Docker Foundation: Concepts, Architecture, and Practical Applications

Course Description

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to Docker, building a strong foundation in containerization technology. You'll start with the fundamentals, understanding what containers are, why Docker is essential in modern DevOps, and how it ensures application portability. We'll explore the entire Docker ecosystem, from its architecture and underlying technologies to practical comparisons with virtual machines and bare-metal servers. The course is packed with hands-on labs that guide you through installing Docker on your local system and on a cloud server in AWS, ensuring you're ready to apply your knowledge in real-world scenarios.

Who is this course for

This course is designed for beginners with no prior Docker or containerization experience. It's the perfect starting point for:

• Software Developers: Who want to package and run their applications consistently across any environment.

• Aspiring DevOps Engineers: Who need to understand the foundational tool for modern CI/CD pipelines.

• QA Engineers & Testers: Who want to create clean, isolated environments for testing applications.

• IT Professionals & System Administrators: Who are looking to modernize their infrastructure and deployment workflows.

• Computer Science Students: Eager to learn the industry-standard tools for software development and deployment.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Explain Core Concepts: Clearly define containerization and articulate the importance and primary use cases for Docker.

• Compare Technologies: Differentiate between Docker containers, virtual machines, and bare-metal servers, explaining the pros and cons of each.

• Describe Docker's Architecture: Identify and describe the key components of the Docker engine, including the Docker daemon, client, and containerd.

• Install Docker: Successfully install the Docker engine on both a local desktop system and a cloud-based Amazon Linux 2 EC2 instance.

• Analyze Real-World Applications: Evaluate case studies to understand how Docker is used effectively in production enterprise environments.

Prerequisites

To get the most out of this course, you should have:

1. Basic Computer Literacy: A general understanding of what applications and operating systems are.

2. Command-Line Familiarity (Helpful): While not strictly required, some basic experience with using a command line or terminal will be beneficial for the hands-on labs.

3. No prior Docker or containerization knowledge is needed.

Course outline

Section 1: Introduction to Docker and Containerization

1. What are Containers and Docker?

2. Why Docker: Importance and Key Use Cases

3. Achieving Application Portability with Docker

4. Practical Use Cases of Docker in the Industry

Section 2: Docker Ecosystem and Comparisons

1. The History and Ecosystem of Docker

2. Docker's Role in the Enterprise

3. Compute Options: Bare Metal vs. Virtual Machines vs. Docker

4. Docker vs. Virtual Machines

5. Exploring Docker Alternatives

Section 3: Docker Architecture and Components

1. Components of Docker

2. Understanding the Docker Architecture

3. Docker's Underlying Technology

4. Comparing dockerd vs. containerd

Section 4: Hands-On Docker Installation

1. Hands-on Lab: Installing Docker on Your Local System (Windows/macOS/Linux)

2. Hands-on Lab: Installing Docker on an Amazon Linux 2 AWS EC2 Instance

3. Case Studies and Insights on Using Docker in Production

Testimonials