By the end of this module, you should be able to:

• Explain what Docker is and why it’s useful:

  Understand Docker’s role as a containerization platform that enables consistent, portable, and efficient application deployment across different environments. Be familiar with the benefits Docker provides, such as environment isolation, fast startup times, and easy scalability.

• Describe the key Docker components and architecture:

  Identify and explain the functions of Docker Client, Docker Daemon (Engine), Docker Registry (including Docker Hub), images, containers, volumes, and networks. Know how these components interact to enable container lifecycle management.

• Differentiate between virtual machines and containers:

  Clearly understand how Docker containers differ from traditional virtual machines in terms of resource usage, performance, boot time, and isolation level.

• Install Docker on various operating systems:

  Follow official guidelines to install Docker on Linux (Ubuntu/Debian), macOS, or Windows. Know how to verify the installation, start and enable Docker services, and configure your system to run Docker commands without unnecessary permissions issues (e.g., adding your user to the docker group on Linux).

• Use core Docker CLI commands confidently:

  Execute commands like docker run, docker pull, docker ps, docker stop, docker rm, and docker rmi to manage images and containers. Understand command options such as running containers in detached mode (-d) and port mapping (-p).

• Run basic containers and troubleshoot:

  Successfully run the hello-world container as a basic test of Docker installation. Start a simple web server container (e.g., nginx), verify it is running, access it via a browser, and check container logs.

• Interact with running containers:

  Use docker exec to access the container’s shell, inspect files, and perform simple tasks inside the container environment.

• Manage container lifecycle:

  Know how to stop, remove, and list containers (both running and stopped), and understand the implications of these actions for container state and resource usage.

This comprehensive checklist ensures you have a solid grasp of Docker fundamentals, preparing you to confidently progress into more advanced topics.