweight, portable containers. Containers package an application and its dependencies together, ensuring consistency across development, testing, and production environments. Docker eliminates the “it works on my machine” problem by providing a consistent runtime environment.

Docker is widely used for microservices architectures, DevOps workflows, and simplifying deployment processes across environments.

How Docker Works

1. Containerization
   Docker uses containerization technology to isolate applications from the underlying system. Containers share the host operating system kernel, making them more lightweight and efficient than traditional virtual machines.
2. Docker Architecture
   • Docker Engine: The core runtime responsible for creating and managing containers.
   • Docker Client: A command-line interface (CLI) that interacts with the Docker Engine.
   • Docker Images: Pre-configured application blueprints used to create containers.
   • Docker Hub: A cloud-based registry for storing and sharing Docker images.
3. Workflow
   • Developers write a Dockerfile containing instructions to build an image.
   • The image is created using the docker build command.
   • The image is then used to launch containers using the docker run command.
4. Orchestration
   Tools like Docker Compose and Docker Swarm allow users to manage multi-container applications and scale them efficiently.

Core Features of Docker

1. Containerization: Run applications in isolated environments to ensure consistency across platforms.
2. Portability: Docker containers can run on any system that supports Docker, whether on-premises or in the cloud.
3. Lightweight: Containers share the host OS kernel, using fewer resources compared to virtual machines.
4. Scalability: Easily scale applications horizontally by creating multiple container instances.
5. Docker Hub: Provides a central repository for discovering, pulling, and sharing container images.
6. Versioning: Allows version control for images, enabling rollbacks to previous builds.
7. Security: Provides container isolation to minimize application vulnerabilities.
8. Efficiency: Enables faster application development and deployment through CI/CD pipelines.
9. Automation: Supports tools like Docker Compose for defining and managing multi-container applications.
10. Orchestration Support: Includes built-in orchestration with Docker Swarm and compatibility with Kubernetes.

Docker Essentials for Cloud and DevOps Professionals – Course Curriculum

1. Introduction

• Microsystem & Containerization
• Challenges with Deployments
• What is Virtualization
• Problems with Virtualization
• Containerization Introduction
• What is Docker
• Docker Features
• Applying the Solution with Docker

2. Docker Installation

• Install Docker
• Start Docker Service
• Stop Docker
• Uninstall Docker
• ECS Introduction

3. Docker Architecture

• Docker Client
• Docker Engine

4. Dockerfile

• Writing Dockerfile
• Creating Dockerfile
• Visual Source Code IDE
• Understanding the Instructions used in Dockerfile:
  • FROM
  • MAINTAINER
  • COPY
  • ADD
  • RUN
  • CMD
  • ENTRYPOINT
  • VOLUME

5. Docker Images

• Understanding the Base Image
• Image Layered Structure
• Internals of Docker Image
• Build Process of Docker Images
• Tagging the Images
• Image Generation with Docker Commit
• Run, Inspect, Remove, and Prune Images

6. Docker Hub

• Docker Hub Account Creation

7. Docker Commands

• docker version
• docker info
• docker help
• docker images
• docker pull
• docker rmi
• docker ps
• docker login
• docker push
• docker rm

8. Docker Containers

• Running Docker Containers from Images
• Listing Running Containers
• Container Lifecycle
• Start, Stop, and Restart Containers
• Removing the Containers
• Container with Dependencies (Multi Containers)
• Starting Containers in Shell
• Running Containers in Bash Mode Using IT Flag
• Container Isolation

9. Docker Volume

• Advantages
• Bind Mounts
• Volumes Over Bind Mounts
• Creating Volumes
• List All Volumes
• Run Container on Volumes
• Remove Volumes

10. Docker Compose

• Installation
• Docker Compose File
• Check the Validity of the File
• Run Docker Compose
• Stop Docker
• Scale the Containers

11. Docker Swarm

• Container Orchestration
• Features of Docker Swarm
• Docker Swarm Node Manager
• Create Worker Nodes
• Run Containers on Swarm
• Scaling the Services

Benefits of Learning Docker

1. Improved Development Efficiency
   • Speeds up development by creating consistent environments across systems.
   • Eliminates “works on my machine” issues through standardized containers.
2. Enhanced Deployment Processes
   • Simplifies the deployment of applications on various platforms.
   • Facilitates continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines.
3. Portability
   • Docker containers can run on any platform, including on-premises systems, public clouds, and private clouds.
4. Cost-Effectiveness
   • Reduces infrastructure costs by maximizing resource utilization compared to virtual machines.
5. Scalability
   • Makes scaling applications horizontally simple by using container orchestration tools like Docker Swarm or Kubernetes.
6. Skill Relevance
   • Knowledge of Docker is in high demand as organizations adopt containerization and cloud-native architectures.
7. Simplified Collaboration
   • Teams can collaborate more effectively by sharing pre-configured Docker images.
8. Foundation for Advanced Technologies
   • Provides a foundation for learning related technologies like Kubernetes, Helm, and microservices architecture.

Career Scope of Docker

Learning Docker not only boosts your employability but also keeps you at the forefront of technology trends in the modern software ecosystem.

1. High Demand in the Job Market
   • Companies across industries are adopting containerization to streamline development and operations.
   • Docker skills are essential for roles in DevOps, cloud computing, and modern software development.
2. Job Roles Requiring Docker Skills
   • DevOps Engineer
   • Cloud Engineer
   • Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)
   • Software Developer
   • Platform Engineer
   • Infrastructure Engineer
   • Build and Release Engineer
3. Opportunities in Microservices and Cloud
   • Docker is a cornerstone of microservices architecture and is widely used in cloud-native application development.
4. Integration with Other Technologies
   • Docker skills complement tools and platforms like Kubernetes, Jenkins, Terraform, and AWS/GCP/Azure services.
5. Freelance and Consulting Opportunities
   • Many organizations need consultants to set up Dockerized workflows or migrate legacy systems to containers.
6. Higher Salaries
   • Professionals with Docker expertise often command higher salaries due to the demand for containerization skills.
7. Career Growth
   • Mastery of Docker can lead to advanced career paths, including:
     • Cloud Architect
     • DevOps Manager
     • Solutions Architect
     • Technical Lead for Cloud-Native Applications