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Docker + Docker Compose: Getting Started and Best Practices

·475 words·3 mins
Docker Docker Compose Nginx Web Development DevOps Containerization Docker Tutorial Custom Docker Image Software Deployment Shell Script
Author
Emre Hayta
Table of Contents

Introduction to Docker
#

Docker has become an essential tool in modern software development. Combined with Docker Compose, managing multi-container applications is straightforward. In this blog post, I will show you how to work with Docker and Docker Compose, including how to run a simple Nginx web server and build your own Docker images.

What is Docker?
#

Docker is a containerization platform that allows developers to run applications in isolated environments called containers. These containers package all the dependencies required to run an application, ensuring consistency across different environments.

What is Docker Compose?
#

Docker Compose is a tool for defining and running multi-container Docker applications. It allows you to configure your application’s services, networks, and volumes in a single YAML file, making it easier to manage complex applications.

Example Project Structure
#

Let’s create a simple project using Docker and Docker Compose to run an Nginx web server.

1. Project Directory Structure:
#

my-nginx-app/
├── docker-compose.yml
├── deploy.sh
└── index.html

2. Sample index.html
#

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>Welcome to Nginx!</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Hello, Docker with Nginx!</h1>
    <p>This is a simple web page served by Nginx.</p>
</body>
</html>

3. Sample docker-compose.yml
#

version: '3'
services:
  web:
    image: nginx:latest
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
    volumes:
      - ./index.html:/usr/share/nginx/html/index.html

Deploy Script: deploy.sh
#

Now, let’s create a simple shell script to start the Nginx server using Docker Compose.

#!/bin/bash

# Start the Nginx application using Docker Compose
docker-compose up

Running the Application
#

  1. Make sure you have Docker and Docker Compose installed on your machine.
  2. Navigate to the project directory:
cd my-nginx-app
  1. Make the deploy.sh script executable:
chmod +x deploy.sh
  1. Run the deploy script:
./deploy.sh

Your Nginx server will start, and you can access it by visiting http://localhost:8080 in your web browser. You should see the message “Hello, Docker with Nginx!” displayed on the page.

Building Custom Docker Images
#

If you want to build your own Docker image, you can create a simple Dockerfile. Here’s an example of how to create a custom Nginx image that serves your own HTML content.

  1. Sample Dockerfile
# Use the official Nginx image as a base
FROM nginx:latest

# Copy custom HTML file to the Nginx HTML directory
COPY index.html /usr/share/nginx/html/index.html
  1. Update docker-compose.yml
version: '3'
services:
  web:
    build: .
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
  1. Modify the deploy.sh script: Update the script to build the image before starting the containers:
#!/bin/bash

# Build and start the Nginx application using Docker Compose
docker-compose up --build

Conclusion
#

Docker and Docker Compose simplify the development and deployment process, allowing you to manage applications efficiently. In this article, we covered the basics of Docker and Docker Compose, how to run a simple Nginx web server, and how to create a custom Docker image.

Feel free to expand this example further by adding more services or customizing the content as needed!