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As software development is moving towards automation, good knowledge, and experience about the Docker could be very valuable for your career, especially in 2024.
The latest stats and figures show some amazing numbers like jobs requiring these skill sets pay higher than most of the jobs posted on public job boards within the US and annual salaries for professionals could be as high as $100,000.
That is one of the main reasons why programmers should learn Docker in 2024 and take their career to the next level and nothing is better than starting with some free courses.
I have been sharing some free resources, like books and courses, for quite some time like free online courses/books on Java, Spring, Kotlin, DevOps, Eclipse, Jenkins, Rails, PHP, and MySQL, Oracle, Linux, etc.
In this article, I am going to share 10 free Docker online courses you can use to learn the Docker and Containerization of applications, btw, if you don't mind spending a few bucks on learning a valuable tool like Docker, then I also recommend you to check out Docker & Kubernetes: The Practical Guide course by AcadMind on Udemy. It's one of the best and most up-to-date courses to learn Docker in 2024.
As I said, Docker and containers are a whole new way of developing and delivering applications and the IT infrastructure, and here is my list of some of the free courses Java developers can use to learn Docker.
10 Best Free Courses to Learn Docker for Beginners in 2024
Here is my list of some of the best, free courses to learn Docker in 2024. They are an excellent resource for both beginners and experienced developers.
1. Docker Essentials
If you have heard all the buzz around Docker and containers and are wondering what they are and how to get started using them, then this course is for you.
In this course, you will learn how to install Docker, configure it for use on your local system, clone and work with Docker images, instantiate containers, mount host volumes, redirect ports, and understand how to manage images and containers.
After completing the course you should be able to implement containers in your projects/environment while having a firm understanding of their use cases, both for and against.
In short, one of the best courses for developers and DevOps Engineers who want to learn basics, like what Docker containers are and how to use them in their environment.
2. Introduction to Containers w/ Docker, Kubernetes & OpenShift
The "Introduction to Containers w/ Docker, Kubernetes & OpenShift" course by IBM on Coursera, taught by instructors Alex Parker and Upkar Lidder, offers a comprehensive exploration of container tools and technologies.
With 76,297 students already enrolled, the course is part of multiple programs like the IBM Applied DevOps Engineering Professional Certificate and IBM Full Stack Software Developer Professional Certificate, it is taught in English, with some content potentially not translated.
The curriculum, with a 4.4 rating from 659 reviews, covers essential skills for building cloud-native applications using Docker, Kubernetes, OpenShift, and Istio.
You will gain expertise in describing and leveraging Kubernetes architecture, creating YAML deployment files, and configuring resources in a declarative way.
The course, available as part of Coursera Career Certificates, comprises five modules, offering hands-on projects and insights from industry experts.
It is also included with Coursera Plus, providing learners with a flexible schedule and the ability to progress at their own pace through approximately 13 hours of content.
You will acquire skills in Openshift, Docker, Kubernetes, Containers, and Cloud Native, earning a shareable career certificate from IBM.
The course is designed for intermediate-level learners and is ideal for software development, DevOps, cloud architects, and various other roles, meeting the increasing demand for containerization skills in the tech industry.
Here is the link to join this course - Introduction to Containers w/ Docker, Kubernetes & OpenShift
3. Understanding Docker and Using it for Selenium Automation
This is another good course to learn and understand the basics of Docker while automating Selenium test cases for your project.
The course is specially designed for DevOps engineers, automation guys, testers, and developers.
The course is divided into three main parts: Introduction of Docker, Docker Compose, and Selenium Grid with Docker.
The three sections are independent of each other and you can learn in parallel or switch back and forth.
4. Docker - A Beginner's Tutorials
This is one of the best sources to learn the big picture of Docker and containerization. If you know a little bit about virtualization, networking, and cloud computing, then you can join this course.
It provides a good introduction to the current software development trend and what problems Docker solves.
In short, this is a good course for Software and IT architects, Programmers, IT administrator and anyone who want to understand the role of Docker in current world application development.
5. Containers 101
Dockers and containers are a whole new way of developing and delivering applications and IT infrastructure.
This course will cover Docker and containers, container registries, container orchestration, understanding if this will work for the enterprise, and how to prepare yourself for it.
In short, a good course for anyone who wants to get up to speed with containers and Docker.
6. Docker Swarm: Native Docker Clustering
Managing Docker at scale is the next challenge facing IT. This course, Docker Swarm: Native Docker Clustering, will teach you everything you need to know about Docker Swarm, the native solution for managing Docker environments at scale.
It's a good course for Developers, Networking Teams, DevOps Engineers, and Networking infrastructure teams.
This was a paid course earlier on Udemy, but it's free for a limited time. Join this course before it becomes paid again.
7. Docker Course Made for Developers
Whether or not you're a Developer, anyone who works with code or servers will boost their productivity with Docker's open app-building platform.
In this course, you will learn how to use Docker products, like Docker Toolbox, Docker Client, Docker Machine, Docker Compose, Kinematic, and Docker Cloud.
You will also learn how to work with images and containers, how to get your project running, and how to push it to the cloud, among other important lessons.
8. Docker on Windows 10 and Server 2016
If you are thinking of learning how to use Docker on Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 then this is the right course for you.
In this course, you will understand what Docker On Windows is all about and how Docker on Windows is the same as Linux Containers.
You will also learn Hyper-V, namespace isolation, and server containers in depth.
9. Deploying Containerized Applications Technical Overview
Docker has become the de facto standard for defining and running containers in the Linux operating system. Kubernetes is Red Hat's choice for container orchestration.
OpenShift, built upon Docker, Kubernetes, and other open source software projects, provides Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) for the ultimate in deploying applications within containers.
This is an Official Red Hat course about containers using Docker running on Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
In this course, Jim Rigsbee, a curriculum architect for Red Hat Training, will introduce you to container technology using Docker running on Red Hat Enterprise Linux
10. Docker Deep Dive Free Trial
As the title suggests this is a great course to learn Docker in-depth. It provides a good experience for core Docker technologies, including the Docker Engine, Images, Containers, Registries, Networking, Storage, and more.
You will also learn theory and all concepts are demonstrated on the command line.
And the best part of this course is that no prior knowledge of Docker or Linux is required.
11. Docker and Containers: The Big Picture Free Trial
In this course, you'll learn how this is going to impact you as an individual as well as the teams and organizations you work for.
This course will cover Docker and containers, container registries, container orchestration, whether this stuff is for the enterprise, and how to prepare yourself for it.
These two courses from Pluralsight are not free; you need a Pluralsight membership to get this course, and monthly membership costs around $29, and an annual membership costs around $299.
I know, we all love free stuff, but you will not only get access to this course but over 7000 courses as well, so it's the money well spent.
I have an annual membership because I have to learn a lot of new stuff all the time. Even if you are not a member, you can get this course for free by signing a free trial. Pluralsight provides 10-day free trial with no obligation.
That's all about some of the best free Docker container courses for Java developers. It's one of the essential skills if you are developing a mobile application or web application hence, I suggest every application developer learn Docker in 2024. You will not only learn an essential skill but also take your career to the next level, given the high demand for a Docker specialist and developer who knows Docker.
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P.S. --- If you don't mind spending a few bucks for something worth learning then Docker for the Absolute Beginner --- Hands-On --- DevOps is another course I recommend. It's not free and I'll also get paid if you do a non-free course but this is one of the best I have come across when learning Docker.
