A Webinar Introduction to Web Applications with Docker

Codeship's very own Laura Frank, engineer, led an introductory webinar about Docker, and we've got the video for you right here.

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An Introduction to Web Applications with Docker - Codeship Webinar from Codeship on Vimeo.

Docker is a virtualization tool that makes building, shipping, and running applications easier for your development team. What began as a small project has now grown to be a strong ecosystem of many different tools, and as a new user, it can be a bit difficult to wrap your head around all of the moving pieces.

This webinar will give you a basic introduction to Docker and provide you with the information you need to get started on your own. Let me give you an idea of some of the things I'll cover.

An intro to the Docker ecosystem

More than just a container runtime, Docker has many tools available for almost all parts of your development process. Get to know the main parts of the Docker ecosystem and toolset -- the Docker CLI, the Docker Hub, and Docker Compose -- and get a broader understanding of what other tools Docker has to offer.

Writing and understanding Dockerfiles

When it’s time to run your own code inside of a container, you’ll start by writing a Dockerfile, which is a set of instructions dictating how the image for your container is built. We’ll cover the most common and important instructions, like setting environment variables, and copying files, along with discussing strategies for choosing good base images.

Running multi-container applications using Docker Compose

Running a standalone application in a container is all well and good, but what happens when you have external dependencies? Those dependencies should also run in their own containerized process; using Docker Compose, it's much easier to create a multi-container application . We’ll work through an example of an application with an external database, and then we'll see how to manage communication between two containerized services.

Using Docker Machine to create development and testing machines

Lastly, in order to develop, test, and deploy, you’ll want to set up a few different environments. Additionally, if you’re working on a Mac or Windows machine, you’ll likely need to set up a small VM for development, as Docker won’t run on your local host. Using Docker Machine is a straightforward way to spin up Docker environments on whatever platform you want -- AWS, Digital Ocean, or even just VirtualBox -- and interact with it right from your local terminal window.

If you’re a developer new to Docker, or a manager or product owner evaluating Docker, you’ll come away with a high-level understanding of tools, how to get started, and how they can be used to improve efficiency in your own development cycles.

Thanks, Laura! And, everyone else, you can check out the slides and more resources from the webinar right here.