📦 Containers & Docker
Build a real mental model of containers — images & layers, Dockerfiles, the runtime, storage, Compose & multi-container patterns, security, and registries. Pairs with the Kubernetes course to prep the CKAD.
0/10
1Free2🔒3🔒★🔒 Standard4🔒5🔒★🔒 Standard6🔒7🔒★🔒 Standard🎓🔒 Professional
Images & layers
See how a union filesystem stacks read-only layers into an image, so you finally get why the build cache works and how a container's writable layer differs.
Dockerfiles
Write Dockerfiles that build fast and ship small: order instructions for cache hits, use multi-stage builds to slim images, and get CMD vs ENTRYPOINT right.
Runtime & networking
Master the container lifecycle end to end: publish ports, choose bridge vs host networking, set restart policies, and handle PID 1 signals for clean shutdowns.
Chapter review
Chapter 1 review — Images, Dockerfiles & runtime
Lab: Build, run, and inspect · 10-question check
Storage & data
Keep the data that matters when containers come and go, using named volumes, bind mounts, and tmpfs instead of the ephemeral writable layer.
Compose & multi-container
Wire up a whole multi-service app in one Compose file, with service-name networking and depends_on, plus the sidecar, ambassador, adapter, and init-container patterns.
Chapter review
Chapter 2 review — Storage & Compose
Lab: Persist data and compose services · 10-question check
Container security
Shrink your attack surface by running as a non-root USER, dropping Linux capabilities, avoiding --privileged, and keeping secrets out of ENV/ARG and image layers.
Registries & distribution
Ship images anywhere with confidence: tag and push, pin by digest for reproducible pulls, run private registries, and build multi-architecture images past rate limits.
Chapter review
Chapter 3 review — Secure & ship
Lab: Harden and distribute an image · 10-question check
Final exam
Containers & Docker — comprehensive capstone
Hands-on capstone + course-wide exam · scored to a role level