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, Introduction
Before jumping into the projects, let’s clarify what Docker is and why people care about it. Docker packages an application and everything it needs into a container. A container is a lightweight, isolated environment that runs the same way everywhere. No “works on my machine” problemIf it runs on your laptop, it runs the same way on a server or cloud, Developers love it because sharing code becomes simple and predictable, In this “5 Fun Projects” series, our focus is on learning by doing, Each project teaches a core Docker skill, By the end, you won’t just know Docker theoretically – you’ll understand how to use it,
, 1. Static Website Hosting with Nginx and Docker
This video by TechDocs Shows you how to host a website nginx in docker. You containerize a web server, add your site files, and run everything in a single container. The tutorial walks you through creating a simple Dockerfile (or Docker Compose), setting up Nginx to serve your pages, and starting the container so the site is live. There is no need to install Nginx on your machine as it all runs inside Docker. This keeps the setup clean and reproducible.
, 2. Multi-container Docker application with Docker Compose
it Video Shows how to use Docker Compose to run two services together: a Python Flask backend and a Redis database. All service configuration including build, port and connection is defined in one docker-compose.yml file. You start everything with a single order, docker compose upContainers communicate automatically, and environment settings remain centralized, This makes it easy to run and manage the app on any machine while giving a practical example of handling multiple services in Docker,
, 3. One database shared by multiple containers
In this One database service for multiple Docker container services In the video, the author shows how to run a single database container and connect multiple application containers to it. You set up MySQL or other databases once in Docker, and each service runs in its own container but connects to the same database through the shared Docker network or appropriate port mapping. You learn how to configure networking, expose database ports, and link containers for secure communication. This approach helps save resources by centralizing the database and also teaches that a shared database works best compared to separate instances.
, 4. Automated Continuous Integration with Jenkins in Docker
These videos show how to use the full continuous integration (CI) pipeline jenkins Inside Docker to automatically create Docker images when code changes. first video, Build and push React Docker images with Jenkins pipelineWalks you through setting up a Jenkins container, creating a pipeline to pull source code, building a Docker image, and optionally running tests or pushing the image to the registry. second video, Automated CI with Jenkins on Docker to build Docker imagesOne focused on React apps, which shows how to connect Jenkins to a source repository, how to build and tag Docker images, and automatically push them. Both tutorials show how containerizing Jenkins keeps your build environments isolated, reproducible, and consistent. Once set up, each code update triggers a new build, making deployment reliable and automated.
, 5. Logging and Monitoring Docker
These videos show how to build a full observability stack using Docker. Prometheus Collects system and container metrics. Loki stores logs. grafana Displays everything in real-time dashboard. In the first video, Loki, Prometheus, Grafana and Docker: Logging and MonitoringYou’ll learn to set up Docker for each service, connect them correctly, and link metrics with logs to see how your containers perform. second video, Server Monitoring: Prometheus and Grafana TutorialFocused on monitoring server or container environments using Prometheus and Grafana in a portable, reproducible setup. It shows how to configure Prometheus as a data source for Grafana, set up metrics endpoints, and create dashboards to track CPU, memory, and container performance. Both approaches rely on containerization, making the stack easy to run, replicate, and extend on any machine.
, wrapping up
These five projects develop your Docker skills one layer at a time. You host a website, connect multiple services, share databases, automate builds, and monitor everything. Each project gives practical skills that you can use in real work. Now it’s your turn to try out these projects and explore Docker yourself.
Kanwal Mehreen He is a machine learning engineer and a technical writer with a deep passion for the intersection of AI with data science and medicine. He co-authored the eBook “Maximizing Productivity with ChatGPT”. As a Google Generation Scholar 2022 for APAC, she is an advocate for diversity and academic excellence. She has also been recognized as a Teradata Diversity in Tech Scholar, a Mitex GlobalLink Research Scholar, and a Harvard VCode Scholar. Kanwal is a strong advocate for change, having founded FEMCodes to empower women in STEM fields.
