Docker on Ubuntu 26

My primary use case for Docker is standardizing development and deployment environments across the entire application life cycle, and I rely on Docker to ensure that every component of a project, whether it's a Laravel backend, a Node.js service, MySQL database, or some lightweight Alpine-based utility, runs in a predictable, isolated, and reproducible environment.

One of my recent projects involved modernizing a legacy LAMP-based Laravel application for a finance client, and the team had developers on macOS, Windows, Linux, and other operating systems, and everyone was running slightly different PHP versions, MySQL configurations, and other extensions, and this caused constant friction, with migrations failing on one machine and queue workers behaving differently on another, leading to inconsistent test results. Docker solved the problem because every developer, regardless of operating system, ran the exact same environment.

The most important feature is environment consistency across all stages, and the ability to guarantee identical environments in development, testing, staging, and production. Docker provides lightweight, isolated containers that are very fast, and every build is reproducible through Dockerfiles.

Docker has had a significant positive impact across development and training, and the biggest improvement has been the elimination of environment inconsistencies, which used to be one of the main sources of friction in product development and onboarding.

I have noticed faster developer onboarding and consistent environments across the entire life cycle, as well as more reliable CI/CD pipelines and simplified production deployment.

Docker could potentially be more straightforward. A more guided approach to using it would be useful.

I have been using Docker for around three years.

I recommend starting with Docker Compose instead of Kubernetes, and keeping images lean while treating Dockerfiles as a core part of the codebase. You need to standardize your development environment, align it with your CI/CD pipeline, and rely on official images for stability. I would also suggest asking fewer questions to streamline the process and make it shorter. I would rate this product an 8 overall.

My main use case for Docker is building and testing Docker materials built by other people and also other systems. I do a lot of voluntary GitHub work and development, so some of that runs on Docker. I have been building browsers and other applications which also rely on Docker, so databases running on Docker and containers running on Docker are part of my workflow. Regarding my main use case for Docker, I mention reliability and local building.

In the best possible scenario, Docker allows me to run a really complex Docker container locally and then be able to test it and quickly get fixes in. When I send the information to the senior developers for them to fix the issues that the Docker containers or those operating systems or software have, I am able to quickly get to the GitHub repo, get the newest version, and try again with Docker.

Docker impacts my organization positively because we all use it and we haven't moved away from it. Docker is pretty much mandatory and required and needs to be there. People use it, set it up, and then they're happy with it, and then we use it.

Using Docker has allowed me to test faster, and software development has moved faster.

The main thing that really frustrates me about Docker is how much battery power it consumes on a Macintosh. I really am not a fan of that, which leads me to not want to run Docker 24/7 because I do not want my laptop battery to be exhausted by Docker instances running or even the Docker CLI or UI being booted up. I tend to not have it running until I need it, and then I run it and close it. It would be really nice if it did not consume as much battery as it does currently.

Docker can definitely be improved by reducing the battery and CPU load that it impacts on a Macintosh. If it were possible for me to run Docker without panicking about the battery running out, that would be excellent. I believe battery is the biggest issue with Docker. The other issue is memory. It seems to consume a lot of memory, and I am not a fan of that. This means that I need to have a really powerful, high-specification Macintosh with a lot of battery and a lot of memory for it to work reliably. I do not always have access to that. If Docker could consume less battery and less memory, that would be magnificent.

I have been using Docker for nine years.

Docker feels like it is stable, but it also feels like it consumes a lot of battery.

Docker's scalability is such that the more I use it, the more battery it uses, and that is the only metric that matters to me. I want my laptop to be usable and not to choke up and run out of battery.

I did not previously use a different solution.

I was not the person who chose Docker and I did not evaluate any other options. We went with Docker because that was the one.

I have been using Docker for nine years. I believe Docker makes the process of being able to run complex containers locally and quickly test and fix things the smoothest it can be. I have never had any annoyances after the Docker environments have been set up. Sometimes I have had to help with the documentation and setting the Docker environments up, but most of the time, it is really good and really useful. It is just better.

The development speed and velocity have increased by me being able to test on Docker.

My advice for others looking into using Docker is to get multiple battery laptop chargers. Get multiple and keep them around at all times. Stock up the office with battery chargers and laptop chargers. Give people two for home, two for a backpack, and two for travel. Make sure that they constantly have laptop chargers available to them and that they are of the fastest possible quality and the highest quality and reliability.

The main issue is the battery usage, which keeps Docker from being rated higher.

My overall review rating for Docker is 7 out of 10.

I use Docker primarily for backend services to containerize applications or for API communications.

The most valuable feature is the simple containerization. I can specify what I need to install in a shell to ensure the application runs. It's a straightforward and easy-to-use feature. I also use it with CI/CD tools, finding it a good solution for integration.

In terms of communication between services, perhaps the configuration within networks between containers could be improved.

I have been working with Docker for about six years.

The stability is excellent. I would rate it ten out of ten.

By using Kubernetes, scalability is simple and can be done without issues.

Some developers might use virtualization solutions like VMware, however, Docker is much better because it is simple.

Overall, the setup is simple.

I consider Docker's pricing to be affordable.

Some developers might consider virtualization solutions like VMware.

I would recommend Docker for a wide range of users, from 50 to five million users, as it is simple to configure.

I rate the overall solution ten out of ten.

I used Docker to Dockerize Java code. We had a code base, and I needed to create a Docker image from it so that it could be deployed. At the time, we used Docker Compose, which is somewhat similar to Kubernetes.

Docker allows virtualization at a higher level without the need for a host machine. You can have a few libraries in the image, and it will run on any machine, making deployment easier. This approach reduces the number of headaches compared to traditional methods.

Docker provides another level of virtualization where you don't need the host machine. The ability to use an image with the software built into it, rather than just the software, is beneficial. It allows the software to run on various machines without compatibility issues, saving a lot of time.

Docker is a time-tested, proven solution with industry-wide applications. There can be challenges with port mapping, however, that's not related to Docker itself.

I started using Docker when I began my career in cloud computing. It has been approximately five or six years since I last created a Docker image.

Docker is fairly old, and there are existing GitHub repositories for any issues that arise. We can often resolve these issues ourselves through online resources.

Docker is highly scalable. Without the need for physical hardware, you can run multiple images on your server. Previously, only one or two applications could run on a server, but now it can handle hundreds of applications, scaling up or down as needed.

I have never had to contact Docker's support team.

The initial setup is not difficult, especially with Docker Desktop. It allows you to manage images easily without having to run commands if you prefer not to.

Docker is well-established in the market. Most people in DevOps or IT are familiar with Docker or creating Docker images. It is easy to use.

I'd rate the solution ten out of ten.

I work with startups and companies looking to build products from scratch to production. I handle deployments from various teams and use AWS. My experience includes deploying applications, setting up APIs, adding load balancers, and managing traffic. Docker is essential for this work, allowing me to create sandbox environments to run applications. Essentially, Docker helps manage clusters of applications and maintain the cloud environment.

The tool's most valuable feature is its sandbox environment. It makes it very easy to run and test applications without needing configurations, which is the core advantage of containerization. Kubernetes and Helm are helpful as they provide high-level metrics, making tracking the status of all the containers and applications running easier.

One of the challenges I face with Docker is debugging containers within the infrastructure. It can be tricky to debug applications inside containers, which is a common issue among developers. If easier tools or methods were available to debug applications within Docker containers, it would be very beneficial.

I have been working with the product for two to three years.

I have never contacted support since documentation is available on the issues. The community is huge, and the documentation is pretty good. Additionally, there is information online that I can refer to.

Overall, setting up the Docker environment is quite easy. Many methods exist, such as using Docker Compose and Docker networks to communicate between containers. The main challenge lies in designing the architecture and integrating different frameworks and microservices.

I would rate the ease of setting up the tool at around nine out of ten. The time it takes to deploy depends on the scale of the system. For the early-stage startup I'm currently working with, it doesn't take much time. It's just me handling the deployment. In our early-stage startup, we have a couple of teams with around four to five backend APIs and two front-end services. Deploying these doesn't take much time. My focus is more on minimizing costs due to our lean startup structure.

Using the solution containers saves a lot of time compared to deploying on EC2 instances. It simplifies deployment and greatly reduces the deployment time. So, the internal ROI is quite good, making Docker a very valuable tool for us.

Regarding pricing, we primarily use AWS for our deployments since we have funding for it. We don't spend much on Docker-specific services, just the containerization product. Docker Hub isn't particularly expensive either, so overall, the pricing is pretty reasonable.

I'm a backend engineer and handle major deployments—I'm the only one on the team who does this. I help deploy and configure the product and expose endpoints for other teams. If a service stops working, they contact me to address the issue. I also maintain the deployed environments, including building, testing, and development.

I rate the overall product a ten out of ten.