Software and DevOps · Free online course

Docker and Containers for Automation Engineers

The prerequisite under every modern edge and IIoT job: what a container actually is and why it is not a virtual machine, installing Docker, the commands you use every day, reading logs and getting a shell inside a running container, developing against containers instead of installing software by hand, writing a Dockerfile, private registries, Docker Compose for a full edge stack, volumes so plant data survives a restart, and the production practices that decide whether an image belongs on a plant machine.

11 modules
3h 25m of video
Beginner
English
₹0, free

Docker and Containers for Automation Engineers course cover

₹0Free for good

Worth ₹2,499 by length and depth against classroom training. It has always been free; that is not a former price.

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Overview

About Docker and Containers for Automation Engineers

Docker and Containers for Automation Engineers is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for automation engineers and developers. It has 11 modules and 3h 25m of video lessons by TechWorld with Nana, with written notes and worked problems, a practical project with a document pack and a 15-question final assessment (pass mark 60%). Learning is free with an account; an optional certificate with a public verification code is issued when you pass. Last updated 27 September 2026.

Who it is for: Automation engineers and developers

This course includes

3h 25m of video lessons
11 modules with written notes and diagrams
One final assessment: 15 questions, pass mark 60%
Ask-an-engineer support from practising engineers
Lifetime access, the course does not expire
Optional verifiable certificate when you finish

Step 1 of 3
Learn the 11 modules
3h 25m of video lessons, written notes and a practice task per module, at your own pace.
Step 2 of 3
Pass the final assessment
15 questions drawn from every module, pass mark 60%, 3 attempts.
Step 3 of 3
Take the certificate, if you want it
Optional, paid once, only if you choose it. The course stays free either way.
See the certificate and its price

A look inside

Docker and Containers for Automation Engineers: Syllabus at a glance — Syllabus at a glance

Docker and Containers for Automation Engineers: What you will be able to do — What you will be able to do

Docker and Containers for Automation Engineers: Tools and credits — Tools and credits

From the lessons

What a container is, and why it is not a virtual machine
by TechWorld with Nana
Images, registries and the workflow you will follow
by TechWorld with Nana
Installing Docker and running your first container
by TechWorld with Nana
Everyday commands, and looking inside a running container
by TechWorld with Nana
Developing against containers instead of installing software
by TechWorld with Nana
Writing a Dockerfile and building your own image
by TechWorld with Nana

Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits and are shown from YouTube.

What you learn

What you will be able to do

Run, stop, inspect and remove containers from the command line; find why a container failed using its logs and a shell inside it; replace hand-installed software with images pulled from a registry at a pinned version; write a Dockerfile that builds your own application into a versioned image; push that image to a private registry and pull it on a plant machine; bring up a multi-service stack such as an MQTT broker, a time-series database and a dashboard from one Compose file; keep data across restarts and upgrades with named volumes; and say plainly whether a site needs an orchestrator or whether Compose on one box is the better answer.

Run, stop, inspect and remove containers from the command line without guessing
Read a container's logs and open a shell inside it to find out why it stopped
Write a Dockerfile that builds your own application into a versioned image
Bring up a multi-service edge stack, broker plus database plus dashboard, from one Compose file
Keep plant data across restarts and image upgrades using named volumes
Push an image to a private registry and pull it on a plant machine with pull-only credentials

Syllabus

Course content, module by module

In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.

Modules: 11
Video lessons: 17
Of video: 3h 25m
Final questions: 15

01
What a container is, and why it is not a virtual machine
2 lessons · 15m
02
Images, registries and the workflow you will follow
2 lessons · 14m
03
Installing Docker and running your first container
1 lesson · 20m
04
Everyday commands, and looking inside a running container
2 lessons · 26m
05
Developing against containers instead of installing software
1 lesson · 21m
06
Writing a Dockerfile and building your own image
1 lesson · 24m
07
Private registries: keeping your images off the public internet
1 lesson · 16m
08
Docker Compose: a whole stack from one file
3 lessons · 26m
09
Volumes: data that survives a restart
2 lessons · 19m
10
Production practices, and what sits above Docker
2 lessons · 24m
11
Final assessment
0 lessons · 0m
Final assessment · 15 questions, pass mark 60%

Show all 11 modules

Project

The course project

Optional practice that ends in the kind of job the course prepares you for, with the documents that go with it.

About 14 hours

Containerised plant data stack on an edge PC: Node-RED, Mosquitto, InfluxDB and Grafana with Compose, volumes and a runbook

Design, build, test and document the containerised data stack for a foundry's melt shop on a fanless industrial edge PC: four services from pinned images in one Compose file, named volumes that survive a recreate, a private registry so the plant machine never touches the internet, resource and log limits, one image of your own from a Dockerfile, and a runbook for deploy, upgrade, backup and rollback that you perform rather than describe. The sample pack shows what an edge-software delivery hands over.

Sample document pack, 7 documents, filled in for the scenario

URSUser Requirements: Melt-Shop Data Stack on Edge PC EDGE-01
SDSSoftware Design Specification: Edge Stack gfp-edge on EDGE-01
IP planIP Plan, Networks and Port List: Edge PC EDGE-01 and the Plant Registry
ProcedureRunbook: Deploy, Upgrade, Backup, Restore and Rollback of the gfp-edge Stack
Test reportValidation Report: Restart, Persistence, Limits, Security and Restore of the gfp-edge Stack
Risk registerRisk Register: Edge Data Stack gfp-edge
O&M manualOperation and Maintenance Manual: gfp-edge Stack (Operation section, the electrical-room note)

Read inside the course and download as a workbook. The project is optional practice, marked when you submit it; the certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.

Tools

Software, hardware and lessons

Software

Docker Desktop on Windows or Mac, or Docker Engine on Linux. Docker Engine is free for any use. Docker Desktop is free for personal use, education, non-commercial open source and small businesses, and larger organisations need a paid subscription. A text editor and a free Docker Hub account.

Hardware

Any laptop or industrial PC with about 8 GB of RAM and hardware virtualisation enabled. No PLC, gateway or plant hardware is required.

Who it is for

Beginner. You need to be comfortable typing commands at a terminal. No prior container, cloud or Linux administration experience is assumed, and no PLC knowledge is needed to follow the lessons.

Video lessons by

TechWorld with Nana

Independent creators, credited in full under Credits.

Software you need

What to download, where from, what it costs and how to install it. Every link goes to the maker's own site, never a mirror.

Required

01
Docker Desktop
Docker, Inc.
Free for personal use, education and small businesses
Runs on
Windows 10 64-bit version 22H2 (build 19045) or Windows 11 64-bit version 23H2 (build 22631) or later, with WSL 2 and hardware virtualisation on, 8 GB RAM. Also macOS and Linux.
Account
None needed
Free for personal use, education, non-commercial open source projects, and businesses with fewer than 250 employees and less than 10 million US dollars in annual revenue. Larger businesses need a paid subscription. Docker Engine on Linux is open source and is not covered by these terms.
Show the 5 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open docker.com/products/docker-desktop and download the installer for your system.
2. 2.On Windows, install WSL first (wsl --install) if you do not have it.
3. 3.Run the installer and keep the WSL 2 option selected.
4. 4.Restart if asked, then start Docker Desktop and accept the subscription terms.
5. 5.Open a terminal and run: docker run hello-world
- Turn on virtualisation in BIOS or UEFI if Docker says it is not available.
- On Linux servers, install Docker Engine instead of Docker Desktop.
Official download pagedocker.com
Alternatives
- Docker Engine (Linux): Free, open source engine for Linux. Not covered by the Docker Desktop subscription terms.
02
Docker Hub
Docker, Inc., in the browser
Free plan with limits
Runs on
Any modern web browser
Account
A free Docker account (Docker Personal plan)
The free Docker Personal plan includes one private repository and 100 Docker Hub pulls per hour when signed in, subject to reasonable use. Each image on Docker Hub has its own licence.
Show the 4 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open hub.docker.com and click Sign up.
2. 2.Create your account with email, or with Google or GitHub, and verify your email.
3. 3.In a terminal, run: docker login and enter your Docker username.
4. 4.Pull an image, for example: docker pull hello-world
- Prefer images marked Docker Official Image or Verified Publisher.
- Signing in raises your pull limit compared with anonymous pulls.
Open Docker Hubhub.docker.com

Optional

Useful, not needed to finish the course.

03
Visual Studio Code
Microsoft
Free
Runs on
Windows 64-bit (supported Windows client versions), macOS (latest and two previous releases), Linux (Ubuntu 20.04, Debian 10, RHEL 8, Fedora 36 or later)
Account
None needed
Size
Less than 200 MB download, under 500 MB installed
Free to download and use. Extensions from the Marketplace each have their own licence.
Show the 4 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open code.visualstudio.com/download.
2. 2.Pick the installer for your system (on Windows, the User Installer is fine).
3. 3.Run the installer. On Windows, tick "Add to PATH" if it is offered.
4. 4.Open VS Code and install the extensions your course uses, for example the Python extension.
- Hardware needs are small: a 1.6 GHz processor and 1 GB of RAM.
- On Windows, the "Open with Code" options in the installer let you open folders from File Explorer.
Official download pagecode.visualstudio.com

Checked against each maker's own page on 27 September 2026. Trial lengths and editions change; the maker's page is the final word.

What you walk away with

Your certificate for Docker and Containers for Automation Engineers

Finish the course, pass the final, and this is the document with your name on it.

Sample Wartens Certificate of Completion for Docker and Containers for Automation Engineers, issued through the EDWartens training portal — Sample. The issued certificate carries your name, your final score, a unique certificate ID and its own QR code.

Verifiable by anyone
A unique certificate number and a public verification page. A recruiter checks it in ten seconds.
Adds to LinkedIn in one click
Issuer, credential ID and URL prefilled, with 5 matching skills to pin to your profile.
QR code on the certificate
Scans straight to the verification page, so a printed copy proves itself.
Names what you can do
Lists the topics covered, from containers vs virtual machines, images, registries and tags to docker compose stacks, named volumes and production image practice.
A permanent link
Put it on a CV, a portfolio or an application. The URL never changes.
Earned, not attended
Issued only after every module and a final assessment at 60%, with 3 attempts. That is why it stands up.

Learning is free. The certificate is optional.

Add it now and pay only when you have finished the course, or come back for it later. One-off, US$23.99, with a receipt.

Issued by Wartens Ltd (England and Wales, company no. 15262249) through the EDWartens training portal, as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. Sold in India by Wartens Automation Private Limited. It is not a vendor certification, a university award or a CPD-accredited activity, and it does not certify competence on live equipment. Delivered electronically; see the refund policy.

FAQ

Common questions

Is the Docker and Containers for Automation Engineers course really free?

Yes. All ten modules, the practice tasks, the practice questions and the final assessment are free. You create an account so your progress is saved and the assessments can be marked. The certificate is the only paid item, and only if you want it.

What certificate does the Docker and Containers for Automation Engineers course give?

An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you have finished every module and passed the final assessment at 60%, with a verification code anyone can check. It is not a vendor credential and is never described as one.

Who made the video lessons in the Docker and Containers for Automation Engineers course?

TechWorld with Nana, on her own YouTube channel, credited at the foot of this page. EDWartens did not make the videos and the creator is not affiliated with EDWartens. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.

Is this the same as a Docker or Kubernetes certification?

No. There are paid, vendor-run container and Kubernetes examinations, and this course is neither of them, is not accredited by anyone, and does not follow their exam objectives. It is preparation and practice. What you get here is an EDWartens Certificate of Completion.

Do I need to know Linux or programming?

No. You need to be able to type commands at a terminal and read the output. The course explains what each command does. If you have never used a command line, plan a little extra time on DK3 and DK4.

What do I need installed, and does it cost anything?

Docker Desktop on Windows or Mac, or Docker Engine on Linux. Both are free for personal use, education and small businesses, and larger companies need a paid Docker Desktop subscription. You need a laptop with about 8 GB of RAM and hardware virtualisation enabled in firmware, which is worth checking before you start.

Will this help with Node-RED, Ignition or an edge gateway?

That is why it exists. Node-RED, Grafana, InfluxDB, MQTT brokers and most edge software now ship as container images, and the EDWartens Node-RED and Ignition courses assume you can run one. This course fills that gap: by DK8 you can bring the whole stack up from a single Compose file.

Does the course cover Kubernetes?

Not as a subject you learn to operate. The last module explains what Kubernetes and Docker Swarm add over Docker on a single host, and when a site genuinely needs them, so you can make that call honestly rather than adopting an orchestrator for one edge PC.

Is the Docker and Containers for Automation Engineers course free in India, and what does the certificate cost?

Yes. Learning costs ₹0 in India: every module, the written notes, the practice tasks and the final assessment, with no card and no trial period. The only paid item is the optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹499 including GST for this beginner course, paid in rupees through Razorpay, and only if you want it after passing the final assessment.

All course facts

Price: ₹0, free for good. No trial, no card. Comparable classroom training of this length costs about ₹2,499.
Who it is for: Automation engineers and developers
Format: 11 self-paced modules, 3h 25m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
Level: Beginner. Beginner. You need to be comfortable typing commands at a terminal. No prior container, cloud or Linux administration experience is assumed, and no PLC knowledge is needed to follow the lessons.
Brand: Vendor-neutral
Software: Docker Desktop on Windows or Mac, or Docker Engine on Linux. Docker Engine is free for any use. Docker Desktop is free for personal use, education, non-commercial open source and small businesses, and larger organisations need a paid subscription. A text editor and a free Docker Hub account.
Hardware: Any laptop or industrial PC with about 8 GB of RAM and hardware virtualisation enabled. No PLC, gateway or plant hardware is required.
Certificate: Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹499 inclusive of GST for learners in India, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
Video lessons by: TechWorld with Nana (independent creators, credited below)
Language: English
Last updated: 27 September 2026

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Credits

Who made the video lessons

The video lessons in this course were created by the people below, not by EDWartens. Every lesson streams from its creator's own YouTube channel; EDWartens neither hosts nor sells that footage, and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens and do not endorse this course. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.

TechWorld with Nanaevery video lesson in this course, from the Docker tutorial series and the channel's Compose, volumes and production videos: what a container is, Docker against a virtual machine, installing Docker, the eight basic commands, debugging with docker logs and docker exec, developing with containers, the Dockerfile, private registries, Docker Compose and deployment, volumes, the production best practices, and where Kubernetes and Swarm fit

If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.