Docker is a container-based software framework for automating deployment of applications. “Containers” are encapsulated, lightweight, and portable application modules. The major (intended) benefit of using a container is that your application will run consistently on and between any server, be it cloud or dedicated, or of varying operating systems.
As a matter of best practice, we’ll update our packages:
yum update -y
Let’s install Docker by installing the docker-io package:
yum -y install docker-io
Once the installation completes, we’ll need to start the Docker daemon:
systemctl start docker
And finally, and optionally, let’s configure Docker to start when the server boots:
systemctl enable docker
Step 2: Download a Docker Container
Let’s begin using Docker! Download the fedora Docker image:
docker pull fedora
Step 3: Run a Docker Container
Now, to setup a basic fedora container with a bash shell, we just run one command. docker run will run a command in a new container, -i attaches stdin and stdout, -t allocates a tty, and we’re using the standard fedora container.
docker run -i -t fedora /bin/bash
That’s it! You’re now using a bash shell inside of a fedora docker container.
To disconnect, or detach, from the shell without exiting use the escape sequence Ctrl-p + Ctrl-q.
There are many community containers already available, which can be found through a search. In the command below I am searching for the keyword centos:
docker search centos