Docker Demystified

Ian Johnson

What is Docker?

Docker is a set of platform as a service (PaaS) products that use OS-level virtualization to deliver software in packages called containers. Containers are isolated from one another and bundle their own software, libraries and configuration files; they can communicate with each other through well-defined channels. Because all of the containers share the services of a single operating system kernel, they use fewer resources than virtual machines.

But Why?

  • Docker makes it easy for us to isolate environments and declare dependencies.
  • Docker makes our applications portable and predictable.
  • Docker allows us to have development parity as close to production to as possible. e.g., sqlite and postgres
  • Docker allows us to update our dependencies in a dependable way.

Important Concepts

Images

  • Images are built in layers.
  • Images are built using a Dockerfile.
  • docker build

Important Concepts

Containers

  • Containers are executing instances of images.
  • Containers executed using an image and a command.
  • docker run|exec

Important Concepts

Orchestration

  • Orchestration is the management of containers so that they can work in tandem.
  • Orchestration is network level, but developer friendly.
  • Kubernetes is a super-duper example of this.
  • We do this locally during development using Docker Compose.
  • docker-compose build|up|down

But How Does It Work?

🐉

Demo Time

What could go wrong?

Now What?

  • Take a look through the repositories and look at the Dockerfile and the docker-compose.yml files.
  • Build the thing
  • Prototype
  • Kill it with fire
  • Rebuild it from scratch

Tips

  • When running into an error ask yourself, “where is the origin of this error”?
  • Use the logs!