Introduction: Why your Docker skills still suck (and how to fix that)

Let’s be honest running docker run hello-world doesn’t mean you “know Docker.”

You’ve probably followed a dozen YouTube tutorials, watched a few folks make a container dance in their terminal, maybe even got a Django app running once before it mysteriously broke after a restart.

But here’s the catch: Docker isn’t something you understand just by watching. It’s something you get good at by doing especially when things go wrong.

Real-world Docker skills come from solving real problems: broken ports, flaky volumes, weird networking bugs that make you question your existence.

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That’s where this article comes in.

I’ve collected 10 practical, not-boring, actually useful Docker projects that force you to learn the stuff most tutorials skip. Stuff like:

• Linking multiple containers the right way
• Using docker-compose like a wizard
• Debugging containers that misbehave in production
• Making your dev environment bulletproof (and maybe even beautiful)

These aren’t enterprise-grade Kubernetes monsters. They’re small, fun, and surprisingly educational perfect for leveling up at your own pace.

Let’s start with the easiest one and build from there. Your future DevOps brain will thank you.

Project 1: Containerize a static website (because you gotta start somewhere)

What you’re building:

A simple static website served via Docker using Nginx or http-server. Nothing fancy just HTML, CSS, maybe a splash of JS.

But here’s the catch: you’ll set it up cleanly with a Dockerfile, serve it on localhost, and hot reload changes.

Skills you’ll learn:

• Writing a basic Dockerfile
• Using COPY, EXPOSE, and CMD properly
• Mounting local directories with volumes
• Running containers with port forwarding (-p 8080:80)

How it works:

1. Create a folder with your HTML/CSS/JS.
2. Write a Dockerfile that uses the Nginx base image.
3. Mount your local folder into the container so you don’t need to rebuild every time you change a file.
4. Serve and view on localhost:8080.

# Simple Dockerfile using Nginx
FROM nginx:alpine
COPY . /usr/share/nginx/html
EXPOSE 80

Try this:

docker build -t my-static-site .
docker run -p 8080:80 my-static-site

Want live reload? Use http-server with Node:

Dockerfile

FROM node:alpine
RUN npm install -g http-server
WORKDIR /app
COPY . /app
EXPOSE 8080
CMD ["http-server", ".", "-p", "8080", "-c-1"]

Then run:

docker build -t my-live-site .
docker run -p 8080:8080 -v ${PWD}:/app my-live-site

Now every time you change a file, just refresh the browser. No rebuilds.

Why this matters:

This is your “Hello World,” but with real muscle. You learn how to:

• Serve files in containers
• Handle ports
• Use volumes to avoid rebuilds
• Build a basic mental model of Docker’s filesystem

You’re laying the foundation. The boring part. But don’t skip it people who rush through this usually get smacked in Project 7.

Project 2: Build your dev portfolio in a Docker container

What you’re building:

A portfolio site React, Vue, Svelte, Astro, pick your poison containerized for both dev and prod. Bonus: you’ll set up a multi-stage build so your final image isn’t bloated with Node junk.

You’ll go from:
npm run dev on your laptop
→docker-compose up anywhere

Skills you’ll learn:

• Multi-stage Docker builds
• Exposing ports for development vs production
• Optimizing image size
• Using .dockerignore like .gitignore

How to do it (React/Vite example):

1. Create your React app

npm create vite@latest my-portfolio --template react
cd my-portfolio
npm install

2. Write a multi-stage Dockerfile

Dockerfile

# Stage 1: Build
FROM node:18-alpine as builder
WORKDIR /app
COPY . .
RUN npm install && npm run build

# Stage 2: Serve
FROM nginx:alpine
COPY --from=builder /app/dist /usr/share/nginx/html
EXPOSE 80

3. Build + run it:

docker build -t my-portfolio .
docker run -p 8080:80 my-portfolio

Boom. Now your portfolio runs in a clean production image, separate from all that node_modules mess.

Dev tip:

If you want hot reloading in dev mode too, you can mount your local folder into a node container and run npm run dev:

docker run -it -p 5173:5173 -v ${PWD}:/app -w /app node:18-alpine sh
# Then inside:
npm install
npm run dev

Why this project matters:

Everyone tells you to make a portfolio site. But deploying it properly in Docker forces you to think like an engineer, not just a developer:

• What does “production-ready” actually mean?
• Why is my container 700MB?
• Where do I separate build vs run?

Once you master this, you’re no longer the junior who ships containers with 300MB of unused dependencies.

Project 3: Set up a full LAMP stack (because real apps need real databases)

What you’re building:

A classic Linux + Apache + MySQL + PHP (LAMP) stack using docker-compose. You’ll run a PHP app (like WordPress or your own mini CMS) with a proper backend and persistent data.

This is where you stop thinking in containers and start thinking in systems.

Skills you’ll learn:

• Using docker-compose.yml to manage multi-container setups
• Persistent volumes for databases
• Linking containers by service name
• Environment variables for DB configs
• Container networking

Quick Setup

Create a project folder and add a docker-compose.yml like this:

version: '3.8'

services:
  web:
    image: php:8.2-apache
    ports:
      - "8081:80"
    volumes:
      - ./web:/var/www/html
    depends_on:
      - db

  db:
    image: mysql:5.7
    restart: always
    environment:
      MYSQL_DATABASE: mydb
      MYSQL_USER: user
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: pass
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: rootpass
    volumes:
      - db_data:/var/lib/mysql

volumes:
  db_data:

Create a basic index.php inside the web/ folder:

<?php
$mysqli = new mysqli("db", "user", "pass", "mydb");
if ($mysqli->connect_error) {
  echo "Connection failed: " . $mysqli->connect_error;
} else {
  echo "Connected to MySQL!";
}

Run it:

docker-compose up -d

Visit http://localhost:8081. If it says “Connected to MySQL!” you nailed it.

Why this project matters:

Most tutorials ignore multi-container reality. But real web apps have:

• A backend
• A database
• Shared configs
• Persistent data

Using docker-compose like this teaches you how to think like a backend dev and ops engineer at the same time.

You’ll break stuff, especially the DB. That’s part of the learning.

Project 4: Run a WordPress blog in Docker (and customize it like a hacker)

What you’re building:

A full-blown WordPress site, powered entirely by containers. You’ll spin up WordPress + MySQL, use volumes for data persistence, and actually mess with themes/plugins from your local machine.

Yup Dockerized blogging, fully editable.

Skills you’ll learn:

• Real-world multi-container orchestration
• Using depends_on and volumes for persistent app + DB state
• Customizing apps running inside containers
• Exposing ports and paths for CMS platforms

Your docker-compose.yml:

version: '3.8'

services:
  wordpress:
    image: wordpress:latest
    ports:
      - "8082:80"
    environment:
      WORDPRESS_DB_HOST: db:3306
      WORDPRESS_DB_USER: user
      WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD: pass
      WORDPRESS_DB_NAME: wpdb
    volumes:
      - wp_data:/var/www/html
    depends_on:
      - db
  db:
    image: mysql:5.7
    restart: always
    environment:
      MYSQL_DATABASE: wpdb
      MYSQL_USER: user
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: pass
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: rootpass
    volumes:
      - db_data:/var/lib/mysql
volumes:
  wp_data:
  db_data:

Run it:

docker-compose up -d

Then go to http://localhost:8082 and run through the classic WordPress setup wizard.

Customizing themes/plugins:

Your WordPress files are stored in the wp_data volume. Want to edit the theme?

1. Stop the container.
2. Mount a local folder into /var/www/html/wp-content/themes in docker-compose.yml.
3. Edit files locally, refresh browser. Instant dev workflow.

You can even copy your existing blog over or build a new theme if you’re feeling spicy.

Why this project matters:

WordPress isn’t just a blog it’s a real-world app with:

• DB connection requirement
• Volume persistence
• Plugin/theme customization
• Configs that break often

This project shows you how Docker helps isolate the chaos — while still letting you hack, tweak, and experiment.

Optional challenge: Try backing up your WordPress + DB data and restoring it on another machine. Real DevOps vibes.

Project 5: Self-host your own cloud IDE with code-server (VS Code in the browser, baby)

What you’re building:

Your very own VS Code in the browser, running inside a container. You’ll be able to code anywhere even from your iPad while keeping all your dev tools isolated.

It’s like having a dev laptop… inside Docker.

Skills you’ll learn:

• Running third-party devtools in containers
• Port mapping and security considerations
• Using bind mounts to persist your code
• Environment management inside containers

Using the official code-server image:

version: '3.8'

services:
  code-server:
    image: codercom/code-server:latest
    container_name: vscode
    restart: always
    environment:
      - PASSWORD=secret123
    volumes:
      - ./projects:/home/coder/project
    ports:
      - "8443:8080"

Create a projects folder in the same directory. That’s where all your files live and get edited inside the container.

Run it:

docker-compose up -d

Then open:
http://localhost:8443

Log in with the password secret123, and you’ve got full VS Code in the browser.

Pro Tip:

Mount your local ~/.ssh or Git credentials into the container if you want to commit code directly from code-server. But don’t do this on shared or exposed servers unless you lock things down properly.

Why this project matters:

This is where Docker stops being “just deployment stuff” and starts being your dev environment.

You’ll learn:

• How to isolate tools
• How to persist data across restarts
• How to serve secure dev tools via the browser

And if you’ve ever wanted to code on a Chromebook, iPad, or PotatoPC™ this project makes it possible.

Project 6: Make a personal file drop app (because you don’t need Big Cloud for everything)

What you’re building:

A simple web-based app to upload, store, and download files self-hosted and containerized. You can use tools like nextcloud, minio, or even roll your own Flask upload tool.

Great for sharing files across devices or with friends without third-party servers.

Skills you’ll learn:

• Mounting volumes for persistent uploads
• Setting up secure upload endpoints
• Managing storage in containers
• Optional: adding reverse proxies for SSL and auth

Option A: Run Nextcloud in Docker (the full suite)

version: '3.8'

services:
  nextcloud:
    image: nextcloud
    ports:
      - "8083:80"
    volumes:
      - nextcloud_data:/var/www/html
    restart: always
volumes:
  nextcloud_data:

Then run:

docker-compose up -d

Visit http://localhost:8083, set your admin user, and boom — you’ve got Dropbox-level functionality.

Option B: Make a mini file uploader with Flask

If you want to go hacker-mode and build your own:

Create app.py:

from flask import Flask, request
import os

app = Flask(name)
UPLOAD_FOLDER = '/uploads'
os.makedirs(UPLOAD_FOLDER, exist_ok=True)
@app.route('/', methods=['POST'])
def upload():
    file = request.files['file']
    file.save(os.path.join(UPLOAD_FOLDER, file.filename))
    return 'Uploaded!', 200

And Dockerfile:

FROM python:3.10-slim
WORKDIR /app
COPY app.py .
RUN pip install flask
EXPOSE 5000
CMD ["python", "app.py"]

Then:

docker build -t file-drop .
docker run -p 5000:5000 -v ${PWD}/uploads:/uploads file-drop

Now curl -F 'file=@yourfile.txt' localhost:5000 works. You made a file drop from scratch!

Why this project matters:

You’ll get your hands dirty with:

• File systems inside containers
• Upload logic and file permissions
• Persistent data across restarts
• Optional: adding authentication, HTTPS

This project helps you bridge backend logic with DevOps concepts. It’s a practical exercise in “how would I host my own service?

Project 7: Run your own web analytics with Plausible (because Google doesn’t need your data)

What you’re building:

A fully containerized privacy-friendly analytics dashboard using Plausible (or Umami). It tracks visitors to your websites without cookies, without creepy tracking, and without relying on Google.

Yes, you’ll finally know who’s visiting your portfolio without selling their souls.

Skills you’ll learn:

• Running full-stack apps with Postgres
• Managing environment variables for app configs
• Using docker-compose for production apps
• Reverse proxying (optional) with Nginx or Traefik

Basic Plausible setup:

version: "3.3"

services:
  plausible:
    image: plausible/analytics
    ports:
      - "8084:8000"
    depends_on:
      - postgres
      - clickhouse
    environment:
      - BASE_URL=http://localhost:8084
      - SECRET_KEY=super_secret
    volumes:
      - plausible_data:/plausible
  postgres:
    image: postgres:13
    environment:
      POSTGRES_DB=plausible_db
      POSTGRES_USER=plausible
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD=plausible
    volumes:
      - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
  clickhouse:
    image: clickhouse/clickhouse-server:22.6
    volumes:
      - clickhouse_data:/var/lib/clickhouse
volumes:
  plausible_data:
  postgres_data:
  clickhouse_data:

Run it:

docker-compose up -d

Then open:
http://localhost:8084

Set up your admin account and paste the <script> tag into your website.

Want SSL and a domain?

Add a reverse proxy container like Nginx Proxy Manager or Traefik to expose it securely via HTTPS and domain name.

Why this project matters:

This setup teaches you to:

• Host full apps with databases and analytics logic
• Manage long-term data storage
• Run “production-like” tools without managed hosting
• Respect user privacy while still getting insight

Bonus? You’ll never touch Google Analytics again. And clients love seeing a slick dashboard that doesn’t scream “Google owns your traffic.”

Project 8: Create a CI/CD pipeline with Jenkins or Drone (automate everything)

What you’re building:

A fully Dockerized CI/CD pipeline using either Jenkins or Drone CI. You’ll trigger builds, run tests, and auto-deploy your apps — inside containers.

This is where Docker becomes more than dev tools — it’s infrastructure.

Skills you’ll learn:

• Containerizing build pipelines
• Mounting code volumes or Git repos
• Automating builds, tests, and deploys
• Managing secrets and credentials

Option A: Jenkins in Docker

Create docker-compose.yml:

version: '3.8'

services:
  jenkins:
    image: jenkins/jenkins:lts
    ports:
      - "8085:8080"
      - "50000:50000"
    volumes:
      - jenkins_home:/var/jenkins_home
    restart: always
volumes:
  jenkins_home:

Start it:

docker-compose up -d

Go to http://localhost:8085, unlock it using the password from:

docker exec jenkins cat /var/jenkins_home/secrets/initialAdminPassword

Install basic plugins and start creating pipelines. You can configure a GitHub webhook → Jenkins → Docker build + deploy flow.

Option B: Drone CI (lightweight and modern)

Drone is simpler and uses a .drone.yml file similar to GitHub Actions:

version: '3'

services:
  drone:
    image: drone/drone:2
    ports:
      - "8086:80"
    volumes:
      - drone_data:/data
    environment:
      - DRONE_GITEA_SERVER=https://your-gitea.com
      - DRONE_RPC_SECRET=supersecret
      - DRONE_SERVER_HOST=localhost:8086
      - DRONE_SERVER_PROTO=http
volumes:
  drone_data:

Requires a Git repo integration like Gitea/GitHub + Drone plugin. But once set up, it’s so smooth.

Why this project matters:

You’re now building the kind of automation infrastructure used by real dev teams.

You’ll understand:

• How build tools interact with source code
• Secrets management
• Running builds in isolation
• Triggering deploys from a Git push

Whether you’re freelancing or scaling your startup, this one’s a game-changer.

Project 9: Reverse proxy everything with Traefik or Nginx Proxy Manager (like a traffic ninja)

What you’re building:

A reverse proxy setup that routes traffic to your various containerized apps based on domain or subdomain. You’ll expose multiple services on a single server (or localhost), with optional SSL, basic auth, and load balancing.

Basically: make your Docker world look professional.

Skills you’ll learn:

• Configuring reverse proxies with Docker
• Using labels and automatic service discovery
• Generating SSL certs with Let’s Encrypt
• Managing multiple apps on a single port (via hostnames)

Option A: Traefik + Docker labels

Create a docker-compose.yml:

version: "3.8"

services:
  reverse-proxy:
    image: traefik:v2.9
    command:
      - "--api.insecure=true"
      - "--providers.docker=true"
      - "--entrypoints.web.address=:80"
    ports:
      - "80:80"
      - "8088:8080"
    volumes:
      - "/var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock"

  my-app:
    image: nginx
    labels:
      - "traefik.http.routers.myapp.rule=Host(myapp.localhost)"
      - "traefik.http.services.myapp.loadbalancer.server.port=80"

Visit:
http://myapp.localhost (after adding it to your /etc/hosts)

Option B: Nginx Proxy Manager (GUI)

Add this to docker-compose.yml:

version: '3.8'

services:
  npm:
    image: jc21/nginx-proxy-manager
    ports:
      - "80:80"
      - "81:81"
      - "443:443"
    volumes:
      - npm_data:/data
      - npm_letsencrypt:/etc/letsencrypt
volumes:
  npm_data:
  npm_letsencrypt:

Run it and go to:
http://localhost:81
Login (default: admin@example.com / changeme) and start adding domains + SSL with a few clicks.

Why this project matters:

Most real-world setups need some kind of proxy for:

• Clean URLs (myapp.com, not localhost:3000)
• SSL (Let’s Encrypt)
• Subdomains per service
• Security (basic auth, IP whitelisting)

This is your step into infra engineer territory routing, traffic management, and zero-downtime restarts.

Okay. Let’s take it all home in the next one.

Project 10: Build a mini SaaS stack with Node, MongoDB, and Nginx (your startup, containerized)

What you’re building:

A fully containerized mini SaaS application — backend in Node.js, database in MongoDB, served to the world through Nginx.

You’ll mimic a real app setup with:

• API server
• Database
• Frontend (optional)
• Reverse proxy
• SSL-ready networking

This is your Docker-powered MVP launchpad.

Skills you’ll learn:

• Multi-tier architecture in Docker
• Managing environment variables
• Connecting app → DB → frontend
• Production-like configs with Nginx reverse proxy
• Network separation + naming conventions

Project structure:

/mini-saas
  /backend
    server.js
    Dockerfile
  /nginx
    default.conf
  docker-compose.yml

Sample backend/Dockerfile:

FROM node:18-alpine
WORKDIR /app
COPY . .
RUN npm install
EXPOSE 5000
CMD ["node", "server.js"]

Sample server.js:

const express = require("express");
const mongoose = require("mongoose");

mongoose.connect("mongodb://mongo:27017/saas", {
  useNewUrlParser: true,
  useUnifiedTopology: true,
});
const app = express();
app.get("/", (req, res) => res.send("SaaS Backend Running"));
app.listen(5000, () => console.log("Server up on 5000"));

Sample nginx/default.conf:

nginx

server {
    listen 80;

location / {
        proxy_pass http://backend:5000;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    }
}

Docker-compose.yml:

version: "3.8"

services:
  backend:
    build: ./backend
    container_name: backend
    depends_on:
      - mongo
  mongo:
    image: mongo
    container_name: mongo
    volumes:
      - mongo_data:/data/db
  nginx:
    image: nginx:alpine
    container_name: nginx
    ports:
      - "8089:80"
    volumes:
      - ./nginx/default.conf:/etc/nginx/conf.d/default.conf
    depends_on:
      - backend
volumes:
  mongo_data:

Run it:

docker-compose up --build

Then visit:
http://localhost:8089

You just simulated launching a micro-SaaS backend.

Why this is your final Docker flex:

You’ve now built a:

• REST API
• Database backend
• Reverse proxy with Nginx
• Full networked architecture using Docker

Want frontend too? Add another service with React or Vue, and proxy it through Nginx. You’ve got the skills now.

Conclusion: You don’t need more tutorials you need projects that break you

Let’s be real: most people know Docker like they know Git barely enough to not panic.

But if you go through these 10 projects, you’ll:

• Stop guessing how volumes work
• Actually understand container networking
• Build real apps you can deploy tomorrow
• Think in systems, not commands

These are the Docker reps that build DevOps muscle.

Helpful Resources:

• Docker Docs
• Play with Docker
• Awesome Compose
• DigitalOcean Docker Tutorials