Docker Compendium: From Practitioner to Expert

21 articles

Master Docker internals, optimization patterns, and production best practices. For developers who use Docker daily but want deeper understanding of what's happening under the hood. Not a beginner series - we assume you can write Dockerfiles and use docker-compose. Learn what namespaces and cgroups really do, why your builds are slow, how to debug containers that crash, and how to run Docker in production like a pro.

series: docker-compendium 21 published articles
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How to Use This Series

Navigate the Docker Compendium effectively based on your goals

DockerIntroduction
June 10, 2026
13 min
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Container Internals: What's Really Running

Understand namespaces, cgroups, and what happens during docker run

CgroupsDockerLinux+1 more
June 10, 2026
18 min
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Image Anatomy: Layers, Manifests & Registry

Deep dive into image layers, content-addressable storage, and multi-arch

DockerImagesRegistry
June 10, 2026
19 min
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Build Process Deep Dive

Master BuildKit, build stages, and cache mechanics

BuildkitDockerOptimization
June 10, 2026
20 min
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Networking Internals

Bridge, overlay networks, iptables, and DNS resolution

DnsDockerNetworking
June 10, 2026
21 min
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Dockerfile Optimization Patterns

Layer ordering, cache strategies, and size reduction

DockerDockerfileOptimization
June 10, 2026
19 min
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Multi-Stage Builds: Beyond Basics

Advanced multi-stage patterns, secrets, and testing stages

DockerDockerfileMulti-stage
June 10, 2026
18 min
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Base Image Selection & Security

Choosing base images, Alpine pitfalls, vulnerability scanning

AlpineDistrolessDocker+1 more
June 10, 2026
17 min
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ARG, ENV & Build-Time Configuration

Build args vs env vars, secrets management patterns

ConfigurationDockerSecrets
June 10, 2026
15 min
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Container Resource Management

Memory limits, CPU allocation, OOM killer, JVM tuning

CgroupsCpuDocker+1 more
June 10, 2026
17 min
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