Docker & Kubernetes

Docker & Kubernetes Mastery Roadmap

This detailed roadmap will take you from beginner to expert in Docker & Kubernetes, covering containerization, orchestration, networking, deployment, scaling, and security best practices for modern cloud-native applications.

Phase 1: Docker Fundamentals

✅ Understanding Containerization

  • What are Containers? How they differ from VMs

  • Docker vs. Podman vs. LXC

  • Why use Docker? Benefits for development & production

✅ Installing & Setting Up Docker

  • Install Docker on Windows, macOS, Linux

  • Understanding Docker CLI & Docker Desktop

  • Docker Daemon, Client, and Registry

✅ Docker Images & Containers

  • Docker Images vs. Containers

  • Pulling & Running Containers (docker run, docker ps)

  • Stopping & Removing Containers (docker stop, docker rm)

  • Creating custom images with Dockerfiles

📌 Mini Projects:

  • Running a Node.js/Express App in a Docker Container

  • Building a Python Flask API with Docker

Phase 2: Advanced Docker Concepts

✅ Working with Dockerfiles

  • Writing Dockerfiles from scratch

  • Using COPY, WORKDIR, ENTRYPOINT, CMD, EXPOSE

  • Multi-Stage Builds for Smaller Images

✅ Docker Volumes & Networking

  • Data Persistence with Volumes & Bind Mounts

  • Docker Networking Basics (Bridge, Host, None, Overlay)

  • Communicating Between Containers (Docker Compose)

📌 Mini Projects:

  • Persistent Data in a MySQL Container using Volumes

  • Dockerizing a Full Stack App (Frontend + Backend + DB)

Phase 3: Docker Compose & Container Orchestration

✅ Docker Compose for Multi-Container Apps

  • Writing docker-compose.yml

  • Running multiple containers with docker-compose up

  • Service Dependencies & Environment Variables

✅ Introduction to Container Orchestration

  • Why Kubernetes? How it compares to Docker Swarm

  • Understanding Container Orchestration & Scaling

📌 Mini Projects:

  • Deploying a MERN Stack App using Docker Compose

  • Running a WordPress & MySQL Setup with Docker Compose

Phase 4: Kubernetes Fundamentals

✅ Understanding Kubernetes (K8s)

  • What is Kubernetes? How it Works

  • Kubernetes vs. Docker Swarm vs. Nomad

  • Key Components: Nodes, Pods, Deployments, Services

✅ Installing & Setting Up Kubernetes

  • Setting up Kubernetes Locally (Minikube, Kind, K3s)

  • Understanding kubectl CLI

  • Creating & Managing Kubernetes Pods

📌 Mini Projects:

  • Deploying an Nginx Server on Kubernetes

  • Running a Python API inside a Kubernetes Pod

Phase 5: Kubernetes Advanced Concepts

✅ Kubernetes Deployments & Services

  • Deployments & ReplicaSets for Scaling

  • Rolling Updates & Rollbacks

  • Kubernetes Services: ClusterIP, NodePort, LoadBalancer

✅ Kubernetes Storage & Networking

  • Persistent Volumes (PV) & Persistent Volume Claims (PVC)

  • Ingress Controllers for Exposing Services

  • Kubernetes Network Policies

📌 Mini Projects:

  • Deploying a Scalable Web App on Kubernetes

  • Creating a Load Balanced API with Kubernetes Services

Phase 6: Kubernetes Scaling, Security & Monitoring

✅ Auto-Scaling & Load Balancing

  • Horizontal Pod Autoscaler (HPA)

  • Cluster Autoscaler

  • Kubernetes Load Balancers & Service Mesh (Istio, Linkerd)

✅ Kubernetes Security & Best Practices

  • RBAC (Role-Based Access Control)

  • Pod Security Policies & Network Policies

  • Secrets Management & Service Account Security

✅ Monitoring & Logging

  • Monitoring Kubernetes with Prometheus & Grafana

  • Logging with Fluentd & Elasticsearch

📌 Mini Projects:

  • Setting Up Prometheus & Grafana for Kubernetes Monitoring

  • Securing Kubernetes Workloads with RBAC & Network Policies

Phase 7: Kubernetes in Production & CI/CD

✅ Kubernetes in Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure)

  • Deploying Kubernetes Clusters in Cloud Providers

  • Using Managed Kubernetes Services (EKS, GKE, AKS)

✅ CI/CD with Kubernetes & GitOps

  • Integrating Kubernetes with Jenkins, GitHub Actions

  • GitOps with ArgoCD & Flux

  • Automating Deployments with Helm Charts

📌 Final Projects:

  • Deploying a Microservices Architecture on Kubernetes

  • Building a Kubernetes-Based CI/CD Pipeline

Final Step: Real-World Practice & Skill Testing

🔥 Platforms to Test & Improve Skills:

🚀 By mastering this roadmap, you’ll be able to: ✅ Dockerize Applications & Manage Containers Efficiently ✅ Deploy & Scale Applications using Kubernetes ✅ Implement CI/CD Workflows for Cloud-Native Apps ✅ Secure & Monitor Kubernetes Workloads in Production

🔥 Start mastering Docker & Kubernetes now!

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