Introduction

Docker is a platform for developing, shipping, and running applications inside containers. It provides a lightweight, portable, and consistent environment for software development and deployment. This guide covers essential Docker commands from beginner to advanced levels, helping DevOps engineers effectively manage their containerized applications.

🎯 Key Concepts

Before diving into the commands, let's review some fundamental Docker concepts:

Image: A lightweight, standalone, and executable package that includes everything needed to run a piece of software.
Container: A runtime instance of a Docker image.
Dockerfile: A script containing a series of instructions on how to build a Docker image.
Docker Compose: A tool for defining and running multi-container Docker applications.

🏁 Beginner Commands

1. Installation

Check Docker Version

docker --version

Displays the installed version of Docker.

2. Docker Images

List Docker Images

docker images

Lists all Docker images on the local machine.

Pull Docker Image

docker pull <image_name>

Pulls a Docker image from a registry (e.g., Docker Hub).

Remove Docker Image

docker rmi <image_name>

Removes a Docker image from the local machine.

3. Docker Containers

List Running Containers

docker ps

Lists all running Docker containers.

List All Containers

docker ps -a

Lists all Docker containers, including stopped ones.

Run a Container

docker run -d --name <container_name> <image_name>

Runs a container from a Docker image in detached mode.

Stop a Container

docker stop <container_name>

Stops a running Docker container.

Start a Container

docker start <container_name>

Starts a stopped Docker container.

Remove a Container

docker rm <container_name>

Removes a Docker container.

View Container Logs

docker logs <container_name>

Displays the logs of a Docker container.

4. Docker Networks

List Docker Networks

docker network ls

Lists all Docker networks.

Create Docker Network

docker network create <network_name>

Creates a new Docker network.

Connect Container to Network

docker network connect <network_name> <container_name>

Connects a container to a Docker network.

Disconnect Container from Network

docker network disconnect <network_name> <container_name>

Disconnects a container from a Docker network.

🚀 Intermediate Commands

1. Docker Volumes

List Docker Volumes

docker volume ls

Lists all Docker volumes.

Create Docker Volume

docker volume create <volume_name>

Creates a new Docker volume.

Remove Docker Volume

docker volume rm <volume_name>

Removes a Docker volume.

Mount Volume to Container

docker run -d --name <container_name> -v <volume_name>:/path/in/container <image_name>

Mounts a Docker volume to a container.

2. Docker Compose

Install Docker Compose

sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/<version>/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

Installs Docker Compose.

Check Docker Compose Version

docker-compose --version

Displays the installed version of Docker Compose.

Docker Compose File Example

version: '3'
services:
  web:
    image: nginx
    ports:
      - "80:80"
  db:
    image: mysql
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: example

Defines a multi-container application using Docker Compose.

Run Docker Compose

docker-compose up -d

Runs the Docker Compose application in detached mode.

Stop Docker Compose

docker-compose down

Stops and removes the Docker Compose application.

3. Dockerfile

Dockerfile Example

# Use an official Python runtime as a parent image
FROM python:3.8-slim

# Set the working directory in the container
WORKDIR /app

# Copy the current directory contents into the container at /app
COPY . /app

# Install any needed packages specified in requirements.txt
RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt

# Make port 80 available to the world outside this container
EXPOSE 80

# Define environment variable
ENV NAME World

# Run app.py when the container launches
CMD ["python", "app.py"]

Defines a Dockerfile for a Python application.

Build Docker Image

docker build -t <image_name> .

Builds a Docker image from a Dockerfile.

4. Docker Swarm

Initialize Docker Swarm

docker swarm init

Initializes a Docker Swarm.

List Swarm Nodes

docker node ls

Lists all nodes in the Docker Swarm.

Deploy Stack in Swarm

docker stack deploy -c <compose-file> <stack_name>

Deploys a stack in the Docker Swarm.

Remove Stack from Swarm

docker stack rm <stack_name>

Removes a stack from the Docker Swarm.

5. Docker Secrets

Create Docker Secret

echo "my_secret_value" | docker secret create <secret_name> -

Creates a new Docker secret.

List Docker Secrets

docker secret ls

Lists all Docker secrets.

Remove Docker Secret

docker secret rm <secret_name>

Removes a Docker secret.

🧠 Advanced Commands

1. Docker Inspect

Inspect Docker Container

docker inspect <container_name>

Displays detailed information about a Docker container.

Inspect Docker Image

docker inspect <image_name>

Displays detailed information about a Docker image.

2. Docker Stats

View Container Statistics

docker stats <container_name>

Displays real-time statistics for Docker containers.

3. Docker Events

View Docker Events

docker events

Displays real-time events from the Docker server.

4. Docker Export and Import

Export Container

docker export <container_name> -o <file_name>.tar

Exports a Docker container to a tar file.

Import Container

docker import <file_name>.tar

Imports a container from a tar file.

5. Docker Save and Load

Save Docker Image

docker save -o <file_name>.tar <image_name>

Saves a Docker image to a tar file.

Load Docker Image

docker load -i <file_name>.tar

Loads a Docker image from a tar file.

6. Docker Prune

Remove Unused Data

docker system prune

Removes unused Docker data (images, containers, networks, volumes).

7. Docker Context

List Docker Contexts

docker context ls

Lists all Docker contexts.

Create Docker Context

docker context create <context_name>

Creates a new Docker context.

Use Docker Context

docker context use <context_name>

Switches to a specific Docker context.

8. Docker BuildKit

Enable BuildKit

export DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1
docker build -t <image_name> .

Enables Docker BuildKit for improved build performance.

📊 Best Practices

Use Version Control

Store your Dockerfiles, Compose files, and other configurations in a version control system (e.g., Git) to track changes and collaborate with team members.

Keep Images Lightweight

Minimize the size of your Docker images by using multi-stage builds and removing unnecessary files and dependencies.

Use Tags

Tag your Docker images with meaningful and version-specific tags to easily identify and manage them.

Secure Images and Containers

Scan your Docker images for vulnerabilities and use security best practices to protect your containers.

Automate Builds and Deployments

Integrate Docker with CI/CD pipelines to automate the building, testing, and deployment of your containerized applications.

Monitor and Log

Continuously monitor your Docker containers and collect logs for troubleshooting and performance analysis.

Use Docker Compose for Multi-Container Applications

Use Docker Compose to define and manage multi-container applications, making it easier to deploy and scale your services.

Regularly Prune Unused Resources

Regularly prune unused images, containers, networks, and volumes to free up disk space and maintain a clean Docker environment.

🚀 Conclusion

Mastering Docker commands, from beginner to advanced levels, is essential for DevOps engineers to manage and automate containerized applications effectively. This comprehensive guide serves as a valuable reference for navigating your Docker environment. By following best practices and leveraging these commands, you can ensure a robust and efficient container orchestration setup.

Happy Dockerizing! 🎉

Thank you for reading my blog …:)

🐳 Docker Commands: From Beginner to Advanced for DevOps Engineers