8.1 Getting Started

From Zero to Container Hero

Before you can start building amazing containerized applications, you need the right tools installed. This section will get you up and running with container platforms on any operating system - and help you choose the best option for your use case.

Think of this as setting up your workshop before building something amazing. We’ll cover multiple platforms because different scenarios call for different tools.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this section, you will:

• Install Docker or Podman on your preferred operating system

• Understand the licensing implications of different container platforms

• Configure your development environment for optimal container workflows

• Verify your installation works correctly with a simple test

• Choose the right container platform for your needs

Prerequisites: Administrative access to your computer, basic command-line knowledge

Choosing Your Platform

Docker vs Podman: The Decision Matrix

Criteria	Docker	Podman	Recommendation
Learning	Excellent documentation	Good documentation	Docker for beginners
Security	Requires daemon (root)	Rootless by default	Podman for security-first
Compatibility	Industry standard	Docker-compatible	Docker for compatibility
Enterprise Use	License required >250 employees	Always free	Podman for enterprise
Windows/Mac	Docker Desktop available	Limited support	Docker for desktop dev
Linux Production	Good	Excellent	Podman for prod servers

Quick Decision Guide:

• Individual developers or small teams: Docker (simpler to start)

• Large enterprises: Podman (licensing and security benefits)

• Security-focused environments: Podman (rootless operation)

• Windows/Mac development: Docker Desktop (better integration)

• Linux production servers: Podman (lightweight, secure)

Docker Installation Guide

Windows Installation

Warning

Commercial License Notice: Docker Desktop requires a paid subscription for commercial use in organizations with >250 employees OR >$10M annual revenue. For enterprise use, consult your IT department or consider Podman.

Prerequisites for Windows:

• Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education (64-bit)

• WSL 2 or Hyper-V support

• 4GB system RAM

Step-by-step Installation:

1. Download Docker Desktop:

   Visit https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop and download the installer

2. Choose your backend during installation:

   • WSL 2 (Recommended): Better performance, lower resource usage

   • Hyper-V: Traditional virtualization, requires Windows Pro/Enterprise

3. Install and restart:

   # After installation, verify in PowerShell:
   docker --version
   docker run hello-world
   

4. Configure for development:

   • Enable WSL integration: Settings → Resources → WSL Integration

   • Adjust resource limits: Settings → Resources → Advanced

   • Configure file sharing: Settings → Resources → File Sharing

macOS Installation

Two Options Available:

1. Docker Desktop (Recommended for beginners):

   # Download from docker.com or use Homebrew:
   brew install --cask docker
   
   # Start Docker Desktop from Applications
   # Verify installation:
   docker --version
   docker run hello-world
   

2. Command-line only (Advanced users):

   # Using Homebrew:
   brew install docker
   brew install docker-compose
   
   # Note: Requires separate Docker Machine or remote Docker daemon
   

Linux Installation (Ubuntu/Debian Example)

Method 1: Official Docker Installation

# Remove old versions
sudo apt-get remove docker docker-engine docker.io containerd runc

# Update package index
sudo apt-get update

# Install prerequisites
sudo apt-get install \
    ca-certificates \
    curl \
    gnupg \
    lsb-release

# Add Docker's official GPG key
sudo mkdir -m 0755 -p /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

# Set up repository
echo \
  "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
  $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

# Install Docker Engine
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

# Add your user to docker group (logout/login required)
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

# Verify installation
docker run hello-world

Method 2: Convenience Script (Development Only)

# Quick installation for development environments
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
sudo sh get-docker.sh

# Add user to docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

Podman Installation Guide

Why Choose Podman?

• Daemon-less: No background service required

• Rootless: Enhanced security by default

• Drop-in replacement: Most Docker commands work identically

• OCI compliant: Works with Kubernetes and other container orchestrators

Linux Installation

Ubuntu/Debian:

# Ubuntu 20.10 and newer
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get -y install podman

# For older Ubuntu versions:
echo "deb https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/devel:/kubic:/libcontainers:/stable/xUbuntu_$(lsb_release -rs)/ /" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/devel:kubic:libcontainers:stable.list
curl -L "https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/devel:/kubic:/libcontainers:/stable/xUbuntu_$(lsb_release -rs)/Release.key" | sudo apt-key add -
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get -y install podman

RHEL/CentOS/Fedora:

# Fedora
sudo dnf install podman

# RHEL 8/CentOS 8
sudo dnf install podman

# CentOS 7
sudo yum install podman

macOS Installation:

# Using Homebrew
brew install podman

# Initialize and start Podman machine
podman machine init
podman machine start

# Verify installation
podman run hello-world

Windows Installation:

Podman on Windows requires WSL 2:

# Install via Windows Package Manager
winget install RedHat.Podman

# Or download from GitHub releases
# https://github.com/containers/podman/releases

Post-Installation Setup

Verification Tests

Run these commands to verify your installation works correctly:

# Test 1: Version check
docker --version  # or: podman --version

# Test 2: Hello World
docker run hello-world  # or: podman run hello-world

# Test 3: Interactive container
docker run -it ubuntu:latest /bin/bash  # or: podman run...

# Test 4: Resource check
docker system info  # or: podman system info

Development Environment Optimization

Configure Resource Limits:

# For Docker Desktop - adjust in GUI settings
# Memory: 4GB minimum, 8GB recommended
# CPU: 2 cores minimum, 4 cores recommended
# Disk: 64GB minimum for serious development

Set Up Command Aliases:

# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
alias d='docker'
alias dc='docker-compose'
alias dps='docker ps'
alias di='docker images'

# For Podman users who want Docker compatibility
alias docker='podman'
alias docker-compose='podman-compose'

Enable Completion:

# Docker completion (Bash)
curl -fLo ~/.docker-completion.bash \
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/docker/docker-ce/master/components/cli/contrib/completion/bash/docker
echo 'source ~/.docker-completion.bash' >> ~/.bashrc

# Podman completion
podman completion bash | sudo tee /etc/bash_completion.d/podman

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions:

Docker Desktop won’t start on Windows:

# Check WSL 2 status
wsl --list --verbose

# Update WSL 2 if needed
wsl --update

# Restart Docker Desktop service
net stop com.docker.service
net start com.docker.service

Permission denied errors on Linux:

# Add user to docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

# Logout and login again, or run:
newgrp docker

# Verify group membership
groups $USER

Podman rootless configuration:

# Set up user namespaces
echo "$USER:100000:65536" | sudo tee /etc/subuid
echo "$USER:100000:65536" | sudo tee /etc/subgid

# Restart user session
podman system migrate

Performance issues:

# Clean up unused resources
docker system prune -a  # or: podman system prune -a

# Check resource usage
docker system df  # or: podman system df

# Monitor running containers
docker stats  # or: podman stats

Next Steps

Now that you have a container platform installed, you’re ready to:

1. Run your first container in the next section

2. Learn container basics with hands-on examples

3. Build your own container images using Dockerfiles

4. Orchestrate multi-container applications with Docker Compose

Tip

Pro Tip: Start with the platform you installed and don’t worry about trying both immediately. Docker and Podman commands are nearly identical, so skills transfer easily between them.