🚀 Getting Started with Docker: From Installation to Pushing Images to Docker Hub Part 1

If you're new to Docker or looking for a simple guide to go from setup to publishing your containerized app, this post is for you. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to:

• Install Docker on Ubuntu
• Build your first Docker image
• Create and run a container
• Tag and push your image to Docker Hub

Let’s get started.

🐳 Step 1: Install Docker on Ubuntu

Open your terminal and run the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y docker.io

🔗 Alternative method:

For the latest version and installation options, check the official Docker install script:

To verify Docker is installed correctly:

docker --version

or

docker -v

📂 Useful Docker Commands

• List Docker images:

docker image ls

• List Docker containers:

docker container ls

🛠 Step 2: Build Your Docker Image

Let’s use a static website as an example, such as one downloaded from startbootstrap.com.

1. Create a Dockerfile in your project directory:

nano Dockerfile

1. Add the following content:

FROM nginx:alpine
COPY . /usr/share/nginx/html

1. Build the Docker image:

docker build -t webapp:v1 .

To confirm the image was created:

docker image ls

🚀 Step 3: Run the Container

Now let’s run your image in a Docker container:

docker run -d -p 80:80 --name websiteapp webapp:v1

Visit http://localhost:80 (or your server’s public IP) to see your site live.

To list running containers:

docker container ps

🔐 Step 4: Log in to Docker Hub

If you don’t have a Docker Hub account, sign up here.

Then log in from your terminal:

docker login -u your_dockerhub_username

You’ll be asked to enter your password or a Personal Access Token (PAT).

📦 Step 5: Tag & Push Your Image to Docker Hub

1. Tag the image:

docker tag webapp:v1 your_dockerhub_username/webapp:v1

1. Push the image:

docker push your_dockerhub_username/webapp:v1

You can now visit your Docker Hub profile and view your pushed image:

👉 https://hub.docker.com/repositories

After Successful Push

✅ Summary

In this guide, you learned how to:

• Install Docker on Ubuntu
• Build and run a Docker image
• Host a simple static site using NGINX
• Push your Docker image to Docker Hub

This workflow forms the backbone of containerized development. You can now use these skills to automate deployments, integrate with CI/CD pipelines, or scale with orchestration tools like Kubernetes.

💬 Have questions or want to learn how to automate deployment using GitHub Actions or AWS ECS? Leave a comment or reach out — I’d love to help!