Understanding Docker Internals with Linux Namespaces

This repository is a hands-on exploration of Docker’s inner workings by diving into the Linux technologies that power it. By breaking down the foundational concepts like Linux namespaces, filesystems, and networking, this project bridges the gap between Docker’s high-level abstractions and the underlying kernel features.

Through this lab practice, I have:

• Inspected Docker images, delving into extracted layers and manifest.json files to understand how Docker stores and manages its filesystems.
• Simulated Docker-like environments, creating isolated namespaces for filesystems and networking.
• Appreciated Docker’s automation, learning firsthand the complexity that Docker abstracts away.

Each experiment is documented with step-by-step guides in markdown files, designed for developers, engineers, and learners who want to:

• Demystify Docker by understanding its relationship with Linux namespaces.
• Build their own "mini containers" using raw namespaces.
• Appreciate containerization by replicating Docker functionality manually.

Table of Contents

• Inspecting and Understanding Docker Filesystem Inside Docker Images Inspect Docker Image Layers
• Create a Minimal Container with an Isolated Filesystem Namespace Filesystem
• Enable Networking Between Host and Namespaced Processes Namespace Networking

Whether you're curious about the magic of Docker or eager to understand how it’s built on top of Linux kernel features, this repository offers a refreshing, practical learning experience. Dive in and start your journey toward mastering the internals of containerization!

I hope you find this repository as refreshing and enlightening as I did while working on it!

GitHub repository link