Docker Mastery: 30-Project Journey

Welcome to my Docker learning journey! This repository documents a comprehensive 30-project roadmap to master Docker, from the basics to advanced concepts. Each project builds upon the previous one, ensuring a thorough understanding of Docker's capabilities and best practices.

Project Outline

Project 1: Installing Docker

• Objective: Set up Docker on your local machine.
• Key Concepts: Installation, Docker Daemon, Docker CLI.
• Tasks:
  • Install Docker on your OS (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
  • Verify the installation with docker --version.
  • Explore basic commands like docker info and docker version.

Project 2: Your First Docker Container

• Objective: Run a simple Docker container.
• Key Concepts: Docker images, containers, basic commands.
• Tasks:
  • Pull an official image from Docker Hub (hello-world).
  • Run the container with docker run hello-world.
  • Explore docker ps and docker ps -a to see running and stopped containers.

Project 3: Managing Containers

• Objective: Learn to start, stop, and remove containers.
• Key Concepts: Container lifecycle management.
• Tasks:
  • Start a container in detached mode (-d).
  • Stop, start, and restart a container.
  • Remove a container and clean up unused resources (docker rm and docker system prune).

Project 4: Exploring Docker Logs

• Objective: Understand how to access and manage logs from Docker containers.
• Key Concepts: Docker logs, troubleshooting.
• Tasks:
  • Run a container with logging (docker run -d nginx).
  • Use docker logs to view container logs.
  • Tail logs in real-time and explore log drivers.

Project 5: Working with Docker Volumes

• Objective: Persist data using Docker volumes.
• Key Concepts: Volumes, data persistence.
• Tasks:
  • Create and manage Docker volumes (docker volume create).
  • Mount a volume to a container and explore data persistence.
  • Use docker inspect to examine volume details.

Project 6: Building Your Own Docker Image

• Objective: Create a custom Docker image from a Dockerfile.
• Key Concepts: Dockerfile, building images.
• Tasks:
  • Write a simple Dockerfile.
  • Build an image using docker build.
  • Run a container from your custom image.

Project 7: Entrypoint vs CMD

• Objective: Understand the difference between ENTRYPOINT and CMD in Docker.
• Key Concepts: ENTRYPOINT, CMD.
• Tasks:
  • Create a Dockerfile with both ENTRYPOINT and CMD.
  • Experiment with overriding CMD at runtime.
  • Explore scenarios where ENTRYPOINT is preferable.

Project 8: Docker Compose Basics

• Objective: Manage multi-container applications using Docker Compose.
• Key Concepts: Docker Compose, YAML.
• Tasks:
  • Install Docker Compose.
  • Write a basic docker-compose.yml file for a multi-container setup (e.g., web server and database).
  • Use docker-compose up and docker-compose down to manage the application.

Project 9: Networking in Docker

• Objective: Explore Docker networking features.
• Key Concepts: Docker networks, container communication.
• Tasks:
  • Create custom Docker networks.
  • Connect containers to the same network and enable communication.
  • Explore network drivers (bridge, host, overlay).

Project 10: Multi-Stage Builds

• Objective: Optimize Docker images using multi-stage builds.
• Key Concepts: Multi-stage Dockerfile, image optimization.
• Tasks:
  • Write a Dockerfile with multiple stages.
  • Build a lean, production-ready image.
  • Compare the size of images with and without multi-stage builds.

Project 11: Docker Environment Variables

• Objective: Pass environment variables to Docker containers.
• Key Concepts: Environment variables, secret management.
• Tasks:
  • Run containers with environment variables using -e.
  • Manage environment variables in docker-compose.yml.
  • Explore Docker secrets for sensitive data.

Project 12: Dockerizing a Web Application

• Objective: Dockerize a simple web application.
• Key Concepts: Web application, Dockerfile, Compose.
• Tasks:
  • Write a Dockerfile for a basic Node.js or Python web app.
  • Use Docker Compose to manage the app and a database.
  • Test the app locally and ensure it works as expected.

Project 13: Docker Logs Advanced

• Objective: Advanced log management in Docker.
• Key Concepts: Log rotation, external logging drivers.
• Tasks:
  • Set up log rotation for Docker containers.
  • Use an external logging driver (e.g., syslog, Fluentd).
  • Explore log aggregation with ELK stack.

Project 14: Dockerfile Best Practices

• Objective: Write efficient and secure Dockerfiles.
• Key Concepts: Best practices, image security.
• Tasks:
  • Refactor a Dockerfile following best practices (e.g., minimizing layers, avoiding root user).
  • Scan images for vulnerabilities using Docker tools.
  • Sign and verify Docker images.

Project 15: Docker Compose Advanced

• Objective: Advanced Docker Compose features.
• Key Concepts: Compose override files, health checks.
• Tasks:
  • Use Compose override files for different environments.
  • Implement health checks in Docker Compose.
  • Explore Docker Compose networking and service dependencies.

Project 16: Docker Swarm Basics

• Objective: Set up and manage a Docker Swarm cluster.
• Key Concepts: Docker Swarm, orchestration.
• Tasks:
  • Initialize a Docker Swarm cluster.
  • Deploy services to the Swarm.
  • Scale services and manage updates.

Project 17: Deploying a Swarm Stack

• Objective: Deploy a full application stack using Docker Swarm.
• Key Concepts: Stacks, service scaling, stack files.
• Tasks:
  • Write a stack file (docker-stack.yml).
  • Deploy the stack to a Swarm cluster.
  • Scale services and manage updates.

Project 18: Docker Secrets and Configs

• Objective: Manage sensitive data with Docker Secrets and Configs.
• Key Concepts: Secrets, Configs, Swarm.
• Tasks:
  • Create and manage secrets in Docker Swarm.
  • Use secrets and configs in services.
  • Securely deploy applications with sensitive data.

Project 19: Docker for CI/CD

• Objective: Integrate Docker with CI/CD pipelines.
• Key Concepts: Continuous Integration, Continuous Deployment, Docker.
• Tasks:
  • Set up a basic CI/CD pipeline with Docker (using Jenkins, GitLab CI, or GitHub Actions).
  • Build and push Docker images in the pipeline.
  • Deploy the images to a testing or production environment.

Project 20: Monitoring and Logging in Docker

• Objective: Set up monitoring and logging for Docker containers.
• Key Concepts: Monitoring, Prometheus, Grafana, ELK stack.
• Tasks:
  • Monitor Docker containers using Prometheus and Grafana.
  • Set up log aggregation with the ELK stack.
  • Create dashboards to visualize container metrics and logs.

Project 21: Docker Security

• Objective: Secure Docker containers and images.
• Key Concepts: Security best practices, image scanning.
• Tasks:
  • Implement security best practices in Dockerfiles and Compose files.
  • Scan Docker images for vulnerabilities.
  • Use Docker Bench for Security to audit your Docker setup.

Project 22: Docker Hub and Image Management

• Objective: Manage Docker images using Docker Hub.
• Key Concepts: Image repositories, tagging, versioning.
• Tasks:
  • Push and pull images from Docker Hub.
  • Manage image tags and versions.
  • Set up automated builds on Docker Hub.

Project 23: Building a Docker Registry

• Objective: Set up a private Docker registry.
• Key Concepts: Docker Registry, self-hosted registry.
• Tasks:
  • Deploy a private Docker registry.
  • Push and pull images from the private registry.
  • Secure the registry with SSL and authentication.

Project 24: Dockerizing a Microservices Application

• Objective: Dockerize and deploy a microservices-based application.
• Key Concepts: Microservices, Docker Compose, orchestration.
• Tasks:
  • Dockerize each microservice in a sample application.
  • Use Docker Compose to manage the microservices.
  • Deploy and test the microservices locally.

Project 25: Docker Networking Advanced

• Objective: Advanced Docker networking techniques.
• Key Concepts: Overlay networks, multi-host networking.
• Tasks:
  • Set up an overlay network for multi-host communication.
  • Deploy services across multiple Docker hosts.
  • Explore service discovery and DNS in Docker networks.

Project 26: Docker and Kubernetes Integration

• Objective: Integrate Docker with Kubernetes.
• Key Concepts: Kubernetes, Docker, orchestration.
• Tasks:
  • Deploy Docker containers to a Kubernetes cluster.
  • Write Kubernetes manifests for Docker deployments.
  • Manage Kubernetes Pods, Services, and Deployments.

Project 27: Kubernetes Deployments and Services

• Objective: Deploy applications and manage services in Kubernetes.
• Key Concepts: Kubernetes Deployments, Services, Scaling.
• Tasks:
  • Create and manage Kubernetes Deployments.
  • Expose your applications using Kubernetes Services.
  • Scale applications up and down, and perform rolling updates.

Project 28: Helm for Kubernetes

• Objective: Use Helm to manage Kubernetes applications.
• Key Concepts: Helm, Helm charts.
• Tasks:
  • Install and configure Helm.
  • Use Helm to deploy and manage applications in Kubernetes.
  • Create custom Helm charts and use Helm templates.

Project 29: CI/CD with Kubernetes and Docker

• Objective: Set up CI/CD pipelines for applications deployed on Kubernetes.
• Key Concepts: CI/CD, Kubernetes, Docker.
• Tasks:
  • Integrate Docker with Kubernetes CI/CD pipelines.
  • Automate the deployment of Docker containers to Kubernetes using Jenkins, GitLab CI, or GitHub Actions.
  • Implement automated testing and deployment strategies.

Project 30: Docker Best Practices and Optimization

• Objective: Optimize Docker usage and follow best practices.
• Key Concepts: Docker best practices, performance optimization.
• Tasks:
  • Review and optimize Dockerfile for performance and security.
  • Implement best practices for Docker image creation and management.
  • Analyze and optimize container performance.