Docker Learning Roadmap
Goal: From no containers to production Docker skills
Learning Phases
Phase 1: Docker Basics (1 week)
•What containers are and why
•docker run, build, push, pull
•Dockerfile fundamentals
•Docker Hub and registries
Phase 2: Dockerfile Mastery (1 week)
•Multi-stage builds
•Layer caching optimisation
•Non-root users and security
•Image size reduction (.dockerignore)
Phase 3: Docker Compose (1 week)
•Multi-container applications
•Services, networks, volumes
•Environment variables and profiles
•Development vs production configs
Phase 4: Production Skills (2 weeks)
•Container security scanning
•Docker networking deep dive
•Volumes and data persistence
•Resource limits and healthchecks
Phase 5: K8s Transition (ongoing)
•Docker in Kubernetes (containerd)
•Migrating Compose to K8s manifests
•Helm charts from Compose apps
Job Roles This Enables
•Backend Engineer
•DevOps Engineer
•Any software engineering role
Target Certifications
•Docker knowledge → CKA/CKAD (Kubernetes)
How to Use This Roadmap
1.Work through phases in order — each builds on the previous
2.Practice each phase's commands yourself in a real terminal before moving on — this technology doesn't have a separate Labs tab, so the Fundamentals/Intermediate/Advanced code blocks are the hands-on material
3.Build a project after each phase to cement learning
4.Use the interview section to test understanding regularly
5.Track progress: revisit earlier sections as concepts compound
Prerequisites
See prerequisites.md in this section for what you should know before starting.