Getting Started with Docker

Docker is a containerization platform that allows developers to package applications and their dependencies into lightweight, portable containers. Containers ensure that your app runs consistently across different environments.

Why Use Docker?

• Consistency: Works the same in development and production.
• Isolation: Each container runs independently.
• Portability: Runs anywhere—on your laptop, server, or the cloud.

Installation

Download Docker Desktop for your OS from docker.com. After installation, verify it’s working:

docker --version

Creating a Simple Docker App

1. Create a simple app file:

// app.js
console.log('Hello from Docker!');

2. Create a Dockerfile:

FROM node:18
WORKDIR /app
COPY . .
CMD ["node", "app.js"]

3. Build and run your container:

docker build -t hello-docker .
docker run hello-docker

You’ll see the message Hello from Docker! in your terminal.

Conclusion

Docker simplifies deployment and ensures consistency across environments. Once you understand the basics, you can explore Docker Compose, multi-stage builds, and Kubernetes for orchestration.

With Docker, your code truly runs anywhere!