Top 50+ Docker Interview Questions and Answers (2024)

Last Updated : 16 Oct, 2024

Docker is an open-source platform that simplifies the deployment, scaling, and management
of applications using lightweight containers. It has transformed the way apps are built,
shipped, and deployed, becoming a key tool for many top companies
like Uber, Airbnb, Google, Netflix, and Amazon. Docker is popular for its efficiency,
scalability, and ease of use, making it a preferred choice in modern DevOps.

In this interview preparation guide, we’ve put together over 50 Docker interview questions
and answers. These cover everything from basic Docker containers to advanced topics
like container orchestration, Docker Compose, and networking. Now, whether you are just
starting with Docker or have years of experience, this guide will help you prepare for a
Docker-focused interview.

Table of Content

 Basic Docker Interview Questions and Answers

 Intermediate Docker Interview Questions and Answers

 Advanced Docker Interview Questions for Experienced

 Scenario-Based Docker Interview Questions and Answers

What is Docker Container

Docker containers are lightweight a single server or ( Virtual Machine ) VM can run several
containers simultaneously. It implements a high-level API to provide these lightweight
containers that run processes in isolation. The magic of docker lies in making the process as
containers ( Operating system ) by providing separate namespaces, security groups, and
unique hostnames.

Docker comes up with popular tools such as docker-compose for defining and
running, docker swarm providing the native functionality for docker containers and docker
volume facilitating independent persistence of data.

Basic Docker Interview Questions and Answers

1. What is Docker ?

Docker is a containerization platform that allows to package an application with all its
dependencies into one single entity as single container which can be easily deployed and run
on any machine that supports docker. This makes it easier to devlop , test , deploy
applications in different environments. It uses container technology to isolate processes and
provide a lightweight, portable solution for application deployment.

2. What are the Features of Docker?

Docker features containerization for providing consistent deployment , using resources

efficient shared kernel utilization, and provides seamless portability across environments. It
enhances the security through isolation of containers supporting versioning and automated
builds. It offers a rich number of pre-built images for streamlined application development
and deployment.

3. What are the Pros and Cons of Docker?

Pros of Docker

 Portability: It enables consistent deployment across various environments.

 Resource Efficiency: Optimizing of resource usage with a shared kernel will be done
effectively.

 Isolation: It provides security through isolation of process and file system.

 Automation: it supports automated builds and streamlining development workflow

Cons of Docker

 Learning Curve: Initial learning of the containerization concepts will bit new to
understand.

 Additional Resources: Containers use some more resources compared to running

applications directly on host.

 Security Concerns: Misconfigurations may lead to the security risks if not properly
managed.
  Container Orchestration Complexity: Management of orchestration tools will be
complex for larger-scale deployments.

4. Name and Explain the Components of Docker.

Docker consists of the following as a docker components :

 Docker Engine: Docker engine is the runtime that executes containers.

 Docker Images: Docker images are lightweight, readable templates containing

executable packages that include the application with its dependencies.

 Docker Containers: Docker containers are standardized , encapsulated environments

that run applications/instances of Docker images.

 Docker Compose: Docker compose is a tool for defining and running multi-
containered Docker applications.

5. Name and Explain the State of a Docker Container.

A state of a docker container directly influences its runtime characteristics and how it
interacts with the underlying Operating system. A Docker container will be in one of these
three states:

 A docker container will be in running state it is when actively executing.

 A container in paused state means that container is temporarily halted.

 The container will be in stopped state when it is inactive.

6. Can You tell What is the Functionality of a Hypervisor?

A hypervisor is a virtualization software that helps in running multiple operating systems

(Guest OS) on a single physical host system by providing an isolation between the virtual
machines (VMs) and manages their resources.

7. Difference between Docker and Virtualization?

Docker uses containerization concept, which shares the host OS kernel for efficiency and
speed whereas Virtualization involves running complete OS instances ( Guest Operating
systems ) on a hypervisor, which may have more overhead on using resources. The following
figure ilustrate on both the Docker and Virtualization Architectures.
8. On What Circumstances Will You Lose Data Stored in a Container?

The Data in a container can be lost whenever the container is deleted, or if docker non-
persistent storage ( Ephemeral storage ) is used without proper data management. To make
the data persistent , it is recommended to use Docker volumes or volume binding ( volume
mounts ) are recommended.

9. What is Docker Hub?

Docker Hub is container registry that serves as a centralized repository for Docker images. It
built for developers and open source contributors to find , use , share and download
container images.Docker Hub can be used either host public repos that can be used for free,
or docker private repos for teams and enterprises.

10. What Command Can You Run to Export a Docker Image As an Archive?

You can use this following command to export a Docker image as an archive:

docker save -o <output_file_name>.tar <image_name>

11. What Command Can Be Run to Import a Pre-Exported Docker Image Into Another
Docker Host?

We can use this following command to import a pre-exported Docker image into another
host:

docker load -i <input_file_name>.tar

12. Can a Paused Container Be Removed From Docker?

Yes, a paused container can be removed using the command with rm option:

docker rm <container_id>
13. How Do You get the Number Of Containers Running, Paused, and Stopped?

For obtaining the number of running, paused, and stopped containers in Docker you can use
the command such as `docker ps -q` for knowing the list of running containers and `docker
ps -q -f "status=paused"` for paused ones. Stopped containers can be counted using `docker
ps -aq -f "status=exited"`. These commands will the provide the list of container IDs , and
you have to can further process the output to get the counts programmatically like `docker
ps -q | wc -l`.

The following command is used to know number of container are in running state:

docker ps -q | wc -l

The following command is used to know number of container are in paused state:

docker ps -aq -f "status=paused" | wc -l

The following command is used to know number of containers are in stopped state:

docker ps -aq -f "status=exited" | wc -l

14. How to Start, Stop, and Kill a Container?

In Docker to start , stop and kill a container we using start , stop and kill options on
association with the docker command , the usage is given below.

To start the docker container use this command:

docker start < container_name >

To stop the docker container use this command:

docker stop < container_name >

To kill the docker container use this command:

docker kill < container_name >

Intermediate Docker Interview Questions and Answers

15. Can You Tell the Difference Between CMD and ENTRYPOINT?

CMD vs ENTRYPOINT

 CMD is used for setting default commands and arguments that will be executed at
the start of runtime of the containers. It is oftenly overridden by providing command-
line arguments during container startup.

 ENTRYPOINT configures a container to run as an executable, defining the command

that has to be executed when the container starts. It is more strict than CMD and is
oftenly used when the container should have to behave like an executable.
Know more about CMD vs ENTRYPOINT.

16. What are the Key Distinctions Between Daemon Level Logging and Container Level
Logging in Docker?

Daemon Level Logging vs. Container Level Logging

 Daemon Level Logging: It involves with configuring the Docker daemon's logging
behavior globally. This will affect all containers that are running on the host.
Configuration settings will be applied at the daemon level.

 Container Level Logging: This will be connected to logs specific to an individual

container. They can be accessed using the docker logs <container_id> command ,
providing clear understanding regard the container's runtime activities.

docker logs <container_id>

17. What Does the Docker Info Command Do?

docker info provides detailed information regarding the Docker system. It includes
information such as the number of containers, images, storage driver that are used and
much more. It's a valuable command for gaining details on overview of the Docker
environment.

18. Where are Docker Volumes Stored in Docker?

Docker volumes will be stored on the host machine in

the directory /var/lib/docker/volumes . This ensures persistance of the data storage even if
the container is removed.

19. Can You Tell the Differences Between a Docker Image and Layer?

A Docker Image can be considered as a snapshot of a file system and application

dependencies. It is composed of multiple layers, where each layer will represent a set of
filesystem changes. These Layers facilitate in efficient image creation and sharing common
components among the images.

20. Can a Container Restart By Itself?

Yes, a container itself can restart automatically by setting up the --restart option during the
creation period of time. For example using `docker run --restart` always. This will ensure
that the container restarts irrespective of its exit status.

docker run --restart

21. Name the Essential Docker Commands and What They Do.

The essential Docker Commands are listed here:

  docker run: Docker run command is used to run the docker image as a docker
container.

 docker ps: Docker os command will list all the running container in the docker.

 docker exec: It helps in execute the commands in a running container.

 docker stop: It will stops a container which is running in the docker.

22. What are Docker Object Labels?

Docker object labels are key-value mapping pair applied to the docker objects for better
organizational and metadata purposes. For example, `docker run --label
environment=production <image_name>` adds a label to a container.

docker run --label environment=production <image_name>

23. How Do You Check the Versions of Docker Client and Server?

Use `docker version`command to obtain the detailed information about the Docker client
and server, including their respective version numbers.

docker version

24. Why is Docker System Prune Used? What Does It Do?

`docker system prune` is used for removal of unused data on inclusion of stopped
containers, docker networks, and dangling images. It helps in freeing up the disk space on
cleaning unnecessary resources.

docker system prune

25. What is Docker Swarm?

Docker Swarm is an inherented native clustering that comes up with a orchestration solution
for the Docker software. It helps in simplifying the management of a swarm of Docker nodes
on allowing the seamless scaling of the applications across various multiple nodes within the
network. It provides built-in load balancing and will ensure the high availability of
containerized applications.

26. How Do You Scale Docker Containers Horizontally?

Horizontal scaling is achieved through replicating the services across multiple nodes. Tools
like Docker Compose or Docker Swarm facilitate this process. For example, using `docker-
compose up --scale web=3` command will replicates the "web" service to three instances,
distributing the workload across them horizontally.

docker-compose up --scale web=3

27. What Is the Difference Between Docker Restart Policies "no", "on-failure," And
"always"?
These restart policies will provide flexibility in managing the container behavior based on
specific requirements. The restart policy "no" gives full control over restarts, "on-
failure" handles irregular issues, and "always" will ensures the constant availability. Choose
the appropriate policy based over the nature and importance of that particular
containerized application.

Restart Policy Description

No automatic restart will be done. The

container will not restart automatically, in
any case of the exit status. It will be suitable
for the scenarios where manual
intervention is preferred or when the
container is perfered for a one-time
execution.

Example: docker run --restart no

"no" my_container

It will restarts the container only if it exited

with
a non-zero status. This policy is useful when
anticipating occasional failures and wanting
the container to automatically recover from
such failures.
Example:
docker run --restart on-failure:3
my_container
"on-failure" ( restarts up to 3 times on failure )

The container will restart regardless of its

exit status. It will be useful in critical
services that should be always running and
ensuring continuous operation even if the
container exits.
Example:
"always" docker run --restart always my_container

28. How Do You Inspect the Metadata of a Docker Image?

By using the `docker inspect <image_name>` command , you can examine into detailed
metadata about the Docker image. This contains the information regarding labels, layers,
and the configuration settings.

docker inspect <image_name>

29. How Do You Limit the CPU and Memory Usage of a Docker Container?

Om using the --cpus option you can set the CPU limits and with -m option you can set
memory limits. The following example illustrates usuage of CPU and memory for a docker
container.

docker run --cpus=3 -m 1024M <image_name>

30. What are the Differences Between Docker Community Edition (CE) and Docker
Enterprise Edition (EE)?

Usage of Docker Community Edition will be peferable for individuals and small-scale
projects, It provides the essential features of containerization for free. On the other hand,
Docker Enterprise Edition deals in providing the enterprise needs with advanced features
and support for the large-scale projects in production environments. The choice between
these two will depends on the scale, requirements, and support needed for the Docker
deployment.

Docker Community Edition Docker Enterprise Edition

Feature (CE) (EE)

It requires the subscription

Free for individual use and
and offers advanced
will be suitable for
features for the production
development and testing.
Pricing environments.

Provides enterprise-grade
Provides community
level support through
support through forums
service-level agreements
and community resources
Support (SLAs).

Certification Limited certification for These are Certified and

specific platforms. tested
for a wide range of
operating systems, cloud
 Docker Community Edition Docker Enterprise Edition
Feature (CE) (EE)

providers, and plugins.

Enhanced security with

Contains Basic security additional features like
features image signing and scanning
Security are available.

Advanced orchestration
tools like Docker Swarm
Has only Basic
and Kubernetes for large-
orchestration capabilities
scale deployments are
Orchestration Tools available.

Additional management
Core image and container tools and features,
Image and Container management features. including role-based access
Management control (RBAC).

Tailored for large-scale

Ideal for development and enterprise environments
small-scale deployments. with optimized
Environment Support performance.

Advanced networking
Basic networking
features, including multi-
capabilities.
Networking host networking and DNS.

A wide range support of

Plugins and extensions are
certified plugins and
limited in the community
extensions are available for
edition.
Plugins and Extensions various integrations.

Advanced Docker Interview Questions for Experienced

31. What Is the Purpose of the "docker checkpoint" Command?

The "docker checkpoint" command is vital for the creation of snapshots of a running
container's state , including its file system and the memory. It is particularly useful for
experimental mode of scenarios such as debugging or migration.
For example to checkpoint a container named "my_container," the command would be:

docker checkpoint create my_container checkpoint_name

32. Can We Use JSON Instead Of YAML While Developing a Docker-Compose File in
Docker?

Yes, Docker Compose has support for both YAML and JSON formats for defining the
configuration of services. While YAML is more commonly used due to its readability and
clearness , you can also use JSON as an alternative. The choice between of two will depends
on personal preference on requirements of the projects. To use JSON, simply try on creating
a `docker-compose.json` file instead of a `docker-compose.yml` file, and define your
services in JSON format.

33. Describe the Lifecycle of a Docker Container.

In the lifecycle of docker container , it goes through the following states:

 Creation: On using `docker run` container is created.

 Execution: In this state specific required commands are executed inside the
container.

 Pausing/Unpausing: These are optional states for temporarily halting a container.

 Stopping: On using the `docker stop` command container is gracefully halted in this
state.

 Removal: Using `docker rm` command the container can be deleted.

 Restarting: With the `docker restart` command containers can be restarted.

34. How Will You Ensure Container 1 Runs Before Container 2 While Using docker-
compose?

In Docker Compose, the order of the services startup is determined by their dependencies.
By specifying container dependencies with the "depends_on" key in the docker-
compose.yml file, you can ensure the desired startup order.
A sample example on usage of depends_on provided here , In this even though container1 is
listed firsted because of the depends_on key container2 will be startup and then container1
will be queue order.

services:

container1:
 depends_on:

- container2

...

container2:

....

35. How Does Docker Handle Container Isolation and Security?

Docker uses containerization concept to isolate the processes by imiting their access to the
host system. Features like namespaces and cgroups provides the resource isolation for the
containers and Docker Security Scanning helps in identifying the vulnerabilities in images.

36. How do the Docker Daemon and the Docker Client Communicate With Each Other?

The Docker daemon and client communicate on using REST APIs. The Docker client will send
the commands to the daemon using the API, and the daemon will execute those commands
on managing containers, images, and other Docker objects.

37. Can You Implement Continuous Development (CD) and Continuous Integration (CI) in
Docker?

Yes, Docker is an integral part to the CI/CD pipelines. Developers can use Docker images for
the consistent environments, and CI tools can perform the automate testing and
deployment using Docker containers for ensure reproducibility.

38. Is it a Good Practice to Run Stateful Applications on Docker?

Docker is primarily designed for the stateless applications. On using Docker volumes or
persistent storage stateful applications can be runnable but it's crucial to carefully manage
data persistence and backup to avoid data loss.

39. What Is the Purpose of Docker Secrets?

Docker secrets are used mostly to securely store sensitive information, such as passwords or
API keys in Docker swarm. Secrets are encrypted and can only be accessible by services that
have explicit permission to use them.
Example:

docker secret create db_password mysecretpassword

40. How Do You Create a Multi-stage Build in Docker?

A multi-stage build in Docker involves with using multiple "FROM" instructions in a

Dockerfile. Each "FROM" instruction will begin a new stage, allowing you to build and copy
the artifacts from previous stages for reducing the final image size.
Example of Dockerfile with multi-stage build:
FROM builder as build

# Build stage

FROM alpine

# Final stage

COPY --from=build /app /app

41. How Do You Update a Docker Container Without Losing Data?

To update a Docker container without losing data, you can try on using a combination of
Docker volumes or bind mounts to make the data persistant outside the container. When
updating, create a new container with the updated image and then link it to the existing
data volume.

42. How Do You Manage Network Connectivity Between Docker Containers And the Host
Machine?

Docker provides several ways to manage network connectivity between containers and the
host machine. The choice of networking options depends on the specific requirements of
the application and the desired level of isolation.

 Bridge Networks: Bridge networks are the default networks , these are created when
a Docker daemon starts. Through this network containers on the same bridge
network can communicate with each other.

 Host Networks: In this containers will share the host's network namespace. so that
containers can directly use the host machine's network interfaces.

 Custom Networks: Custom bridge networks can used to create isolate containers and
control their communication. Containers on custom networks can communicate with
each other with the help of container names as hostnames.

 Overlay Networks (Swarm Mode): Overlay networks are used in Docker Swarm
mode for communication between the services that running on different nodes. They
provide multi-host networking for orchestration of containers.

 Macvlan Networks: Macvlan networks will allow containers to have their own MAC
addresses on the physical network, providing them with the direct access to the
host's network.

Examples for creating the networks are listed here:

# Create a bridge network

docker network create my_bridge_network

# To Run a container with host network

docker run --name container1 --network host -d my_image

# To create a custom bridge network

docker network create my_custom_network

# To create an overlay network

docker network create --driver overlay my_overlay_network

43. How Do You Debug Issues in a Docker Container?

Debugging techniques will provide a comprehensive approach for troubleshoot and to the
resolve issues within Docker containers. Depending on the nature of the problem on
following these guided commands you can understands the details of the container's
behavior.

 Container Logs: On running this `docker logs <container_id>` command you can
view the standard output and error logs.

docker logs <container_id>

 Interactive Shell: Helps in accessing the interactive shell inside the container for
detailing.

docker exec -it <container_id> /bin/bash

 Inspect Container Details: helps in retrieving the detailed information about the
container.

docker inspect <container_id>

 Process Listing: Provide the list of running processes inside the container.

docker exec -it <container_id> ps aux

 Network Troubleshooting: Check network connectivity of the container through the

hostname

docker exec -it <container_id> ping <hostname>

 Resource Utilization: Helps in monitoring the CPU and memory usage.

docker stats <container_id>

44. How Does Docker Handle Service Discovery in Swarm Mode?

In Docker Swarm Mode, service discovery is automatically handled through maintaining an

internal DNS service that automatically assigns DNS names to the containers on enabling
easy service discovery within the swarm.

Scenario-Based Docker Interview Questions and Answers

45. Which Is the Preferred Method for Removing a Container: Using the "docker stop"
Command Followed By the "docker rm" Command, or Simply Using the "docker rm"
Command By Itself?

The recommend approach for the container removal is to use the combined "docker stop"
and "docker rm" commands, as it makes sure a safely stopping of the container before
removing it. This two-step process will helpful in avoiding potential issues related to the
active processes within the container. However, if you are sure about that the container is
not running, then you can go for using the "docker rm" command alone to remove it.

46. Suppose You Have 3 Containers Running, and Out Of These, You Wish to Access One Of
Them. How Do You Access a Running Container?

To access the running container, you can use the "docker exec" command. Here is the
general syntax:

docker exec -it <container_id_or_name> /bin/bash

The `docker exec` command is useful for the execute of a command inside a running
container. It provides a interactive session for pseudo terminal -TTY with option -it, allowing
you to interact with the container <container_id_or_name>. Try on replacing this with the
actual ID or name of the container that you want to access.

The /bin/bash program specifies the command that to be executed in the container. In this
case, it starts with interactive Bash shell, but you can also replace it with the appropriate
required command for your needs. This will opens up the bash shell inside the specified
container on enabling you to run commands, inspecting the container's filesystem, or
troubleshoot. After once you are done with it, you can exit from the shell and it won't affect
the container's running state.

47. Considering a Server With 16 GB RAM and a Quad-core CPU, What Factors Determine
the Maximum Number Of Containers You Can Run on the Host for a Microservices App?

The maximum number of containers a host can support will mainly depends on the available
resources like RAM and CPU cores. With the 16 GB of RAM, on assuming each container
utilizes 512 MB efficiently, you could potentially run on around nearly 32 containers.
However, cautious allocation, monitoring tools, and the container orchestration are essential
factors for optimal resource utilization and scalability.
48. How Will You Monitor Docker in Production?

For monitoring the docker in production environment, generally utilize tools like Docker
Stats, cAdvisor, and the Prometheus for real-time insights retriving for container
performance. Implementation of centralized logging with solutions such as ELK
Stack or Splunk to track container logs are used in common.

Additionally, consideration of using container orchestration platforms like Kubernetes or

Docker Swarm, which offer better built-in monitoring and scaling capabilities. Regularly
review metrics such as CPU, memory usage, and network activity to ensure optimal
performance and address potential issues promptly.

49. Are You Aware of Load Balancing Across Containers And Hosts? How Does It Work?

Load balancing across the containers and hosts is critical for distributing traffic efficiently in
the containerized environment. Container orchestration tools like Kubernetes or Docker
Swarm employes load balancers to evenly distribute the requests among the container
instances or nodes.

This will enhance the scalability, fault tolerance, and resource utilization by directing the
traffic to healthy containers or hosts. The Load balancing plays a vital role in maintaining the
stability and optimization on overall system performance in both the dynamic and scalable
containerized applications.

50. How Do You Share Data Between Containers in Docker?

In Docker, you can share data between the containers on using volumes or by utilizing the `--
volumes-from` option. Volumes will provide a persistent and the shared storage mechanism,
allowing the data to be accessed and modified by multiple containers.

Alternatively, the --volumes-from option allows the container to access the volumes of
another container. This provides the seamless data sharing and collaboration between the
containers, through facilitating the communication and coordination in complex multi-
container setups.

51. Can a Container Restart By Itself?

Yes, The containers can be configured to restart by themselves automatically. Docker

provides a restart policy that allowing you to define the container behavior when it exits. On
using the options such as "--restart always".

you can instruct Docker to restart the container automatically, in any case of the exit status.
This will be useful for ensuring the continuous availability of critical services within the
containerized environment. Other restart policies include "unless-stopped" and "on-
failure" offering the flexibility in handling the container lifecycle events.

52. How Do You Perform a Live Migration Of Docker Containers Between Hosts?
For performing a live migration of docker containers between hosts can be achieved through
using container orchestration tools like Docker Swarm or Kubernetes. These tools will
manage the seamless containers movements across the hosts on ensuring minimal
downtime.

Through Utilizing the features such as Swarm's `docker service update` or

Kubernetes' `kubectl drain` and `kubectl uncordon` commands, you can initiate the live
migrations by allowing containers to be moved to different hosts while maintaining the
availability of application.

Conclusion

In conclusion, preparing well for Docker interview questions is important for Java developers
and all developer engineers, whether you're just starting out or have experience. This guide
helps you understand Docker better, so you can show your skills in interviews and boost your
career in tech, no matter your level.