Docker is a powerful tool that allows you to package and deploy applications consistently and efficiently. If you're new to Docker, getting started can seem intimidating at first. However, with a little bit of knowledge and practice, you'll be up and running in no time.
Here are some steps to help you get started with Docker:
Install Docker on your machine
The first step to using Docker is to install it on your machine. You can download Docker for Windows, Mac, or Linux from the official website (docker.com). Once you've downloaded and installed Docker, you should be able to access the Docker command line interface (CLI) from your terminal.
Pull a Docker image
A Docker image is a lightweight, stand-alone, executable package that includes everything needed to run a piece of software, including the application code, system tools, libraries, and runtime. You can pull a Docker image from a registry, such as Docker Hub, using the docker pull command. For example, to pull the latest version of the Ubuntu image, you would run docker pull ubuntu.
Run a Docker container
A Docker container is a running instance of a Docker image. You can run a Docker container using the docker run command. For example, to run a container based on the Ubuntu image you just pulled, you would run docker run -it ubuntu. The -it flag runs the container in interactive mode, which allows you to interact with the container using the terminal.
Explore the container
Once you've run a Docker container, you can explore it using standard Linux commands. For example, you can use ls to list the files in the current directory, cd to change directories, and apt-get to install packages.
Commit changes to a new image
If you make changes to a Docker container, you can save those changes as a new image using the docker commit command. This is useful if you want to save your work or share it with others.
Push the new image to a registry
If you want to share your new image with others, you can push it to a registry using the docker push command. You'll need to create an account on a registry, such as Docker Hub, and then log in using the docker login command.
By following these steps, you should be well on your way to getting started with Docker. As you continue to learn and use Docker, you'll find that it can greatly simplify the process of deploying and managing applications.
Summary
We explored how to get started with learning Docker using your CLI and how to push your first-ever Docker image to Docker Hub. We explored the following commands -
docker pull- Pull an image from Docker Hub.docker pull ubuntu- Pull the latest Ubuntu docker image from Docker Hub.docker run -it ubuntu- Run the ubuntu docker image in the interactive terminal mode.docker commit- Commit the changes you made to your image.docker push- Push the newly edited image to Docker Hub.docker login- Login to your terminal with your Docker Hub credentials.
Hopefully, the article gave you a better idea of what docker is, and how to create a docker image and interact with it from your terminal.