Getting Started with Docker

Docker is a containerization platform that has revolutionized how we deploy applications.

What is Docker?

Docker allows you to package your entire application including dependencies into a container that runs consistently across any environment.

Key Concepts

• Images: Lightweight, standalone, executable packages containing everything needed to run an application
• Containers: Runtime instances of Docker images
• Registries: Repositories where you store and share Docker images

Getting Started

To get started with Docker:

1. Install Docker from docker.com
2. Create a Dockerfile in your project
3. Build your image: docker build -t myapp:1.0 .
4. Run your container: docker run -p 8080:8080 myapp:1.0

Best Practices

• Use specific base image versions
• Minimize layers in your Dockerfile
• Use .dockerignore files
• Don't run as root in containers
• Use health checks

Docker is essential for modern application development and deployment.