Understanding Docker
Last updated
Last updated
This module will help you build the previous file if you're new to Docker and are struggling to install dependencies on your machine.
First off, a quick recap.
Think of Docker as a shipping container for your app. Just as a shipping container can hold all sorts of goods (clothes, electronics, etc.) and be transported anywhere in the world, Docker bundles your app and everything it needs to run into a 'container.' This makes it easy to share and run your app on any computer.
Given the complexities and manual effort involved in resolving dependency issues in your system, Docker can be a beneficial tool to standardize the development environment among all students.
Why Use Docker?
Standardized Environment: Everyone gets the same set of dependencies, reducing "it works on my machine" issues.
Isolated: Doesn't interfere with other projects or system-wide settings.
Ease of Use: Running the project becomes much simpler once set up.
Docker Image: Consider this a blueprint or a container snapshot, including the application and its dependencies. You build an image once and use it to create multiple containers.
Docker Container: A container is a running instance of an image. It's a lightweight, stand-alone, executable software package with everything needed to run the code.
CMD: In Docker, the CMD
instruction specifies the command to execute when the container starts up.
Docker Compose: A tool for defining and running multi-container Docker applications. Using a YAML file (docker-compose.yml
), it allows you to specify how different containers interact with each other, making it easier to manage multiple containers as a single service.
Basic Tutorial on Dockerfile:
Basic Tutorials on Docker Compose: ,
Blog on using ChatGPT to build an optimized Docker Image:
Now let's see the step-by-step implementation.