In this Docker course you learn to package applications in containers, build images cleanly and deploy several services together. It is aimed at developers, administrators and DevOps beginners who want to ship their applications reproducibly. You work with Dockerfiles, multi-stage builds, volumes, networks, registries and Docker Compose, and learn to keep images small and secure. This lays the foundation for using containers in CI/CD and for later orchestration with Kubernetes.
What you’ll take away.
- Start, inspect, log and cleanly stop containers
- Build images with a Dockerfile and multi-stage builds that are small, fast and traceable
- Persist data with volumes and bind mounts and connect containers through networks
- Define and run several services together with Docker Compose
- Publish images to a registry and apply basic security rules for containers
Your training in detail
- Who is it for?
- Developers, administrators, DevOps beginners and test leads who containerise applications.
- Prerequisites
- Confident use of the command line and basic knowledge of Linux and networking. Experience with a programming language is helpful.
- Format & planning
- Suggested format: 2 days live online or on site. Scope depends on prior knowledge.
Agenda: from understanding to application
Our independently developed agenda proposal. Focus areas, lab environment and scope are agreed before booking.
Basics: containers versus virtual machines, Docker architecture with client and daemon, images, containers, namespaces and cgroups.
Working with containers: docker run, ports, environment variables, exec, logs, resource limits and cleaning up unused objects.
Building images: Dockerfile instructions, layers and build cache, .dockerignore, multi-stage builds and base images with pinned versions.
Data and networking: volumes, bind mounts, bridge networks, name resolution between containers and publishing ports.
Docker Compose: compose.yaml with services, networks and volumes, dependencies, health checks, profiles and configuration through environment files.
Registry and security: tags and digests, push and pull, non-root users, vulnerability scans, secrets and the path to CI/CD and Kubernetes.
Suggested exercise: You containerise a small web application with a database, shrink the image with a multi-stage build and start both with a Compose file.
Exams, licences & credentials
There is no vendor exam that this course specifically prepares for. Attending alone does not award a vendor certification. Fees are only included if confirmed in the offer.
Vendor references & review date
Sources checked on 2026-11-03. These sources describe the technology or external exam requirements. They do not imply a partnership with NextNowa.
Your learning content
These objectives describe the training topic. The specific syllabus, duration, dates, trainer and price are agreed before booking.
Frequently asked questions
Docker or Kubernetes: which first?
Docker first. Kubernetes runs containers in a cluster but assumes you can build images, start containers and understand networks and volumes. With Docker and Compose you learn these foundations on a single machine. After that, the step to Kubernetes is much easier to follow.
What is the difference between an image and a container?
An image is the immutable template containing the application, runtime and dependencies, built from layers. A container is a running instance of that image with its own writable layer. You can start any number of containers from one image, each running in isolation.
What do I need Docker Compose for?
Compose describes several containers, networks and volumes in one YAML file and starts everything with a single command. That is practical for development environments, tests and smaller installations, such as an application with a database and cache. Large distributed production setups usually add an orchestrator.
Does Docker & containers include a certificate?
There is no vendor exam that this course specifically prepares for. Attending alone does not award a vendor certification. Fees are only included if confirmed in the offer.