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Docker in Action
The idea behind Docker is simple. Create a tiny virtual environment, called a container, for your application that includes only its particular set of dependencies. The Docker engine accounts for, manages, and builds these containers through functionality provided by the host operating system. Software running inside containers share the Linux OS and other resources, such as libraries, making their footprints radically smaller, and the containerized applications are easy to install, manage, and remove. Developers can package their applications without worrying about environment-specific deployment concerns, and the operations team gets cleaner, more efficient systems across the board. Better still, Docker is free and open source.
Docker in Action teaches readers how to create, deploy, and manage applications hosted in Docker containers. The book starts with a clear explanation of the Docker model of virtualization, comparing this approach to the traditional hypervisor model. Developers will learn how to package applications in containers, including specific techniques for testing and distributing applications via Docker Hub and other registries. Readers will learn how to take advantage of the Linux OS features that Docker uses to run programs securely, and how to manage shared resources. Using carefully-designed examples, the book teaches you how to orchestrate containers and applications from installation to removal. Along the way, you'll learn techniques for using Docker on systems ranging from your personal dev-and-test machine to full-scale cloud deployments.
Docker in Action teaches readers how to create, deploy, and manage applications hosted in Docker containers. The book starts with a clear explanation of the Docker model of virtualization, comparing this approach to the traditional hypervisor model. Developers will learn how to package applications in containers, including specific techniques for testing and distributing applications via Docker Hub and other registries. Readers will learn how to take advantage of the Linux OS features that Docker uses to run programs securely, and how to manage shared resources. Using carefully-designed examples, the book teaches you how to orchestrate containers and applications from installation to removal. Along the way, you'll learn techniques for using Docker on systems ranging from your personal dev-and-test machine to full-scale cloud deployments.
304 pages, ebook
First published December 31, 2015
59 people are currently reading
457 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
June 15, 2016
Not sure what exactly was wrong but after reading first part of the book i was lost. mostly by how docker and container was described. But that could be only me.
as for the rest of the book, it contains lots of examples... good for a blog post. i would rather see some real life example where this can help and how this can solve our problem, than how to set up wordpress on my local machine.
Side note, i don't quite like Manning Publications as they are having source code as image in ebooks - so they can do annotation. this is causing that some part of the book are hard to read.
as for the rest of the book, it contains lots of examples... good for a blog post. i would rather see some real life example where this can help and how this can solve our problem, than how to set up wordpress on my local machine.
Side note, i don't quite like Manning Publications as they are having source code as image in ebooks - so they can do annotation. this is causing that some part of the book are hard to read.
April 16, 2016
This book is enough to put you in action, but it won't make you running :)
The best thing about it is that it doesn't stop at single container level & it introduces tools that operate on the higher level of abstraction: Compose, Machine & Swarm. Other thing worth mentioning is some hints for common problems with dockerizing infrastructure: persistence (data, storage) & service discovery.
What is lacking then? Examples are far too simple & limited. This book just screams for more practical samples (patterns even) & scenarios. Even if it provides you the foundation to work things out on your own, some practical reference would be more than welcome.
To summarize: it's a good resource on Docker. Solid 3-3.5 stars.
The best thing about it is that it doesn't stop at single container level & it introduces tools that operate on the higher level of abstraction: Compose, Machine & Swarm. Other thing worth mentioning is some hints for common problems with dockerizing infrastructure: persistence (data, storage) & service discovery.
What is lacking then? Examples are far too simple & limited. This book just screams for more practical samples (patterns even) & scenarios. Even if it provides you the foundation to work things out on your own, some practical reference would be more than welcome.
To summarize: it's a good resource on Docker. Solid 3-3.5 stars.
February 5, 2017
A great read and excellent reference for best-practice approaches in building and running Docker images; unlike most of the reviewers of the book, this hasn't been my first introduction to Docker, having worked with it for well over a year now and also having read other materials on the subject. What this book had that other sources lacked was succinctly written experience-backed when, what and why's that were fun to read to boot.
September 22, 2024
Although I usually don't look at reviews before reading a book, I did it this time. There was quite a lot of negative comments which weakened my confidence if "Docker in Action" is an appropriate resource for me. Now I'm much more experienced (I've read the book!) and my confidence is back - this was a good decision :)
I've been using Docker for years, just like vast majority of software engineers these days. I read one short book about Docker and watched a few tutorials / videos. However, I have never really dived deeper into more complex areas of containerizations. That was my goal for this book - gain broad and systematic knowledge about Docker. Honestly, the book didn't disappoint me.
Docker in Action consists of three parts. Each subsequent one adds further layers of abstraction and complexity. First, we receive the fundamental knowledge about Docker and its benefits and building blocks (volumes, networks etc). Part two is going a few steps further - packaging software, docker files, container layers. The last part is rather about services and orchestration than individual containers.
I really enjoyed authors' ability to describe knowledge and select examples that were neither too simple nor too difficult. They were able to skillfully explain topics I wanted to learn most of all - like Docker networks, layers or configuration / secrets.
Unfortunately, the darker the forest, the less dense the content became. The orchestration chapters were in my option the worst. I mean, they weren't really so bad but the problem I had was the complexity of the topic. You can't provide detailed and sufficient knowledge in only chapter for issues that could be literally wrapped in a huge and separate book.
I have this thought in the end, that this is a repeating pattern I've noticed in many books. Abstraction and shortening are hard. Usually (and logically!), the more limited the content, the better for its quality.
Anyway, that was a pleasant read. Good job!
I've been using Docker for years, just like vast majority of software engineers these days. I read one short book about Docker and watched a few tutorials / videos. However, I have never really dived deeper into more complex areas of containerizations. That was my goal for this book - gain broad and systematic knowledge about Docker. Honestly, the book didn't disappoint me.
Docker in Action consists of three parts. Each subsequent one adds further layers of abstraction and complexity. First, we receive the fundamental knowledge about Docker and its benefits and building blocks (volumes, networks etc). Part two is going a few steps further - packaging software, docker files, container layers. The last part is rather about services and orchestration than individual containers.
I really enjoyed authors' ability to describe knowledge and select examples that were neither too simple nor too difficult. They were able to skillfully explain topics I wanted to learn most of all - like Docker networks, layers or configuration / secrets.
Unfortunately, the darker the forest, the less dense the content became. The orchestration chapters were in my option the worst. I mean, they weren't really so bad but the problem I had was the complexity of the topic. You can't provide detailed and sufficient knowledge in only chapter for issues that could be literally wrapped in a huge and separate book.
I have this thought in the end, that this is a repeating pattern I've noticed in many books. Abstraction and shortening are hard. Usually (and logically!), the more limited the content, the better for its quality.
Anyway, that was a pleasant read. Good job!
September 30, 2017
This is a decent book, for sure, also well illustrated. But it's more a reference book than an "in action" one. It's feature-oriented, rather than usage-oriented, and it would be appreciated if more opiniated advices were given. From a development perspective, it missed pieces about dockerability of the applications.
Ma note de lecture en Français ici
Ma note de lecture en Français ici
February 5, 2017
A readable overview of how Docker works and how you can use it. The bulk of the book is about using and modifying existing docker images, but it also covers custom images, compose, swarm, and machine.
If you have been wanting to learn about Docker but haven't found the time to understand what it is and why it can be useful, this book is a good place to start.
If you have been wanting to learn about Docker but haven't found the time to understand what it is and why it can be useful, this book is a good place to start.
March 7, 2021
This book is good to give the big picture and introduce the concepts, and for me it is rich of professional hints, but its examples are as-toy examples that haven’t run anything resembling the real world. The practical side of the book is not useful for real-world situations, it might be handy just for illustrating and testing concepts with the corresponding commands.
August 24, 2019
Just a good intro.
May 15, 2021
At the time I decided to read this book, I already had some personal experience with the basic capabilities of Docker. I had used it to perform testing with Dockerised environments etc. I was looking for a book that would help me get a deeper understanding of some of the implementation details of Docker hoping that would help me use it more effectively and spend less time going through Stackoverflow questions and blogs each time I was having a hard time achieving what I wanted. I think the book filled this gap very well. It gives a nice overview of the various parts of Docker with a good deep dive on the various parts (e.g. volumes, networking etc.), how they are designed and what this means for you as a user. It also contains a small section in the end with a brief introduction on how you can use clustered Docker environments using Docker Machine and Swarm. That last part doesn't go into great detail, so that's something to keep in mind if that's what you're looking to get from the book.
Sometimes, some concepts (e.g. chroot, union filesystems, MNT namespaces) were mentioned without being fully explained and people without enough low-level knowledge might get confused, but I would say spending a few minutes reading the corresponding Wikipedia pages would give one the necessary background to follow along.
Sometimes, some concepts (e.g. chroot, union filesystems, MNT namespaces) were mentioned without being fully explained and people without enough low-level knowledge might get confused, but I would say spending a few minutes reading the corresponding Wikipedia pages would give one the necessary background to follow along.
May 31, 2020
This is a good and easy read that'll help one to get a grasp of the Docker fundamentals. One of the difficulties I had when initially learning Docker was how things worked and why some seemingly quirky Docker behavior actually makes sense. This book explains it, in plain English, and without pretending that it made sense to begin with.
This is one of the most useful Docker books I've read thus far.
This makes sense when you consider the mechanics at work. The link mechanism injects IP addresses into dependent containers, and containers that aren’t running don’t have IP addresses. If you tried to start a container that has a dependency on a container that isn’t running, Docker wouldn’t have an IP address to inject. In chapter 5, you’ll learn to connect containers with user-defined bridge networks to avoid this particular dependency problem. The key point here is that Docker will try to resolve a container’s dependencies before creating or starting a container to avoid application runtime failures.
This is one of the most useful Docker books I've read thus far.
Read
January 21, 2020It was really enjoyable to read this about.
I read this about because I wanted to use Docker images inside our CI/CD pipelines, the book is really informative and the writer strives to cover different aspects of Docker, from the basic concept to a topic more advanced such as Docker Swarm.
The thing that makes this book so different is the recipe that the writer followed to covered a sophisticated idea. At first, the writer introduces the basic command to achieve the desired result. Then, he will show a proper way, more specifically a way to automate this boring task!
After reading this book, you will not only gain a deep understanding of the docker itself but also you will grasp a general idea of any kind of orchestrator.
I read this about because I wanted to use Docker images inside our CI/CD pipelines, the book is really informative and the writer strives to cover different aspects of Docker, from the basic concept to a topic more advanced such as Docker Swarm.
The thing that makes this book so different is the recipe that the writer followed to covered a sophisticated idea. At first, the writer introduces the basic command to achieve the desired result. Then, he will show a proper way, more specifically a way to automate this boring task!
After reading this book, you will not only gain a deep understanding of the docker itself but also you will grasp a general idea of any kind of orchestrator.
February 9, 2018
The author gives a good motivation for the use of Docker containers in both personal and professional uses and gives details on usage beginning with basic command line image/container creation all the way up to using Docker Machine and provision servers and Docker Swarm to run jobs in a cluster.
Not much is said about the actual implementation of Docker, which would have been interesting but would have made it a very long book. This one is very practical and immediately usable.
Not much is said about the actual implementation of Docker, which would have been interesting but would have made it a very long book. This one is very practical and immediately usable.
Read
December 23, 2020Среднего размера книга, рассказывающая о работе с Docker'ом в различных аспектах. Достаточно внимания уделено устройству самого механизма, сетевым соединениям, безопасности и созданию кластеров контейнеров. О последнем рассказывает в рамках технологии Docker Swarm, о чём автор предупреждает в самом начале книги. Выбор технологии для создания кластеров контейнеров обусловлен удобством объяснения основных механик.
September 10, 2020
This book walks you through Docker in a step-wise fashion. Before reading this book, I could create minimal Docker containers. I had very little in basics, but by the time I finished reading this book, I could do much more with Docker.
For anyone starting on Docker, this is the go-to book. You will be introduced to Docker the product, Docker the platform, containerization, and more.
For anyone starting on Docker, this is the go-to book. You will be introduced to Docker the product, Docker the platform, containerization, and more.
June 9, 2019
An easy to follow introduction to Docker that explains all the important parts to use it from your development environment up to production. The examples are to the point and help you to get a quick start with your own images.
August 9, 2020
Excellent book on Docker.
Part tutorial. Part reference manual.
The exercises are excellent.
By the end of the book you will be comfortable using Docker. You won't know everything, but you'll know all the important bits and know where to look to find the rest.
Part tutorial. Part reference manual.
The exercises are excellent.
By the end of the book you will be comfortable using Docker. You won't know everything, but you'll know all the important bits and know where to look to find the rest.
May 4, 2017
Geared towards a more "beginners in Docker" audience, the book is doing its job rather well with lots of concepts being presented and described.
November 18, 2017
Very thorough introduction on Docker. Great examples to guide you step by step to make sure you understand each concept. Clear writing with good structure. Highly recommended to Docker beginners.
April 17, 2018
A bit outdated
December 11, 2018
Книга помогла понять зачем мне docker нужен. Теперь проще читать документацию.
April 20, 2019
Better than I expected! A lot packed into a small book. Information rich, and easy to digest. Some of which I didn't find anywhere else.
July 1, 2019
A helpful resource for using Docker to containerize software.
March 29, 2020
An OK intro, little outdated.
April 21, 2020
Reading the second edition, from Oct 2019
March 21, 2021
Audio version of the book is pointless. You need to see the source code and go through examples.
It is outdated as well.
It is outdated as well.
August 29, 2023
It's a decent book for learning docker.
July 6, 2024
This is a really good book to bootstrap your experience in virtualization. This book is hands-on and practical and will set you up for the next level, which is container orchestration.
March 16, 2017
In this book, he goes from zero to Docker, shows prac- tices of deploying Docker in production, and demonstrates many features of Docker with comprehensive descriptions and comparisons of various ways of achieving the same task.
November 29, 2021
This is an intelligent and detailed review of Docker’s features. Especially found chapter 7.2 in my edition called “Going Deep on Docker Images and Layers” to be an insightful learning that I will certainly use.
May 3, 2016
I'm three chapters short of finishing “Docker in Action.” Usually, I finish a book before reviewing it but I wanted to get my review in before the coderanch.com book promotion for this title.
Anyway, good book. It covers the concepts well in addition to providing examples you can easily follow along with and best practices. There was even a scavenger hunt activity to get you familiar with search. I also liked the disclaimers about chaning tech and how to excuse the poor passwordss “suppose the DBA is a cat lover and hates strong passwords”
My favorite chapter was chapter 9 (which is online for free at Manning's site). In addition to explaining different models, it had a comparison table on how each hosting mechanism scores on various attributes with notes on each. It also had a great diagram for each. My second favorite chapter was chapter 8 which covers each of the instructions for a docker file.
So what prevented me from giving a perfect score? Little things. There's a reference to Appendix B, but no Appendix. I'd have liked a comparison of all the models (without notes) in Chapter 9. There were some forward references that confused me. Nothing terrible, but I can't give a perfect star rating. I still recommend you buy the book. It's great for getting started with Docker or learning about best practices.
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Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for writing this review on behalf of CodeRanch.
Anyway, good book. It covers the concepts well in addition to providing examples you can easily follow along with and best practices. There was even a scavenger hunt activity to get you familiar with search. I also liked the disclaimers about chaning tech and how to excuse the poor passwordss “suppose the DBA is a cat lover and hates strong passwords”
My favorite chapter was chapter 9 (which is online for free at Manning's site). In addition to explaining different models, it had a comparison table on how each hosting mechanism scores on various attributes with notes on each. It also had a great diagram for each. My second favorite chapter was chapter 8 which covers each of the instructions for a docker file.
So what prevented me from giving a perfect score? Little things. There's a reference to Appendix B, but no Appendix. I'd have liked a comparison of all the models (without notes) in Chapter 9. There were some forward references that confused me. Nothing terrible, but I can't give a perfect star rating. I still recommend you buy the book. It's great for getting started with Docker or learning about best practices.
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Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for writing this review on behalf of CodeRanch.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews