Deep Dive into Docker
Abstract
This one-hour talk introduces Docker and containerization to developers who are comfortable with the Linux command line but new to containers. It covers the core concepts you need to start using Docker in everyday development work.
The talk begins with what containers actually are at a technical level — Linux processes isolated through kernel features like namespaces and cgroups — and how they compare to virtual machines. From there, it walks through pulling and running images, writing Dockerfiles to build custom images, and managing the container lifecycle with the Docker CLI.
Two topics that often trip up beginners get dedicated attention: data persistence with volumes (since containers are ephemeral by default) and basic networking, including port mapping and container-to-container communication via user-defined networks.
The talk also includes a brief comparison of Docker and Podman, covering architectural differences like Podman’s daemonless and rootless-by-default design, and offering guidance on when each tool is the better fit.
It closes with practical best practices and pointers toward Docker Compose, orchestration, and CI/CD integration as next steps.
No prior container experience is required.