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.