14 Best Docker Project Ideas For Beginners

Did you know that by the end of 2025, there will be 13 million developers using Docker? This surge in Docker adoption highlights its importance in Docker project ideas for building scalable, efficient applications and improving deployment workflows across industries.

Some of the best Docker project ideas for beginners include creating a Basic web server with Docker and building a containerized static website. These projects are ideal for getting hands-on experience with Dockerfiles, container networking, and setting up local development environments. 

As you work through these projects, you’ll understand the core principles of Docker, like building, running, and managing containers. Completing these projects sets a strong foundation for tackling more advanced Docker tasks and scaling your applications efficiently.

In this blog, we will explore 14 best Docker project ideas for industry-relevant applications. 

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Getting Started: Essential Skills and Tools Needed for Docker Projects

To begin Docker projects, ensure Docker is installed and configured on your system, as it is the foundation for creating, managing, and isolating containerized environments. Proficiency with command-line tools is essential, as Docker commands like docker build, docker run, and docker-compose are critical for container lifecycle management. In AI and machine learning (ML) use cases, Docker ensures reproducibility and scalability of models, making it easier to package, deploy, and scale applications across various platforms.

If you want to learn essential skills to help you understand what Docker is for industry-relevant projects, the following courses can help you succeed. 

• Master of Design in User Experience
• Professional Certificate Program in Cloud Computing and DevOps
• Executive Diploma in Machine Learning and AI with IIIT-B

Before you start exploring Docker Project Ideas, you must be familiar with the foundational tools and commands that define containerized development. These skills enable you to efficiently create, configure, and manage single and multi-container applications. Learning these components will streamline deployment and testing workflows, whether you're working on web servers, APIs, or local databases.

• Dockerfiles: Define the base image, environment variables, dependencies, and execution commands for your container. A Dockerfile automates environment consistency across teams and systems.
• Docker Compose: In a unified environment, use docker-compose.yml files to orchestrate multiple services like frontend, backend, and databases. Ideal for modular or microservice-based applications.
• Basic Docker CLI Commands: Core commands such as docker build, docker run, and docker-compose up allow you to build images, launch containers, and manage services with precise control.

If you want to deploy Docker for enterprise-grade applications, check out upGrad’s AI-Powered Full Stack Development Course by IIITB. The course will help you gain expertise in backend development with a focus on Node.js, REST APIs, and more. 

Let’s explore some of the Docker project ideas that are best suited for beginners. 

7 Docker Project Ideas for Beginners

These beginner-level Docker project ideas help you build foundational skills in containerization, image creation, and environment consistency using practical, real-world examples. Each project introduces core Docker concepts, like Dockerfiles, port mapping, multi-container setups with Docker Compose, and volume management, through simple web servers and static sites.

1. Basic Web Server with Docker

This Basic Web Server project creates a simple Docker container using Nginx to serve a static HTML page. The setup involves a Dockerfile that pulls an nginx: alpine image as the base, making it lightweight and efficient. The HTML file served in this project demonstrates how to create and deploy a simple web server environment that can be accessed locally or in other environments. The aim is to familiarize users with Docker basics—building, running, and exposing ports in a containerized application setup.

Project Overview:

• Functionality: Creates a basic web server using Nginx within a Docker container, serving a static HTML page. Accessible locally via mapped ports.
• Components: HTML file (index.html), Dockerfile specifying Nginx as the base image.
• Data Flow: Nginx listens on port 80 in the container, mapped to port 8080 on the host.
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Technologies Used: Docker, Nginx
• Estimated Time: 2–3 hours
• Source Code: Link

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Install Docker: Make sure Docker is installed on your machine. Refer to Docker’s official installation guide for different operating systems.

Create Project Directory: In your working directory, create a new folder, then inside it, create an index.html file. This file will contain the HTML content to be served.
index.html example:
html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>My Docker Nginx Server</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Welcome to My Nginx Docker Server!</h1>
</body>
</html>

2. Write the Dockerfile: In the same project directory, create a Dockerfile. This file defines the environment in which your application will run.
Dockerfile:
dockerfile

# Use Nginx from the official image repository
FROM nginx:alpine

# Copy the local index.html to Nginx’s default HTML directory
COPY ./index.html /usr/share/nginx/html

# Expose port 80 to allow access to the web server
EXPOSE 80

3. Build the Docker Image: In your terminal, navigate to the project directory and build your Docker image with the following command:
bash

docker build -t my-nginx-app .

4. Run the Docker Container: Use the docker run command to start a container from your newly created image. The -d flag runs the container in detached mode, and -p maps port 80 in the container to port 8080 on your machine.
bash

docker run -d -p 8080:80 my-nginx-app

5. Access the Web Server: Open a web browser and go to http://localhost:8080. You should see the HTML content served by Nginx from within the Docker container.

2. Containerized Static Website

In this Containerized Static Website project, a Docker container is built to serve an entire static website using Nginx. The Dockerfile pulls the nginx: alpine image, and all site files are stored in the container, allowing for consistent deployment across different machines. This project focuses on containerizing front-end content, and the end result is a fully containerized site that’s accessible via a mapped local port.

Project Overview:

• Functionality: Hosts a static website in an Nginx-based Docker container, providing consistent deployment across machines.
• Components: Website files (HTML, CSS, etc.), Dockerfile with Nginx image setup.
• Data Flow: Container exposes the site on port 80, accessible via mapped local ports.
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Technologies Used: Docker, HTML, Nginx
• Estimated Time: 2–4 hours
• Source Code: Link

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Create Project Directory: Inside your working directory, create a folder named static-site and add all HTML, CSS, and any other static files needed for the website.

Write the Dockerfile: Create a Dockerfile in the static-site folder. This Dockerfile will instruct Docker on how to build and configure the container to serve your static files with Nginx.
Dockerfile:
dockerfile

FROM nginx:alpine

# Copy the entire static-site folder into Nginx’s HTML directory
COPY . /usr/share/nginx/html

# Expose port 80 for the web server
EXPOSE 80

2. Build the Docker Image: From within the static-site directory, run the following command to create a Docker image named static-site.
bash

docker build -t static-site .

3. Run the Docker Container: Start the container with the following command, mapping port 80 in the container to port 8080 on your local machine.
bash

docker run -d -p 8080:80 static-site

4. Access the Static Website: Open your web browser and navigate to http://localhost:8080. Your static website should now be served through the Nginx Docker container.

3. Simple Python Flask App

This project involves creating a web application using Python's Flask framework, which is ideal for developing lightweight, RESTful API applications. The project’s objective is to containerize this Flask app with Docker, ensuring consistent deployment across different environments. This setup uses Python 3.8, with Flask and any dependencies specified in a requirements.txt file. By the end, you’ll understand the process of Dockerizing a simple app, useful for deployment across teams or scaling in production.

Project Overview:

• Functionality: Hosts a basic Flask app in a Docker container, accessible locally or in a cloud environment.
• Components: Flask app code (app.py), dependencies (requirements.txt), and Dockerfile for the container setup.
• Data Flow: The Flask app listens on port 5000 within the container and is exposed to the host machine via port mapping.
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Technologies Used: Docker, Python 3.8, Flask
• Estimated Time: 3–4 hours
• Source Code: Link

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Install Docker and Python: Ensure Docker and Python are installed on your system.

2. Create Flask App Files:

• app.py: Flask code to run a web server.
• requirements.txt: Specifies Flask version and dependencies.

Example: app.py
python

from flask import Flask
app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route("/")
def hello():
    return "Hello from Flask in Docker!"

if __name__ == "__main__":
    app.run(host="0.0.0.0", port=5000)

requirements.txt
makefile

Flask==2.0.1

3. Write the Dockerfile: The Dockerfile defines the container environment.
dockerfile

FROM python:3.8
WORKDIR /app
COPY . /app
RUN pip install -r requirements.txt
CMD ["python", "app.py"]

4. Build the Docker Image:
bash

docker build -t my-flask-app .

5. Run the Container:
bash

docker run -d -p 5000:5000 my-flask-app

6. Access the Flask App: Visit http://localhost:5000 in your browser to confirm the app is running.

4. Multi-Container Setup with Docker Compose

This project creates a multi-container setup using Docker Compose, featuring an Nginx web server and a Redis caching service. Such setups are common in scalable, microservice-based applications, providing efficient load distribution and caching mechanisms. The docker-compose.yml file orchestrates the services, defining configurations and managing interactions between containers, allowing you to launch the full environment with a single command.

Project Overview:

• Functionality: Deploys a network with an Nginx server (web service) and a Redis cache.
• Data Flow: Requests hit the Nginx container via port 8080, while Redis operates in the background as a cache.
• Docker Compose Components:
  • Service web: Uses the nginx:alpine image, exposes port 80 internally, and maps to port 8080 on the host.
  • Service cache: Uses redis:alpine for a lightweight cache.
• Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate
• Technologies Used: Docker, Docker Compose, Nginx, Redis
• Estimated Time: 4–5 hours
• Source Code: Link

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Install Docker and Docker Compose: Make sure both are installed on your machine.

2. Project Directory and Files:

• Inside your project folder, create docker-compose.yml to configure services.

Compose File Configuration:
yaml

version: '3'
services:
  web:
    image: nginx:alpine
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
  cache:
    image: redis:alpine

Run the Multi-Container Setup:
bash

docker-compose up

3. Access the Nginx Server: Open a web browser and navigate to http://localhost:8080.

This setup takes approximately 2-3 hours to configure, and it provides practical experience with Docker Compose in a multi-container application context.

5. Dockerized Database for Local Development

This project creates a Dockerized MySQL database environment, ideal for local development and testing. Running MySQL in a Docker container provides a consistent and isolated database setup, reducing setup conflicts and enhancing portability. This configuration utilizes the official mysql:latest Docker image and offers a quick, disposable environment that can handle database testing with up to 10,000 records without needing a local MySQL installation.

Project Overview:

• Goal: Set up a local MySQL database using Docker for development.
• Database Capacity: Can manage up to 10,000 records effectively.
• Components: MySQL database, Docker environment variables, optional persistent volume.
• Difficulty Level: Beginner
• Technologies Used: Docker, MySQL
• Time Taken: Approximately 1 hour for initial setup, 2-3 hours for configuration with larger datasets.
• Source Code: Link

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Install Docker: Ensure Docker is installed and running.

2. Pull MySQL Docker Image:

• This pulls the latest MySQL image, approximately 300 MB in size.

bash

docker pull mysql:latest

3. Run MySQL Container:

• Starts the MySQL container with a root password and binds the container’s port 3306 to your local machine.

bash

docker run -d --name local-mysql -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=my-secret-pw -p 3306:3306 mysql:latest

4. Connect to the Database:

• Use a tool like MySQL Workbench or a CLI tool to connect.
• Connection Details:
  • Host: localhost
  • Port: 3306
  • Username: root
  • Password: my-secret-pw

5. Data Persistence (Optional):

• Add data persistence using a Docker volume to prevent data loss when the container stops.

bash

docker run -d --name local-mysql -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=my-secret-pw -p 3306:3306 -v mysql_data:/var/lib/mysql mysql:latest

Learning Outcomes:

• Creating a Dockerized MySQL environment for consistent testing.
• Understanding Docker volumes for data persistence.
• Managing MySQL databases through Docker CLI.

6. Simple Node.js App in Docker

This project demonstrates how to containerize a Node.js application using Docker, allowing for quick and consistent deployment across different environments. The project includes building a simple Node.js server that listens on port 3000 and is accessed via Docker. With approximately 200 MB of space required, this setup is suitable for lightweight applications and prototype servers.

Project Overview:

• Goal: Deploy a basic Node.js app within a Docker container for consistent testing.
• Application Size: 200–250 MB (Dockerized).
• Components: Node.js server code, Dockerfile for containerization.
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Technologies Used: Docker, Node.js
• Time Taken: 1–2 hours, including Docker setup and server code.
• Source Code: Link

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Install Docker and Node.js:

2. Set Up Node.js App Files:

• app.js: Node.js file to set up a server.
• package.json: Contains app dependencies.

javascript

// app.js
const express = require('express');
const app = express();
const PORT = 3000;

app.get('/', (req, res) => res.send('Hello from Dockerized Node.js!'));

app.listen(PORT, () => console.log(`Server running on port ${PORT}`));
package.json
json
{
  "name": "docker-node-app",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "main": "app.js",
  "dependencies": {
    "express": "^4.17.1"
  }
}

3. Write the Dockerfile:
dockerfile

FROM node:14
WORKDIR /app
COPY . /app
RUN npm install
EXPOSE 3000
CMD ["node", "app.js"]

4. Build Docker Image:
bash

docker build -t my-node-app .

5. Run Docker Container:
bash

docker run -d -p 3000:3000 my-node-app

6. Access Node.js Server: Visit http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

Learning Outcomes:

• Dockerizing Node.js apps for deployment.
• Using Docker commands for building and running containers.
• Configuring Dockerfiles for simple server applications.

7. Personal Docker Registry

This project involves creating a private Docker registry on a local machine, ideal for managing Docker images that aren't shared publicly. The registry uses approximately 150 MB of space and runs as a service on port 5000, allowing for image storage, version control, and private access within a team.

Project Overview:

• Goal: Set up a local Docker registry for storing and managing Docker images privately.
• Storage Capacity: Configurable for larger image libraries.
• Components: Docker registry service, local image storage, network access configuration.
• Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate
• Technologies Used: Docker Registry
• Time Taken: Approximately 1–2 hours, depending on network setup.
• Source Code: Link

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Install Docker: Make sure Docker is installed.

2. Run the Docker Registry:

• Start a Docker registry instance, accessible on localhost:5000.

bash

docker run -d -p 5000:5000 --name registry registry:2

3. Tag and Push an Image:

• To test the registry, tag an image for the local registry and push it.

bash

docker tag my-image localhost:5000/my-image
docker push localhost:5000/my-image

4. Pull the Image:

• Verify by pulling the image from your local registry.

bash

docker pull localhost:5000/my-image

5. Verify Registry Contents:

• Access http://localhost:5000/v2/_catalog to view stored images.

Learning Outcomes:

• Setting up and managing private Docker registries.
• Using Docker commands for tagging, pushing, and pulling images.
• Configuring local networks for Docker registry access.

If you want to gain expertise on JavaScript, check out upGrad’s JavaScript Basics from Scratch. The 19-hour free program will help you learn variables, conditions, and more that are important for Docker projects. 

Now, let’s understand seven advanced Docker project ideas for experienced developers. 

7 Advanced Docker Project Ideas for Experienced Developers

These advanced Docker Project Ideas are designed to help experienced developers build production-ready solutions across areas like CI/CD automation, machine learning, and IoT pipelines. Each project involves key technologies, such as Kubernetes, TensorFlow, FastAPI, Azure, AWS, and MQTT, to deepen your expertise in building portable, and high-availability containerized systems. By implementing these projects, you’ll gain hands-on proficiency in designing and deploying complex multi-container workflows suitable for real-time processing and distributed cloud environments.

1. Deploying a Data Science API with FastAPI and Docker

This project focuses on containerizing a FastAPI-based data science API for deployment. It involves setting up a machine learning model to run predictions via API requests, creating a scalable and portable environment. The FastAPI application loads a pre-trained model, allowing users to send JSON data to receive predictions. With Docker, this API can be easily deployed across multiple platforms and can serve real-time requests.

Project Overview:

• Goal: Deploy a machine learning prediction API using FastAPI and Docker.
• Data Handling Capacity: Supports batch predictions, processing up to 1,000 requests/min.
• Components: FastAPI application, pre-trained ML model, Dockerized environment.
• Difficulty Level: Advanced
• Technologies Used: Docker, FastAPI, Python, scikit-learn
• Time Taken: Approximately 4–6 hours, including FastAPI and Docker setup.
• Source Code: Link

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Create FastAPI Application:

• Write an application that loads a pre-trained model (model.pkl) and defines a prediction endpoint.

python

# app.py
from fastapi import FastAPI
import pickle
import numpy as np

app = FastAPI()

# Load model
with open("model.pkl", "rb") as f:
    model = pickle.load(f)

@app.post("/predict/")
def predict(data: list):
    prediction = model.predict(np.array(data))
    return {"prediction": prediction.tolist()}

2. Write the Dockerfile:

• Define the environment for the FastAPI application with necessary dependencies.

dockerfile

# Dockerfile
FROM python:3.9-slim
WORKDIR /app
COPY requirements.txt .
RUN pip install -r requirements.txt
COPY . .
CMD ["uvicorn", "app:app", "--host", "0.0.0.0", "--port", "8000"]

3. Build and Run the Container:

• Build the image and run the container.

bash

docker build -t fastapi-model-api .
docker run -d -p 8000:8000 fastapi-model-api

4. Test API Endpoint:

• Access the prediction endpoint at http://localhost:8000/predict/ using a REST client or curl command.

Learning Outcomes:

• Containerizing machine learning APIs for deployment.
• Using FastAPI with Docker to serve machine learning models.
• Handling JSON data input and returning model predictions in a scalable API.

2. Building a CI/CD Pipeline with Docker

This project demonstrates setting up a CI/CD pipeline to automate application builds, tests, and deployments. The pipeline can handle codebases of up to 50,000 lines, enabling quick rollouts and automated error checks. Jenkins, running within a Docker container, manages continuous integration, while Docker simplifies deployment across multiple environments.

Project Overview:

• Goal: Automate build, test, and deployment steps using a CI/CD pipeline with Jenkins and Docker.
• Pipeline Scope: Configured to handle automated deployment for projects up to 50,000 lines of code.
• Components: Jenkins for CI/CD automation, Docker for containerization, Git for version control.
• Difficulty Level: Advanced
• Technologies Used: Docker, Jenkins, Git
• Time Taken: Approximately 6–8 hours, depending on configuration and project complexity.
• Source Code: Link

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Set Up Jenkins in Docker Container:

• Pull the official Jenkins image and run it in Docker.

bash

docker run -d -p 8080:8080 -p 50000:50000 jenkins/jenkins:lts

2. Install Jenkins Plugins:

• Access Jenkins at http://localhost:8080 and install Git and Docker plugins.

3. Configure CI/CD Pipeline:

• Connect Jenkins to your Git repository and define a pipeline script to automate build and deployment.

groovy

pipeline {
    agent any
    stages {
        stage('Build') {
            steps {
                sh 'docker build -t my-app .'
            }
        }
        stage('Test') {
            steps {
                sh 'docker run my-app pytest tests/'
            }
        }
        stage('Deploy') {
            steps {
                sh 'docker run -d -p 80:80 my-app'
            }
        }
    }
}

4. Run the Pipeline:

• Trigger the pipeline manually or set it to run on every code commit.

Learning Outcomes:

• Automating CI/CD pipelines with Docker and Jenkins.
• Configuring multi-stage Docker workflows for testing and deployment.
• Integrating Git repositories for continuous deployment.

3. Docker for Microservices Architecture

In this project, a multi-container setup is created to manage a microservices architecture with Docker and Docker Compose. Each service is containerized independently, allowing for easy scaling and management. The architecture is designed to handle up to 10 microservices, making it suitable for complex applications requiring modular deployment.

Project Overview:

• Goal: Deploy a microservices-based architecture using Docker for each service.
• Application Size: Manages up to 10 microservices for a full application deployment.
• Components: Multiple microservices in Docker, Docker Compose for orchestration.
• Difficulty Level: Advanced
• Technologies Used: Docker, Docker Compose
• Time Taken: 5–6 hours, depending on the number of microservices and their complexity.
• Source Code: Link

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Create Dockerfiles for Each Microservice:

• Each microservice has its own Dockerfile with the necessary environment and dependencies.

dockerfile

# Dockerfile for user service
FROM node:14
WORKDIR /app
COPY . .
RUN npm install
CMD ["node", "user-service.js"]

2. Define Services in Docker Compose:

• Write a docker-compose.yml file to define and link services.

yaml

version: '3'
services:
  user-service:
    build: ./user
    ports:
      - "5001:5001"
  payment-service:
    build: ./payment
    ports:
      - "5002:5002"
  notification-service:
    build: ./notification
    ports:
      - "5003:5003"

3. Run Docker Compose:

• Start all services simultaneously.

bash

docker-compose up -d

4. Test Connectivity Between Services:

• Verify that services can communicate by making HTTP requests between them.

Learning Outcomes:

• Managing multi-container Docker environments for microservices.
• Using Docker Compose for orchestrating microservices.
• Linking and testing communication between services in a microservices architecture.

4. Machine Learning Model Deployment with Docker

In this advanced project, you’ll deploy a machine learning model using Flask and TensorFlow in a Docker container, creating a scalable API that can serve predictions. The setup is designed to handle up to 10,000 prediction requests per hour, making it suitable for real-time applications. Docker ensures the entire environment (Flask server, TensorFlow model, and dependencies) is packaged into a single, portable container that can run seamlessly on different platforms.

Project Overview:

• Objective: Deploy a TensorFlow model via a Flask API using Docker, allowing for real-time prediction serving.
• Request Capacity: Handles up to 10,000 prediction requests per hour.
• Components: Flask application, pre-trained TensorFlow model, Docker environment.
• Difficulty Level: Advanced
• Technologies Used: Docker, Python, TensorFlow, Flask
• Estimated Time: 5–7 hours, including model integration, Dockerization, and testing.
• Source Code: Link

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Create a Flask App to Serve the Model:

• Begin by setting up a basic Flask app that loads a pre-trained TensorFlow model and creates an API endpoint to serve predictions.

python
 

# app.py
from flask import Flask, request, jsonify
import tensorflow as tf
import numpy as np

app = Flask(__name__)

# Load pre-trained TensorFlow model
model = tf.keras.models.load_model("path/to/your/model.h5")

@app.route('/predict', methods=['POST'])
def predict():
    data = request.get_json(force=True)
    prediction = model.predict(np.array([data['input']]))
    return jsonify({'prediction': prediction.tolist()})

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=5000)

2. Create a requirements.txt File:

• This file lists all the Python dependencies needed for the Flask app.

flask
tensorflow
numpy

3. Write the Dockerfile:

• The Dockerfile sets up the container environment, installs dependencies, and runs the Flask application.

dockerfile

# Dockerfile
FROM python:3.9-slim

# Set up working directory
WORKDIR /app

# Copy requirements and install dependencies
COPY requirements.txt .
RUN pip install -r requirements.txt

# Copy the application code
COPY . .

# Expose the port the app runs on
EXPOSE 5000

# Run the Flask application
CMD ["python", "app.py"]

4. Build and Run the Container:

• Build the Docker image and run the container.

bash

docker build -t flask-tensorflow-app .
docker run -d -p 5000:5000 flask-tensorflow-app

5. Access the Prediction API:

• Test the API by sending a POST request to http://localhost:5000/predict.

5. Kubernetes Orchestration with Docker

This project introduces container orchestration using Kubernetes to manage Docker containers at scale. You’ll deploy multiple containers within a Kubernetes cluster, allowing for advanced container management features like load balancing, scaling, and fault tolerance. This setup can manage hundreds of containers, making it ideal for complex applications requiring high availability.

Project Overview:

• Objective: Using Kubernetes to orchestrate Docker containers enables efficient scaling and management.
• Cluster Capacity: Designed to manage hundreds of containers, offering automatic scaling and load distribution.
• Components: Multiple Dockerized microservices, Kubernetes for container orchestration.
• Difficulty Level: Advanced
• Technologies Used: Docker, Kubernetes
• Estimated Time: 6–8 hours for initial setup and configuration, with ongoing management for scaling and optimization.
• Source Code: Link

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Create Docker Images for Each Microservice:

• Ensure each service you want to deploy is containerized and built into a Docker image.

bash

docker build -t my-service-image .

2. Push Docker Images to a Registry:

• Push your Docker images to a container registry like Docker Hub or a private registry to make them accessible by Kubernetes.

bash

docker tag my-service-image myusername/my-service-image
docker push myusername/my-service-image

3. Write Kubernetes Deployment and Service YAML Files:

• Create deployment.yaml and service.yaml files for Kubernetes, defining the deployment configuration and exposing each service.

yaml

# deployment.yaml
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: my-service-deployment
spec:
  replicas: 3
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: my-service
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: my-service
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: my-service-container
        image: myusername/my-service-image
        ports:
        - containerPort: 80
yaml

# service.yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
  name: my-service
spec:
  selector:
    app: my-service
  ports:
    - protocol: TCP
      port: 80
      targetPort: 80
  type: LoadBalancer

4. Deploy Services to Kubernetes Cluster:

• Apply the configuration files to deploy your services to the Kubernetes cluster.

bash

kubectl apply -f deployment.yaml
kubectl apply -f service.yaml

5. Verify and Access the Service:

• Use kubectl get services to obtain the external IP or URL for accessing your deployed application.

6. IoT Data Processing with Docker and MQTT 

This project involves creating a Dockerized IoT data pipeline that leverages MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) for real-time data exchange. You’ll set up components within Docker containers to simulate and process IoT data, which is ideal for handling data from multiple IoT sensors or devices. This setup is scalable, with the potential to handle data from up to 1,000 IoT devices. The project demonstrates the power of Docker in maintaining isolated environments for each stage of data processing, improving consistency and reliability.

Project Overview:

• Functionality: Creates a Dockerized IoT data pipeline using MQTT for real-time data handling from IoT devices.
• Components: MQTT broker, data processing script in Python, Dockerfiles for each component, configuration files for data flow.
• Data Flow: Simulated IoT data is published via MQTT to the broker, processed in Docker containers, and stored or displayed in real time.
• Difficulty Level: Advanced
• Technologies Used: Docker, MQTT, Python
• Estimated Time: 6–8 hours for setup and testing
• Source Code: Link

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Set Up MQTT Broker in a Docker Container:

• Start by pulling the Eclipse Mosquitto Docker image for setting up the MQTT broker, a lightweight, efficient protocol for real-time data exchange between IoT devices.

bash

docker pull eclipse-mosquitto
docker run -d -p 1883:1883 -p 9001:9001 --name mqtt-broker eclipse-mosquitto

2. Create a Python Script for Data Publishing:

• Write a Python script that simulates data from IoT devices and publishes it to the MQTT broker.

python

# publisher.py
import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt
import random
import time

broker = "localhost"
port = 1883
topic = "iot/data"

client = mqtt.Client()
client.connect(broker, port)

while True:
    payload = {"temperature": random.uniform(20.0, 25.0), "humidity": random.uniform(30.0, 50.0)}
    client.publish(topic, str(payload))
    time.sleep(2)

3. Containerize the Data Publisher Script with Docker:

• Create a Dockerfile to containerize the data publishing script.

dockerfile

# Dockerfile
FROM python:3.8-slim
WORKDIR /app
COPY publisher.py .
RUN pip install paho-mqtt
CMD ["python", "publisher.py"]

4. Build and Run the Container:

bash

docker build -t iot-publisher .
docker run -d --link mqtt-broker iot-publisher\

5. Set Up a Data Processor for IoT Data:

• Create another Python script to subscribe to the MQTT topic and process the incoming data.

python

# processor.py
import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt

def on_message(client, userdata, message):
    print("Received data:", message.payload.decode())

client = mqtt.Client()
client.on_message = on_message
client.connect("mqtt-broker", 1883)
client.subscribe("iot/data")
client.loop_forever()

6. Containerize the Data Processor:

• Write a Dockerfile for the processor and build it.

dockerfile

# Dockerfile for Processor
FROM python:3.8-slim
WORKDIR /app
COPY processor.py .
RUN pip install paho-mqtt
CMD ["python", "processor.py"]

7. Run and Monitor the IoT Pipeline:

• Use docker-compose or individual commands to start the publisher, processor, and MQTT broker in Docker containers.

7. Dockerized Web Scraper with Headless Browser

This project focuses on containerizing a Python-based web scraper that uses Selenium with a headless browser (such as Chrome or Firefox). Containerization allows you to run the scraper in a controlled environment, ensuring compatibility across different systems. The scraper will handle dynamic content loading and can process up to 5,000 pages per session. This setup is especially useful for large-scale, automated data extraction tasks.

Project Overview:

• Functionality: Runs a Python-based web scraper in a Docker container using Selenium with a headless browser, designed for automated data extraction.
• Components: Selenium-based Python scraper, headless browser (Chrome or Firefox), Dockerfile for setup.
• Data Flow: The scraper loads web pages, interacts with dynamic content, and extracts data up to 5,000 pages per session.
• Difficulty Level: Intermediate to Advanced
• Technologies Used: Docker, Python, Selenium
• Estimated Time: 5–6 hours for setup, coding, and testing
• Source Code: Link

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Create the Web Scraper Script Using Selenium:

• Set up a Python script to scrape data from a website. The script will run in a headless browser, useful for automating tasks without a GUI.

python

# scraper.py
from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.chrome.options import Options

options = Options()
options.headless = True  # Run Chrome in headless mode
driver = webdriver.Chrome(options=options)

driver.get("https://example.com")
page_data = driver.page_source
print(page_data)

driver.quit()

2. Create a Dockerfile for the Web Scraper:

• Write a Dockerfile to containerize the Selenium-based scraper.

dockerfile

# Dockerfile
FROM python:3.8-slim

# Install necessary dependencies
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y wget unzip

# Install Chrome for headless browsing
RUN wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
RUN apt install ./google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb -y

# Set up Chromedriver
RUN wget -N https://chromedriver.storage.googleapis.com/91.0.4472.19/chromedriver_linux64.zip
RUN unzip chromedriver_linux64.zip -d /usr/local/bin/

# Install Selenium
RUN pip install selenium

# Copy scraper script
WORKDIR /app
COPY scraper.py .

CMD ["python", "scraper.py"]

3. Build the Docker Image:

• In your terminal, navigate to the project directory and build the Docker image.

bash

docker build -t selenium-scraper .

4. Run the Dockerized Web Scraper:

• Run the container, which will execute the web scraping script in a headless browser.

bash

docker run -it selenium-scraper

5. Verify the Output:

• Check the terminal for the extracted data or any print statements from scraper.py.

Also read: Top 26 Web Scraping Projects for Beginners and Professionals

Let’s explore some of the career benefits that you can secure with the help of Docker project ideas. 

Career Benefits: Why Learning Docker Matters

Exploring practical Docker Project Ideas is one of the most effective ways to build technical depth in containerization and deployment workflows. These projects help you develop in-demand skills for DevOps, cloud engineering, and scalable application delivery, roles that increasingly rely on Docker across India's tech sector. Applying Docker in real-world scenarios gives you hands-on expertise that directly translates to career growth and job readiness.

• Accelerates DevOps Adoption: Use Docker with GitLab CI/CD, Jenkins, and Kubernetes to automate container deployment pipelines with consistent, reproducible builds across staging and production.
• Seamless Cloud Integration: Docker works natively with AWS ECS, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), and Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), enabling scalable deployment in cloud-native architectures.
• Model Deployment for ML Engineers: Combine Docker with TensorFlow Serving, MLflow, and FastAPI to containerize and deploy machine learning models in environments like Azure Databricks or SageMaker.
• Resource Optimization and Cost Control: Containers share the host OS kernel, reducing memory usage and increasing compute efficiency—ideal for microservice-based architectures hosted on AWS EC2 or Azure VMs.
• Multi-Platform Compatibility: Docker standardizes application behavior across Linux, macOS, and Windows, simplifying development and testing in diverse enterprise setups.
• Higher Compensation and Cross-Domain Applicability: Docker expertise is valued in roles ranging from DevOps Engineer and Cloud Architect to Data Engineer and Platform Reliability Engineer, often with above-market salaries in India.

Use Case:

As a DevOps Engineer at a fintech company in Pune, you manage AWS infrastructure using ECS Fargate and CloudWatch. You containerize all backend services with Docker, configure multi-container setups using Docker Compose, and deploy via Kubernetes Helm Charts. Your Docker-based workflow improves release stability, reduces provisioning time, and integrates seamlessly with CI tools like GitHub Actions and Terraform.

Also read: Top 20 DevOps Practice Projects for Beginners with Source Code in 2025

Conclusion

Starting with practical Docker Project Ideas will help you gain essential containerization skills, from managing single containers to deploying multi-container applications. These projects offer hands-on experience with core Docker functionalities, making transitioning into complex real-world tasks easier. To continue growing, challenge yourself with advanced projects, integrate orchestration tools like Kubernetes, and focus on scaling your applications across cloud platforms.

If you want to learn software development skills to deploy Docker, look at upGrad’s courses that allow you to be future-ready. These are some of the additional courses that can help you understand Docker for modern applications. 

• Master’s Degree in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
• Generative AI Mastery Certificate for Software Development

Curious which courses can help you gain expertise in Docker? Contact upGrad for personalized counseling and valuable insights. For more details, you can also visit your nearest upGrad offline center. 

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