Docker is the entry point of every modern DevOps toolchain. This series takes you from the first docker run to multi-node Swarm clusters, with hands-on commands you can copy and run on any Linux host.

You will start with the fundamentals — how containers differ from virtual machines, how the Docker engine, namespaces and cgroups work under the hood — then install Docker and verify your setup. The core chapters cover images and containers, writing your own Dockerfile, saving and loading images, and publishing them to a registry.

The second half goes deeper: persistent storage with volumes and bind mounts, container networking (bridge, host, overlay), multi-container applications with Docker Compose, and finally orchestration with Docker Swarm: services, stacks, the visualizer, backup and restore.

Follow the lessons in order if you are new to containers. If you already use Docker daily, jump straight to Storage, Networking or Swarm. Every lesson ends with commands to reproduce the lab on your own machine.

Learning path

Getting started

1. Docker — Series introduction
2. Docker overview
3. Docker underlying technology (namespaces, cgroups, UnionFS)
4. Containers vs. virtual machines
5. Docker installation
6. Test your installation

Images and containers

1. Docker images
2. Docker containers
3. Docker custom images
4. Dockerfile — instructions and best practices
5. Save and load images
6. Docker registry

Storage, networking and Compose

1. Docker storage: volumes and bind mounts
2. Docker networking
3. Docker Compose

Orchestration with Docker Swarm

1. Docker Swarm overview
2. Docker Swarm setup
3. Docker Swarm visualizer
4. Docker Swarm services
5. Docker Swarm service commands
6. Docker Swarm stacks
7. Docker Swarm backup and restore

Other learning paths