**Course Title:** Mastering Development Environments **Section Title:** Containerization with Docker **Topic:** Installing Docker and setting up your first container **Introduction:** In the previous topic, we explored the basics of containerization and its benefits. Now, it's time to dive deeper into the world of Docker, a popular containerization platform. In this topic, we will guide you through the process of installing Docker and setting up your first container. **Installing Docker:** Before we begin, make sure you have the necessary system requirements. Docker supports various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. Here are the installation instructions for each platform: * **Windows:** Install Docker Desktop for Windows (https://docs.docker.com/docker-for-windows/install/) * **macOS:** Install Docker Desktop for Mac (https://docs.docker.com/docker-for-mac/install/) * **Linux:** Install Docker Engine on Linux (https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/) Follow the instructions on the Docker website to download and install the Docker software. Once installed, verify that Docker is running by opening a terminal or command prompt and typing: ```bash docker --version ``` This should display the version of Docker installed on your system. **Setting up your first container:** Now that Docker is installed, let's create a container from a Docker image. A Docker image is a pre-built package that contains the code and dependencies required to run a specific application. We'll use the official Ubuntu image as an example. 1. **Pull the Ubuntu image:** ```bash docker pull ubuntu ``` This command downloads the latest Ubuntu image from Docker Hub, a public registry for Docker images. 2. **Run the Ubuntu container:** ```bash docker run -it ubuntu /bin/bash ``` This command creates a new container from the Ubuntu image and runs it interactively. The `-it` flag allocates a pseudo-TTY and keeps the container running even after you exit. You should now see a bash prompt inside the Ubuntu container. From here, you can explore the container's file system, install packages, or execute commands. **Interactive Shell vs. Detached Mode:** When you run a container using `docker run`, you can specify whether you want to run it in interactive shell mode (using `-it`) or detached mode (using `-d`). * **Interactive Shell Mode:** This mode allows you to interact with the container's shell, making it ideal for debugging or exploring the container's file system. * **Detached Mode:** This mode runs the container in the background, allowing you to continue using your terminal or command prompt for other tasks. **Key Concepts:** * Docker images are pre-built packages that contain the code and dependencies required to run a specific application. * Containers are instances of Docker images, providing a isolated environment for running applications. * Docker Hub is a public registry for Docker images, providing access to a vast library of pre-built images. **Practical Takeaways:** * Install Docker on your system to take advantage of containerization. * Use `docker pull` to download Docker images from Docker Hub or other registries. * Use `docker run` to create and run containers from Docker images. * Use `-it` for interactive shell mode and `-d` for detached mode when running containers. **What's Next:** In the next topic, we'll explore how to create your own Dockerfiles and use Docker Compose to manage multiple containers. This will help you take your containerization skills to the next level and build complex applications with ease. **Comments and Questions:** If you have any questions or need help with installing Docker or setting up your first container, please leave a comment below. We'd be happy to assist you.