Are you concerned about wasting compute resources, underutilized VMs, or high cloud bills? Still paying for servers that aren’t used to their full potential?
This project introduces you to the world of Docker and containerization, enabling you to run your Java applications in lightweight containers, saving cost and improving efficiency.
- What are containers and why they matter
- How containers compare to virtual machines (VMs)
- Understanding Docker as a containerization platform
- Overview of Docker architecture and lifecycle
- How to write a
Dockerfile - How to build and run a Docker container for a simple Java application
VMs virtualize physical servers, allowing multiple operating systems to run on a single machine using a hypervisor. However, they still carry a lot of overhead (entire OS, duplicate dependencies, etc.), which leads to inefficiencies.
Containers solve this problem by:
- Sharing the host OS kernel
- Packaging the application, dependencies, and system libs
- Running isolated processes efficiently
Think of them as lightweight, portable zip files for apps — they start fast and consume fewer resources.
Docker is a popular open-source containerization platform that allows you to:
- Define your environment using a
Dockerfile - Build repeatable images
- Run containers anywhere
- Push and pull images from Docker registries like DockerHub
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Docker CLI | User interface for running Docker commands |
| Docker Daemon | Core engine managing containers & images |
| Dockerfile | Instructions to build a Docker image |
| Image | Blueprint of your application |
| Container | Running instance of the image |
| Registry | Stores and shares container images |
- Write a
Dockerfile - Build the image using
docker build - Run a container from the image
- Optionally push to/pull from a registry
This repository contains:
Main.java– A simple Java programDockerfile– Instructions to build a Docker image
- Docker Desktop installed and running
git clone https://github.com/<your-username>/docker-project
cd docker-project
docker build -t my-java-app .
docker run my-java-app