Network Setup for Docker Containers

1. Introduction

In this tutorial, our main goal is to learn how to set up a network for Docker containers. We will go through the process of creating, inspecting, and deleting networks.

By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:

• Understand Docker networking concepts
• Create a Docker network
• Inspect a Docker network
• Delete a Docker network

Prerequisites: You should have Docker installed on your system. Basic knowledge of Docker commands would be helpful but is not mandatory.

2. Step-by-Step Guide

Docker networking allows containers to communicate with each other and with the outside world via the host machine.

• Creating a Docker network: To create a network, we use the docker network create command. The syntax is docker network create <NETWORK_NAME>.

• Inspecting a Docker network: To get detailed information about a network, we use the docker network inspect command. The syntax is docker network inspect <NETWORK_NAME>.

• Deleting a Docker network: To delete a network, we use the docker network rm command. The syntax is docker network rm <NETWORK_NAME>.

3. Code Examples

Example 1: Creating a Docker network

# Create a Docker network named mynet
docker network create mynet

In this example, we create a network named "mynet". You should see an output with the network ID.

Example 2: Inspecting a Docker network

# Inspect the Docker network named mynet
docker network inspect mynet

In this example, we inspect the network named "mynet". The output will be a JSON array that provides detailed information about the network.

Example 3: Deleting a Docker network

# Delete the Docker network named mynet
docker network rm mynet

In this example, we delete the network named "mynet". The output will be the name of the network that was deleted.

4. Summary

In this tutorial, we learned about Docker networking and how to create, inspect, and delete a Docker network. The next steps would be to learn how to connect containers to a network and how to control network traffic.

5. Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Create a Docker network named "testnet". Inspect "testnet" and note down its details.

Solution:

# Create a Docker network named testnet
docker network create testnet

# Inspect the Docker network named testnet
docker network inspect testnet

Exercise 2: Run a Docker container named "testContainer" in the "testnet" network using the Docker image "nginx".

Solution:

# Run a Docker container named testContainer in the testnet network
docker run --name testContainer --network testnet -d nginx

This command runs a container named "testContainer" on the "testnet" network using the "nginx" image. The -d flag runs the container in detached mode, meaning it runs in the background.

Exercise 3: Delete the "testnet" Docker network.

Solution:

# Delete the testnet Docker network
docker network rm testnet

This command deletes the "testnet" network. Please note that you have to stop and remove all containers attached to a network before you can delete it.

Remember to always practice what you've learned to better understand the concepts. Happy learning!