Orientation brief

How Containers Actually Work

You've been using containers for several modules now. You run `docker run`, and a container starts. It feels like magic. But it's not magic. It's Linux. Containers are not a Docker invention. They're not even a new technology. Containers are built on Linux kernel features that have existed for over a decade. Docker just made them usable. In this module, we're going to pull back the curtain. We'll understand exactly how your Linux kernel creates the illusion of isolation. We'll see the real mechanisms behind namespaces, cgroups, and layered filesystems. And by the end, you'll build a "container" from scratch using just bash commands and Linux features. This is where it all clicks into place.

Understand the problem this module is here to solve.

Read 6 chapters in order, from context to application.

Practice the module concepts through focused exercises.

Chapter route

Read in order

Practice

Module exercises

Move from reading to investigation with scenario-based practice for this module.

Open exercises →