Containers Fundamentals from edX

Nowadays, we use different applications to go about our daily lives: booking a cab, ordering food, scheduling an appointment, and so on. Companies that create and provide these apps continuously listen to their customers and come up with new features to address their concerns. In such an app-driven world, containers and microservices are the perfect home for an application. With containers, we bundle an application with all its dependencies and deploy it on the platform of our choice, be it bare metal, VM, cloud, etc.

Containers bring benefits to all the phases of an application lifecycle. Therefore, it is important for everyone to learn about containers, regardless of their domain, be it Developers, Quality Assurance, or Operations. Containers have become a central theme of DevOps.

This course will help you build a solid foundation in container technologies. Once you have learned the basics, you will be able to easily take on more advanced topics, like Docker Swarm and Kubernetes.

What's inside

Learning objectives

This containers fundamentals course will help you build a solid foundation on container technologies. after completing this course, you should be able to:
Perform container and image operations with different container runtimes.

Manage network and storage (volumes) with containers.
Build and run containerized applications with docker, runc, podman, etc.

This containers fundamentals course will help you build a solid foundation on container technologies. after completing this course, you should be able to:
Perform container and image operations with different container runtimes.
Manage network and storage (volumes) with containers.
Build and run containerized applications with docker, runc, podman, etc.

Syllabus

Chapter 1. Course Introduction

Chapter 2. Virtualization Fundamentals

Chapter 3. Virtualization Mechanisms

Chapter 4. Container Standards and Runtimes

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides a foundation in container technologies, which is increasingly central to DevOps practices across development, quality assurance, and operations teams

Covers containerization, which allows applications to be bundled with dependencies and deployed across various platforms, such as bare metal, VMs, and the cloud

Explores container networking and storage, which are essential for managing containerized applications in production environments

Introduces Docker, runc, and Podman, which are popular container runtimes used in modern software development and deployment workflows

Discusses container security, which is crucial for protecting containerized applications and infrastructure from potential threats and vulnerabilities

Requires learners to understand virtualization fundamentals and mechanisms, which may necessitate additional study for those new to the topic

Reviews summary

Solid containers fundamentals with practical labs

According to learners, this course provides a solid foundation and an excellent introduction to container technologies. Many found the lectures clear and concise and the course structure logical. A key highlight consistently mentioned is the value of the hands-on labs, which help reinforce concepts and provide practical application, making it perfect for beginners. While largely positive, some reviewers noted the pace felt inconsistent or that the course lacked depth for more advanced topics. A few mentioned lab environments occasionally had issues or felt outdated, though more recent reviews appear very favorable.

Introduction to different container runtimes.

"...understanding container technologies like Docker and Podman."

"The focus on multiple runtimes was appreciated."

"I liked how they covered different runtimes."

Explanations are easy to follow.

"The lectures are clear and concise..."

"The explanations were easy to follow..."

"Everything was explained clearly..."

"The lectures are informative..."

Practical exercises reinforce concepts.

"the hands-on labs are incredibly helpful for practical application."

"The hands-on exercises reinforced the concepts perfectly."

"The labs are key here, providing essential practice."

"The hands-on labs make a big difference."

"Labs were crucial for practice."

Builds a strong base for container tech.

"This course provides a solid foundation for understanding container technologies..."

"Excellent introduction! The course structure is logical..."

"This course delivered exactly what I needed to get started with containers for my job. Solid foundation laid out here."

"Perfect for getting a grip on container basics."

"Good foundational knowledge."

Labs can have technical problems or feel old.

"...labs were useful but sometimes had minor issues or outdated commands. Needs some updating."

"The course felt outdated in some areas, especially the lab environments. I encountered several errors..."

"The labs were okay when they worked, but I struggled with setup."

Content can be uneven, lacks advanced depth.

"Some parts felt a little rushed, and I wish there were more advanced examples..."

"...I found the pace inconsistent. Some lectures were too basic, while others jumped quickly into technical details..."

"It's a good starting point, but don't expect to be an expert afterwards."

"Some parts could be more detailed..."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Containers Fundamentals with these activities:

Review Virtualization Concepts

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Solidify your understanding of virtualization fundamentals before diving into containers. This will help you appreciate the differences and similarities between the two technologies.

Browse courses on Virtualization

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Review the different types of virtualization.
Understand the role of hypervisors.
Compare virtualization with containerization.

Practice Basic Docker Commands

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Reinforce your understanding of container operations by practicing basic Docker commands. This will make you more comfortable with the command-line interface.

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Pull a Docker image from Docker Hub.
Run a container from the pulled image.
Stop and remove the container.
List images and containers.

Follow Docker's Official Tutorials

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Refine your skills by following Docker's official tutorials. These tutorials provide step-by-step instructions on how to use Docker features.

Show steps

Visit the Docker documentation website.
Choose a tutorial that interests you.
Follow the instructions carefully.
Experiment with the concepts learned.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Read 'Docker Deep Dive'

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Expand your knowledge of Docker with a comprehensive guide. This book provides in-depth explanations of Docker concepts and best practices.

View Docker Deep Dive on Amazon

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Read the book cover to cover.
Take notes on key concepts.
Experiment with the examples provided in the book.

Containerize a Simple Application

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Apply your knowledge by containerizing a simple application. This will give you hands-on experience with building container images and running containerized applications.

Show steps

Choose a simple application (e.g., a basic web server).
Create a Dockerfile for the application.
Build a Docker image from the Dockerfile.
Run the application in a container.

Document Your Containerization Project

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Solidify your understanding by documenting your containerization project. This will help you organize your thoughts and identify any gaps in your knowledge.

Show steps

Describe the application you containerized.
Explain the steps you took to create the Dockerfile.
Document any challenges you encountered and how you overcame them.
Share your documentation with others.

Read 'The Kubernetes Book'

Show steps

Prepare for advanced topics by reading an introductory guide to Kubernetes. This book will give you a head start on container orchestration.

View The Kubernetes Book on Amazon

Show steps

Read the book cover to cover.
Take notes on key concepts.
Experiment with the examples provided in the book.

Career center

Learners who complete Containers Fundamentals will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

DevOps Engineer

DevOps Engineers automate and streamline the processes of software development and deployment. Given that containers are a central theme of DevOps, this course may be useful. The course helps you build a solid foundation in container technologies. Working with Docker, runc, and Podman, as provided by this course, are essential for automating the deployment of containerized apps. Learning about container networking and storage allows a DevOps Engineer to manage and scale applications effectively. This course is especially beneficial for understanding the container lifecycle.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

Platform Engineer

Platform Engineers build and maintain the platforms upon which applications run. This typically involves extensive use of container technologies. This course helps you build a solid foundation in container technologies. Learning to perform container and image operations, which the course teaches, is essential for managing and optimizing platforms. Platform engineers should take this course to gain a deeper understanding of container management and application deployment.

See salaries and explore the career path for Platform Engineer

Site Reliability Engineer

Site Reliability Engineers ensure the reliability and performance of software systems. They often work with containerized applications to achieve scalability and resilience. This course helps you understand container technologies, which are vital for managing application deployments. Managing network and storage with containers, taught by this course, enables a site reliability engineer to create stable and scalable systems. A site reliability engineer will benefit from this course through learning to manage containerized applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Site Reliability Engineer

Cloud Engineer

A Cloud Engineer designs, plans, manages, maintains, and supports cloud computing infrastructure and services. This role frequently involves working with containerized applications. This course helps you understand container technologies, which are vital in modern cloud deployments. Managing network and storage with containers, taught by this course, allow a cloud engineer to create robust and scalable cloud solutions. You should take this course to build a foundation in container operations and image management, fundamental skills for cloud environments.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Engineer

Infrastructure Engineer

Infrastructure Engineers design, build, and maintain the infrastructure that supports software applications. Modern infrastructure often includes containerized environments. The course helps you build a solid foundation in container technologies. The course includes information on container networking and security. Managing network and storage with containers, allows infrastructure engineers to create and maintain robust systems. This course would be very helpful in learning to setup and maintain containerized infrastructure.

See salaries and explore the career path for Infrastructure Engineer

Cloud Architect

Cloud Architects design cloud computing solutions for organizations. Container technologies are central to many modern cloud architectures. This course will introduce container standards and runtimes. It will teach how to manage network and storage with containers. This course helps you understand container networking and storage, which is crucial for designing scalable and resilient cloud solutions. Cloud architects should take this course to gain a deeper understanding of container management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Architect

Automation Engineer

Automation Engineers design, develop, and implement automation solutions. The role benefits from understanding containerization. This course helps you build a solid foundation on container technologies. You will learn to perform container and image operations with different container runtimes. Learning about container networking and storage facilitates automating application deployments and infrastructure management. Automation engineers will find this course helpful for leveraging containers in their automation strategies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Automation Engineer

Software Developer

Software Developers design, write, and test code for applications. Increasingly, applications are deployed using containers. This course will allow a software developer to learn how to build and run containerized applications with Docker, runc, and Podman. Furthermore, you will learn to bundle an application with all its dependencies. The focus on image operations and container operations offered in this course accelerates the workflow. For software developers looking to efficiently deploy their applications, this course is a great start.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Developer

Release Engineer

Release Engineers manage the process of releasing software to production. The role often involves working with containerized applications for efficient deployment. This course will allow a release engineer to build a solid foundation in container technologies. Learning how to build and run containerized applications with Docker, runc, and Podman helps in automating the release process. Anyone pursuing release engineering will find this course a great foundation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Release Engineer

Build Engineer

A Build Engineer is responsible for creating and maintaining the build systems used to compile and package software. With the rise of containerization, build engineers need to understand how to create container images. This course will allow a build engineer to understand how to build container images. They will learn to perform container and image operations. They will also learn about container standards and runtimes such as Docker. This course will be valuable in building and managing containerized applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Build Engineer

Security Engineer

Security Engineers protect computer systems and networks from threats. With the increasing use of containers, understanding container security is crucial. This course helps you learn about runtime and container security. This allows Security Engineers to implement effective security measures for containerized environments. Security engineers should take this course to gain insights into securing containerized applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Engineer

Systems Administrator

A Systems Administrator is responsible for managing and maintaining computer systems, including servers and virtual machines. Nowadays, this increasingly involves managing containerized environments. Understanding container standards and runtimes, addressed in this course, helps with administering systems more efficiently. The course may be useful for building and running containerized applications. The course also addresses container security. A system administrator will find this useful to ensure the infrastructure remains secure.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Administrator

Solutions Architect

Solutions Architects design and implement IT infrastructure solutions. This often involves leveraging container technologies for efficient application deployment. This course helps you build a solid foundation in container technologies. Performing container and image operations, taught by this course, are fundamental in designing container-based solutions. A solutions architect will leverage the knowledge of container networking and storage to help design the infrastructure.

See salaries and explore the career path for Solutions Architect

Technical Support Engineer

Technical Support Engineers provide technical assistance to customers and colleagues. Increasingly, this includes troubleshooting issues with containerized applications. This course may be useful to gain a solid foundation in container technologies. Understanding container standards and runtimes is essential for diagnosing and resolving container-related problems. The course is particularly helpful for technical support engineers needing to understand the basics of container operations and networking.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Support Engineer

Quality Assurance Engineer

Quality Assurance Engineers test software to ensure it meets quality standards. With the increasing use of containers, understanding how to test containerized applications is valuable. This course may be useful as it introduces virtualization fundamentals and container standards. The course teaches you how to build and run containerized applications. This allows a quality assurance engineer to test applications in isolated, reproducible environments. The course is particularly helpful in understanding how containers impact the testing process.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Engineer

Containers Fundamentals

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Solid containers fundamentals with practical labs

Activities

Career center

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