My Favorite Courses to Learn Docker and Containers in Depth

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Hello devs, if you want to learn Docker and containers and looking for the best Docker Courses for DevOps and developers point of view, then you have come to the right place. Earlier, I shared free DevOps courses and Docker courses, and in this article, I will share the best Docker online courses for Software Engineers and DevOps.

For Software Developer, Docker is a game-changer as it completely revolutionize how you deploy your applications on physical boxes and on cloud.

Docker is also emerging rapidly, and it's now one of the most essential tools for all kinds of programmers, and there are reasons for it like Docker makes both development and deployment easier. 

One of the key advantage of using Docker is that you can deploy any kind of Microservices in the same way. It also makes scaling your services easier using Kubernetes. You can further read my earlier post, why every developer should learn Docker to learn more about the advantages of Docker for both the development and development of modern software and the cloud computing world.  

At the same time, learning Docker can be a challenge if you are a beginner or have never used Docker before, but with proper guidance and the right resources, you can easily understand Docker. Once you know the basic Docker concepts and commands, using with Java or any other programming language becomes easier.

By the way, learning Docker and Kubernetes is independent of Java, Python or any other programming language. Any programmer can use Docker to deploy their application as container and use Kubernetes to scale their application.

That's why I also suggest you to first start with a generic but comprehensive course like Docker & Kubernetes: The Practical Guide [2023 Edition] and then move to a specific course where you will learn how to deploy Python, Java and Spring boot app using Docker and Kubernetes.

This 23-.5 hour long Docker course by AcadMind and Maximillian Schwarzmuller is also the best Docker course on Udemy and I highly recommend it both beginner and experienced developers.

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10 Best Online Courses to Learn Docker and Containers in 2023
Without wasting any more of your time, here is my list of best Docker courses for Software developers and DevOps. The list includes the best Docker courses from Udemy, Pluralsight, Educative, and other popular online learning portals.

It also provides beginner and advanced Docker courses to suites the needs of beginner and experienced Java developers. You can also use these courses to prepare for Docker certification like DCA (Docker certified Associate) and other Docker exams.

1. Docker for the Absolute Beginner - Hands-On - DevOps - Udemy

This is one of the best docker online course at Udemy. This course is designed for those individuals who are absolute beginners in docker. The instructor starts with beginner-level knowledge and then gradually moves to the next level of docker concepts.

The course covers all important concepts such as docker commands, docker run, docker images, docker-compose, docker engine, security, and networking.

Requirements
1. Basic system administrator skills

The instructor of this course is one of the best-selling instructors at Udemy. More than sixty-seven thousand students have enrolled in this course.

Here is the link to join this course - Docker for the Absolute Beginner - Hands-On - DevOps

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2. Docker - Introducing Docker Essentials, Containers, and more - Udemy

This is another high-rated docker course at Udemy. Although the course covers all necessary docker concepts the author primarily focuses on creating and running docker containers. Other important concepts covered in this course are docker images, docker-compose, and docker swarm.

Requirements
1. Basic Linux and system operations.
2. Understanding of basic web development.
3. Github experience (optional)

The instructor explains every concept in detail without any rush. It is a six hours long course. So if you are interested in learning these concepts in-depth, you should go for this course.

Here is the link to join this course - Docker - Introducing Docker Essentials, Containers, and more

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3. Introduction to Docker: Build Your Own Portfolio Site - Coursera

This is a guided project at Coursera. In this guided project, the individual will learn how to use the docker client to communicate with the service and how to carry out various operations. It will guide you to use the docker services in the real-world environment.

The main goal of this guided project is to create a real-world application using a docker container.

This course/project is for beginners. The course is divided into several tasks. Each task will guide you a step further in creating a real-world application using the docker container.

Requirements
1. Basic knowledge of docker is recommended

Here is the link to join this course - Introduction to Docker: Build Your Own Portfolio Site

By the way, If you are planning to join multiple Coursera courses or specializations then consider taking the Coursera Plus subscription which provides you unlimited access to their most popular courses, specialization, professional certificate, and guided projects. It cost around $399/year but it's completely worth your money as you get unlimited certificates.

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4. Docker Deep Dive by Nigel Poulton - Pluralsight

This is the best docker course available at Pluralsight. In this course, the instructor dives deep in a docker container and tries to explain every necessary concept. The students will learn how to start with Docker in this course. The instructor Nigel Poulton who is Docker captain himself also focuses on Kubernetes foundations.

The main aim of this course is to prepare individuals for the Docker Certified Associate (DCA) examination. The course is nearly five hours long and it is an intermediate-level course.

Requirements
1. Basic Knowledge of docker

Here is the link to join this course - Docker Deep Dive by Nigel Poulton

By the way, you would need a Pluralsight membership to join this course which costs around $29 per month or $299 per year (14% discount). I highly recommend this subscription to all programmers as it provides instant access to more than 7000+ online courses to learn any tech skill. Alternatively, you can also use their 10-day-free-trial to watch this course for FREE.

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5. Docker Certified Associate - Whizlabs

This is another one of the best course to learn docker at whizlabs. The course covers all the important docker concepts. It is divided into eleven modules, each containing video lectures.

These modules include concepts such as docker networking, docker images, docker storage, and volume, docker-compose, docker swarm, and security. Moreover, there are two more related courses with this course containing practice questions.

The total content of this course is six hours and it is an intermediate-level course.

Requirements
1. Knowledge of docker

If you are preparing for Docker certified associate exam then or better preparation, you can also combine this course with Whizlabs Docker Certified Associate Practice Tests which you can use to build your speed and accuracy before the real exam. You can also use them to find your strong and weak areas and focus on them for a better score.

Here is the link to join this course - Docker Certified Associate - Whizlabs

If you are buying multiple courses and practice tests from Whizlabs then taking a Whizlabs subscription can save you some money. In just $99 per annum (50% discount now) you will get full access to all of their online training courses and practice tests for different certifications like AWS, Java, Cloud, Docker, and Kubernetes. I highly recommend this subscription plan as Whizlabs has the best materials to prepare for IT certifications.

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6. Docker for Java Developers [Best Udemy Course]

This course at Udemy is one of the most popular Docker with Java courses. It is for those individuals who want to learn Docker with Java programming language. Essential topics such as running docker containers, publishing docker images to docker hub, using docker swarm, using maven to create docker images, and many others are covered in this course.

This course is specifically for Java developers. It is a beginner-level course with total video content of ten hours.
Requirements

• Basic knowledge of Java. 
• Knowledge of Spring is recommended. 
• Basic knowledge of Linux.

Created by John Thompson, one of my favorite Udemy instructors and author of Spring Framework: Beginner to Guru, this is one of the best Udemy courses to learn Docker, and if you like John's teaching style, which is the right mix of theory and practical then you will love this course.

It's also very affordable, and you can buy in just $10 on Udemy sales which happen every now and then; check this course out might be happening right now.

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7. Master Docker with Java - DevOps for Spring Microservices [Udemy]

This is another best-selling docker with Java course at Udemy. In this course, the instructor explains how to use Docker with Java to run Java microservices. Several other important topics such as creating docker images for Java Spring boot, containerizing Java Spring Boot React full-stack application with Docker, using MySQL with Docker, docker commands, and docker architecture are covered in this course.

It is a beginner-level course with total video content of six and a half hours.

Requirements

• Basic knowledge of Java. 
• Basic knowledge of Spring Boot. 
• Basic knowledge of DevOps

This course was created by Ranga Karnam from In28Minutes, another great Java instructor on Udemy and author of excellent courses like Master Microservices with Spring Boot and Spring Cloud, one of the best to learn Microservices. Ranga has excellent knowledge of Docker, Cloud Computing, and Spring Framework.

 His teaching style makes it easy to learn these modern concepts; I highly recommend this course to any Java developer who wants to learn Docker in 2023.

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8. Play by Play: Docker for Java Developers [Best Pluralsight Course]

It is a play-by-play docker course at Java. It is one of the most popular Docker with Java courses at Pluralsight. In this course, java experts Arun Gupta and Michael Hoffman dive into the advanced docker concepts with Java. They cover many important concepts such as docker fundamentals, Docker Swarm, and docker-compose.

Again, It is a beginner and intermediate level course with total video content of nearly two hours.

Requirements\
Basic knowledge of Java.

The best thing about this Pluralsight Java and Docker course is that it's an unrehearsed and unscripted course, so you will actually learn how people use Docker in their day-to-day course.

It also touches on important topics like Docker commands and Docker composes, and it's delivered by experts like Arun Gupta, a Java Champion, and a Docker Captain.

By the way, you would need a Pluralsight membership to join this course which costs around $29 per month or $299 per year (14% discount). I highly recommend this subscription to all programmers as it provides instant access to more than 7000+ online courses to learn any tech skill. Alternatively, you can also use their 10-day-free-pass to watch this course for FREE.

Also, all their course are free this month as part of their free April program, so go check out this course for free.

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9. Docker - Hands-On for Java Developer - Udemy 

Another popular course at Udemy is for those Java developers who want to have the real-world experience of Docker with Java. In this course, the instructor starts by building real microservice architecture using Spring Boot and deploying the application with docker containers.

It is a beginner-level course with total video content of nearly nine hours.

Requirements

• Basic knowledge of Java. 
• Basic knowledge of Spring Boot. 
• Experience with AWS is recommended.

If you want to get real-world, hands-on experience with Docker, this is the best online course for you to learn how to deploy a Java Microservice Architecture using Docker and Docker Swarm.

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10. The complete guide to running Java in Docker and Kubernetes [Udemy ]

Docker and Kubernetes generally go with each other. It is an excellent choice to learn Kubernetes with Docker. In this course, the instructor dives deep into Java with containers. You will learn how to use Docker with Java and how Kubernetes can be used with it.

It is a beginner-level course with total video content of four and a half hours, and Basic knowledge of Java is required to attend this course.

Here are things you will learn in this course:

1. How Java works in a container like Docker
2. In-depth knowledge of containers like Linux c-groups and namespaces
3. Docker and Kubernetes
4. how to build production-grade Docker images for JVM apps. 

The best thing about this course is that the instructor explains every necessary concept required to understand Java with Docker and Kubernetes.

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11. Docker for Developers [Best Educative Course to learn Docker]

This course, Docker for Developers will teach you all the things a Developer should know about Docker, and Educative's interactive learning platform means you will learn Docker by practicing and doing hands-on exercise

As I said, If there is one tool every programmer should learn this year, then it should be Docker. If you don't know what is Docker? then let me tell you that Docker is a container tool that solves the problem of executing a complex application with so many dependencies.

It also solves the problem of deployment on the scale because it bundles the application and all its dependency into a single Docker image (similar to a tar file) and you just have to deploy that image instead of setting up the whole environment by installing OS, shells, and different dependencies.

The best thing about Docker is that Docker containers are very lightweight and can be deployed on any physical and virtual machine, which makes them ideal for cloud deployments like on AWS, GCP, and Azure.

Here is the link to join this course - Docker for Developers 

And, If you like interactive online courses and Educative platforms useful then you can also consider getting an Educative Subscription which gives you access to their 500+ courses for just $18 per month. Sometimes you need taht flexibility of joining a course you want instead of purchasing it. It's also a better deal if you are going to attend more than a couple of courses on Educative in a year.

That's all about the best Docker Courses for Developers and DevOps. In this list, I have shared both beginner and intermediate level Docker courses. All of these courses cover all the essential docker concepts that are required to use Java with it.

Some of these courses are long while few are small. Before choosing any of these courses, make sure you understand the Java programming language because none of these courses focus on Java.

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Thanks for reading so far. If you like these best Docker courses for Java developers, please share them with your friends and colleagues. If you have any questions or feedback, then please drop a note.

P. S. - If you want to learn Docker from scratch and look for a free online course, you can also check out this HANDS-ON DOCKER for JAVA Developers [FREE], a free course on Udemy. It's completely free, and all you need is a free Udemy account to enroll in this online training course.