Ask HN: I must learn Docker and Kubernetes – where to start

4 pointslexmo672 comments

I'm going from helpdesk support job to another role. They told me that I have one month to learn all that I can about Docker and Kubernetes.

After one month I should be able to understand the concepts, offer 2nd level help to customers that have issues installing our Docker images or setting up Kubernetes using our instructions.

I've never user Kubernetes, I don't even know if I can run it at my home computer. Docker I know so much as it takes to run docker image using commands from documentation.

Can this be learned within one month (I'll get paid for one month just to focus on learning) so I have about 160 hours for this?

I like structured approach. If there is any good on-line course, site or book can you tell me about it?

I know that there is a lot of YouTube videos but the usually cover just one aspect.

I have experience with virtualization systems that run on desktop computers (VirtualBox). I know basics of Linux (Ubuntu and Mint).

I know that HN isn't fond of this types of post, but this is a genuine ask for help. Not some post to get spam content (paid courses adverts, etc.).

View on HN

1. This can be learned in one month. 2. Follow official docker docs, deploy tutorial containers. - learn both docker, swarm and compose - learn about networking, volumes and secrets (focus here, this is the most important part) - take notes and don't spend more than a week on this 3. Then deploy some open source services based on docker, find them on github (i.e. azuracast). Spend whole week deploying docker stacks, find as complex as possible if you find it easy. 4. Now repeat the process for k8s. - setup local stack (pick k3s or kind, don't overthink it) - read about basic k8s concepts on the website (this should map to what you know from docker) - deploy few basic containers (pods) - then find k8s stacks on github to deploy - take notes, week max 5. In the final week try to convert one of you docker stacks to k8s to learn the differences and to write your own charts. Dont rely on tools like kompose - do it by hand. - here try to learn to write own charts - if you have time left learn one of the cloud offerings (ie GKE)