Chapter 00Free
Free Docker Compose first contact
Learn what Compose is, what a Compose file describes, how config becomes project resources, and how to prove a stack started and cleaned up.
8 focused lessons + 3 advanced lessonsTrue zero to Compose professional
Multi-Container Operations with Docker Compose
Model, operate, debug, and hand off Docker Compose applications with evidence.
Learn Docker Compose from zero: resolve an application model, operate projects safely, inspect live state, diagnose failures, and prove cleanup.
No credit card for the free chapter. Preview what the chapter covers.
By the end
Observable skills you will practice.
- Explain how a Compose file becomes project-scoped containers, networks, and volumes
- Resolve and validate Compose files instead of guessing from raw YAML
- Build, start, inspect, stop, restart, and remove services with explicit boundaries
- Use project names to prevent parallel stacks from colliding
- Prove service discovery, published ports, persistence, environment values, health, and startup behavior
- Debug a broken stack from config, state, logs, events, and targeted probes
- Complete an independent model-to-cleanup incident evidence chain
Syllabus
21 chapters from the published course structure.
The focused path contains 85 required lessons. The advanced library remains available when your role needs more depth.
Focused path chapters14 chapters contain the required 85-lesson path.
Chapter 01Full course
Compose file anatomy and YAML reading
Learn services, images, build blocks, ports, command, environment, volumes, networks, and why resolved config beats raw YAML guesses.
8 focused lessons + 2 advanced lessonsChapter 02Full course
Services, images, commands, and ports
Learn the service abstraction, image versus build, container command shape, published ports, service names, and container identity.
7 focused lessons + 3 advanced lessonsChapter 03Full course
Project names and resource isolation
Learn how Compose chooses project names, how names isolate environments, and why two stacks can exist from the same file.
7 focused lessons + 3 advanced lessonsChapter 04Full course
Lifecycle commands and safe cleanup
Learn up, down, stop, start, restart, rm, rebuild intent, attachment, detached mode, and cleanup boundaries.
6 focused lessons + 4 advanced lessonsChapter 05Full course
Observation with ps, logs, events, top, and stats
Learn how to inspect service state, logs, event trails, process views, and resource signals before changing the stack.
6 focused lessons + 4 advanced lessonsChapter 06Full course
Exec and run for live debugging and one-off tasks
Learn the difference between running a command inside an existing service and launching a one-off service container.
5 focused lessons + 5 advanced lessonsChapter 07Full course
Networking and service discovery
Learn default networks, service-name DNS, published ports, internal versus host access, and custom networks.
7 focused lessons + 3 advanced lessonsChapter 08Full course
Volumes, bind mounts, and persistence
Learn named volumes, bind mounts, persistence, reset safety, data ownership, and when down -v is destructive.
6 focused lessons + 4 advanced lessonsChapter 09Full course
Environment variables and interpolation
Learn environment, env_file, .env interpolation, required variables, defaults, precedence, and runtime proof.
7 focused lessons + 3 advanced lessonsChapter 10Full course
Health checks, readiness, and startup order
Learn depends_on, running versus ready, healthcheck, service_healthy, restart propagation, and startup races.
7 focused lessons + 3 advanced lessonsChapter 11Full course
Compose Watch and the development loop
Learn develop.watch, sync, rebuild, restart, ignored paths, local source edits, and fast feedback without hiding proof.
5 focused lessons + 5 advanced lessonsChapter 12Full course
Troubleshooting broken stacks
Diagnose invalid YAML, missing variables, port conflicts, unhealthy dependencies, bad mounts, wrong profiles, and stale resources.
5 focused lessons + 5 advanced lessonsChapter 13Full course
Incident gauntlet and final professional capstone
Recover a broken multi-service Compose project from config, environment, readiness, network, volume, secret, and cleanup failures.
1 focused lesson + 10 advanced lessonsExplore 7 advanced library chapters
These chapters provide optional drills and reference depth. They are not required to complete the focused path.
Library 12Full course
Build workflows, contexts, targets, and cache
Learn image versus build, build context, Dockerfile path, target stages, build args, cache expectations, and pull policy.
10 advanced lessonsLibrary 14Full course
Multiple files, overrides, include, and merge
Learn base files, override files, -f order, merge rules, relative paths, include, and environment-specific composition.
10 advanced lessonsLibrary 15Full course
Profiles and optional services
Learn profile activation, default services, targeted services, debug tooling, and avoiding accidental production extras.
10 advanced lessonsLibrary 16Full course
Secrets and configs
Learn sensitive data handling, secret files, per-service grants, configs, runtime mount paths, and why env vars are not the safest default.
10 advanced lessonsLibrary 17Full course
Restart, logging, and resource controls
Learn restart policies, logging options, resource limits, graceful stop, names, labels, and operational constraints.
10 advanced lessonsLibrary 19Full course
CI and team workflow hygiene
Learn deterministic validation, project isolation, cleanup in CI, environment files, service readiness checks, and evidence packets.
10 advanced lessonsLibrary 20Full course
Production-like handoff and Compose boundaries
Learn what Compose is good at, where orchestration begins, handoff packets, backup notes, rollout limits, and operational humility.
10 advanced lessonsFull access
Choose access for Multi-Container Operations with Docker Compose
Every available offer is shown with its exact CAD price and billing model. Checkout opens only after you choose an offer and enter the receipt email.
Questions
Know what to expect before you start.
What can I try for free?
Free Docker Compose first contact is free and contains 11 lessons. No credit card is requested before the free workspace opens.
What experience do I need?
No Docker Compose experience is required. Basic Docker and command-line familiarity is helpful.
What does the focused path include?
85 required lessons, with 8 free and 77 included in paid access.
Is there material beyond the focused path?
Yes. The course also includes 127 advanced practice and reference resources. They are available when you need more depth, but they do not lengthen the required path.
Which paid options are available?
Academy Founder Annual: CA$139 per year. Founder Vault: CA$279 one-time.
How is paid access billed?
Academy Founder Annual: Access continues while the annual subscription remains active. Founder Vault: No recurring charge. Coverage includes courses launched during the first 24 months.
How long does it take?
The published estimate is 18 to 24 active hours for the Core Path. Your pace will depend on how much you repeat the practice.
Do I need to install anything?
No installation is required to start the guided free chapter. Later lessons explain the real tools, files, and operating boundaries relevant to the skill.
What technology is covered?
The syllabus and these stated outcomes are the source of truth: Explain how a Compose file becomes project-scoped containers, networks, and volumes; Resolve and validate Compose files instead of guessing from raw YAML; Build, start, inspect, stop, restart, and remove services with explicit boundaries; Use project names to prevent parallel stacks from colliding; Prove service discovery, published ports, persistence, environment values, health, and startup behavior; Debug a broken stack from config, state, logs, events, and targeted probes; Complete an independent model-to-cleanup incident evidence chain.
Which browsers are supported?
Use a current browser with JavaScript enabled. The free chapter is the quickest compatibility check for your device.
Does the workspace work on mobile?
The reading pages reflow for small screens. Command-heavy practice is more comfortable with a physical keyboard and a larger display.
What happens when I make a mistake?
The practice state is isolated from production systems. Read the resulting evidence, revise the action, and try again.
How do I restore access?
Use the receipt email on the restore-access page. The sign-in link verifies the account before paid entitlements are loaded.