101 — Your First Docker Container

Learn Docker fundamentals by running your first container, understanding images vs containers, and exploring basic Docker commands.

Learning Objectives

Understand what containers are

Pull and run your first Docker image

Interact with running containers

View container logs and status

Step 1

Verify Docker installation

Before we start, let's make sure Docker is properly installed and running on your system.

Commands to Run

docker --version

docker info

What This Does

The first command checks your Docker version. The `docker info` command displays system-wide information including the number of containers and images.

Expected Outcome

You should see: - Docker version (e.g., Docker version 24.x.x) - System information showing Docker is running

Pro Tips

1
If Docker isn't running, start Docker Desktop (Mac/Windows) or the Docker daemon (Linux)
2
On Linux, you might need to use `sudo` before docker commands

Common Mistakes to Avoid

⚠️Trying to run Docker commands when Docker Desktop isn't running
⚠️Forgetting to add your user to the docker group on Linux