Docker Certified Associate (DCA) Cert Prep.

20h 36mIntermediate2026-08-19

Authors

LearnKartS

Course details

Dive into the essential realms of Docker with this comprehensive prep course for the Docker Certified Associate (DCA) certification. Cover key topics such as Docker orchestration, image creation, management, and registry tasks to solidify your foundation in containerized environments. Learn installation and configuration techniques, as well as networking and security strategies to ensure robust and scalable applications. The course also emphasizes the importance of storage solutions and handling Docker volumes efficiently. Designed for individuals with six months to a year of Docker experience, you will benefit from tailored content that bridges practical scenarios to exam preparation. Enhance your existing Docker knowledge and skills to excel in both your certification exam and workplace challenges. Whether you work with Docker Enterprise Edition or other cloud providers, this course offers valuable insights into configuration management and server operations. Elevate your Docker proficiency and readiness for certification with actionable skills and validated learning outcomes.

Concepts

Introduction - Docker Fundamentals and First Containers

Docker fundamentals and first containers
Traditional application deployment challenges
The works on my machine problem

Getting Started with Docker

What is Docker
What is a container
Containers vs. virtual machines
Understanding containerization
Docker architecture
Demo - Install Docker and verify the environment
Demo - Run the hello-world container

Working with Images and Docker Hub

Understanding Docker images
Image names and tags
What is a container registry
Understanding Docker Hub
Demo - Download images from Docker Hub
Demo - List local images

Running Your First Containers

Understanding Docker containers
The docker run workflow
Demo - Create your first container
Publishing ports and accessing containers
Demo - Deploy an Nginx web server
Demo - Check logs and inspect a container

Container Lifecycle Management

Container lifecycle overview
Container naming and IDs
Demo - Create and manage containers
Demo - Inspect container status
Demo - Starting and stopping containers
Demo - Restarting containers
Demo - Pausing and resuming containers
Demo - Removing containers
Demo - Container lifecycle end-to-end

Conclusion - Docker Fundamentals and First Containers

Course completion

Introduction - Build Images with Dockerfiles

Build images with Dockerfiles
Why build custom images

Dockerfile Fundamentals

Introduction to Dockerfiles
Understanding the build process
Understanding Dockerfile instructions
Demo - Create your first Dockerfile
Choosing a base image
Understanding image layers
Demo - Build a custom image

Writing Production Dockerfiles

Installing software during builds
Demo - Build an Nginx-based image
Adding files to images
Demo - Compare COPY and ADD
Configuring runtime behavior
Demo - Compare CMD and ENTRYPOINT
Environment variables in Dockerfiles
Demo - Create a production Dockerfile

Optimizing and Multi-stage Builds

Multi-stage builds
Demo - Build a multi-stage image
The HEALTHCHECK instruction
Build arguments - ARG vs. ENV
Demo - Optimizing build context with .dockerignore

Conclusion - Build Images with Dockerfiles

Course completion

Introduction - Docker Registries and Image Distribution

Docker registries and image distribution
Public vs. private registries

Docker Image Management and Distribution

Understanding image repositories
Demo - Search images in Docker Hub
Demo - Pull images from registries
Demo - Tag images
Demo - Publish images to Docker Hub
Image lifecycle

Image Distribution and Trust

Demo - Remove unused images
Demo - Inspect image metadata
Demo - Run a private registry
Docker content trust and image signing
Demo - Sign and verify images with DCT

Docker in DevOps and Application Delivery

Docker and DevOps
Docker in CI CD pipelines
Demo - Build, test and deploy an image
Microservices architecture
Demo - Container-based application delivery

Conclusion - Docker Registries and Image Distribution

Course completion

Introduction - Docker Networking and Storage

Docker networking and storage
Why containers need networking
Docker networking model

Understanding Docker Container Networking

Network namespaces
Demo - Connect containers together
Bridge networks
Demo - Create a custom bridge network
DNS and service discovery

Advanced Networking and Drivers

Host networking
None networking
Macvlan networking
Demo - Compare network drivers
Overlay networking
Demo - Enable overlay-based communication
Demo - Troubleshoot connectivity issues

Docker Storage Fundamentals

Why containers lose data
Demo - Create data and lose it
Container filesystems
Docker volumes
Demo - Persist application data
Volume lifecycle management
Bind mounts
Demo - Share host files with containers

Storage Drivers and Data Management

Volume vs. bind mounts
Storage drivers overview
Overlay2 storage driver
Demo - Backup and restore volume data
Demo - Migrate application data

Conclusion - Docker Networking and Storage

Course completion

Introduction - Docker Compose and Container Orchestration

Docker Compose and container orchestration
Why Docker Compose
Docker Compose architecture and workflow

Building Multi Service Applications with Docker Compose

Compose file structure
Demo - Deploy your first Compose application
Application stack components
Demo - Build a multi-service application
Demo - Deploy WordPress and MySQL

Docker Swarm Fundamentals

Introduction to container orchestration
What is Docker Swarm
Demo - Initialize a Swarm cluster
Swarm architecture
Managers and workers
Demo - Add nodes to the cluster
Services, tasks and scheduling
Demo - Deploy and scale services

Swarm Networking and High Availability

Swarm networking
Quorum and high availability
Demo - Rolling updates
Demo - Deploy stacks with docker stack deploy
Service placement - Constraints and preferences
Demo - Node availability - Active, pause, drain
Swarm configs
Backup and restore Swarm state

Enterprise Orchestration with MKE and MSR

Mirantis Kubernetes Engine (MKE) overview
Demo - Install and configure MKE
Demo - Client bundles and cluster access
Role-based access control (RBAC)
Mirantis Secure Registry (MSR) overview
Backup and restore MKE and MSR

Conclusion - Docker Compose and Container Orchestration

Course completion

Introduction - Container Monitoring and Engine Administration

Container monitoring and engine administration

Container Inspection and Monitoring

Understanding container logs
Demo - View container logs
Demo - Troubleshoot applications using logs
Inspecting container metadata
Demo - Inspect running containers
Demo - Monitoring CPU and memory usage
Demo - Analyze resource consumption

Engine Editions and Daemon Configuration

Docker editions and the Mirantis container runtime
Configuring the Docker daemon (daemon.json)
Demo - Configuring registry mirrors and insecure registries
Configuring the cgroup driver
Configuring daemon proxy settings
Demo - Configuring logging drivers

Engine Administration and Maintenance

Selecting the storage driver
Demo - Managing the Docker service with systemd
Enabling live restore for daemon maintenance
Upgrading and backing up Docker Engine
Demo - Manage engines with Docker contexts
Running Windows containers

Conclusion - Container Monitoring and Engine Administration

Course completion

Introduction - Docker Security, Troubleshooting, and DCA Exam Prep

Docker security, troubleshooting and DCA exam prep
Container security fundamentals

Security Fundamentals

Linux namespaces
Demo - Explore container isolation
Linux control groups (cgroups)
Demo - Apply resource limits
Linux capabilities

Hardening Containers and Images

Seccomp and AppArmor profiles
User namespace remapping
Demo - Run containers with least privilege
Running rootless Docker
Image vulnerability scanning
Image security best practices

Securing Secrets, Daemon, and Deployments

Docker secrets
Demo - Secure sensitive information
Demo - Securing the Docker daemon with TLS
Demo - Auditing Docker with Docker Bench for Security
Demo - Harden a container deployment

Monitoring and Troubleshooting

Docker logs
Demo - Investigate application behavior
Container monitoring basics
Demo - Diagnose container issues
Common networking failures
Demo - Resolve real-world Docker problems

DCA Exam Preparation

Understanding the DCA exam
DCA exam domains and key focus areas
Common DCA question patterns

Conclusion - Docker Security, Troubleshooting, and DCA Exam Prep

Course completion