Master Docker in Days with These Ready-to-Use Weekend Projects. If you’re looking to boost your Docker skills fast, these 10 real-world projects provide hands-on experience and produce tools you’ll actually use. Each project is simple enough to complete in a weekend but powerful enough for daily utility. 🛠️
🐳 Docker Projects to Build in a Weekend:
Self-Hosted Cloud Storage (Nextcloud) ☁️📁
What it does: Deploy Nextcloud to create your own private cloud storage alternative to Google Drive or Dropbox. Store, sync, and share files securely across devices.
Code:
YAML
version: '3'
services:
db:
image: mariadb
restart: always
environment:
MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: example
MYSQL_DATABASE: nextcloud
MYSQL_USER: nextcloud
MYSQL_PASSWORD: password
app:
image: nextcloud
ports:
- 8080:80
links:
- db
volumes:
- nextcloud:/var/www/html
volumes:
nextcloud:
Link: https://hub.docker.com/_/nextcloud
Personal Wiki (Wiki.js) ✍️🧠
What it does: Run Wiki.js to build a personal or team knowledge base with markdown support, integrations, and an intuitive UI.
Code:
YAML
version: '3'
services:
db:
image: postgres
environment:
POSTGRES_USER: wiki
POSTGRES_PASSWORD: wikijsrocks
POSTGRES_DB: wiki
wiki:
image: requarks/wiki
ports:
- 8081:3000
links:
- db
Link: https://hub.docker.com/r/requarks/wiki
Media Server (Plex) 🎬📺
What it does: Host your own media streaming service with Plex, organizing and streaming movies, shows, and music to any device.
Code:
YAML
version: '3'
services:
plex:
image: plexinc/pms-docker
network_mode: host
environment:
- PLEX_CLAIM=
- ADVERTISE_IP=http://<your-ip>:32400/
volumes:
- ./config:/config
- ./data:/data
Link: https://hub.docker.com/r/plexinc/pms-docker
URL Shortener (YOURLS) 🔗✂️
What it does: Deploy YOURLS to create branded, trackable short links. Perfect for marketing campaigns or internal use.
Code:
YAML
version: '3'
services:
yourls:
image: yourls/yourls
ports:
- 8082:80
environment:
YOURLS_SITE: "http://localhost:8082"
YOURLS_USER: admin
YOURLS_PASS: password
Link: https://hub.docker.com/r/yourls/yourls
Home Automation Hub (Home Assistant) 🏠⚙️
What it does: Run Home Assistant to integrate smart home devices into one control panel with powerful automation.
Code:
YAML
version: '3'
services:
homeassistant:
image: ghcr.io/home-assistant/home-assistant:stable
volumes:
- ./config:/config
restart: unless-stopped
network_mode: host
Link: https://hub.docker.com/r/homeassistant/home-assistant
Git Server (Gitea) 🐙💾
What it does: Host your own Git repositories with Gitea, a lightweight alternative to GitHub or GitLab.
Code:
YAML
version: '3'
services:
gitea:
image: gitea/gitea:latest
ports:
- "3000:3000"
- "222:22"
volumes:
- ./data:/data
restart: always
Link: https://hub.docker.com/r/gitea/gitea
Web Analytics (Matomo) 📊📈
What it does: Use Matomo to collect detailed website analytics without relying on third-party trackers.
Code:
YAML
version: '3'
services:
db:
image: mariadb
environment:
MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: example
MYSQL_DATABASE: matomo
MYSQL_USER: matomo
MYSQL_PASSWORD: password
app:
image: matomo
ports:
- 8083:80
links:
- db
Link: https://hub.docker.com/_/matomo
Password Manager (Vaultwarden) 🔑🔒
What it does: Run Vaultwarden, a lightweight Bitwarden server, to manage passwords privately and securely.
Code:
YAML
version: '3'
services:
vaultwarden:
image: vaultwarden/server:latest
ports:
- 8084:80
volumes:
- ./vw-data:/data
restart: always
Link: https://hub.docker.com/r/vaultwarden/server
Note-Taking App (Joplin Server) ✍️☁️
What it does: Deploy Joplin Server to sync your notes, to-dos, and journals across devices with end-to-end encryption.
Code:
YAML
version: '3'
services:
db:
image: postgres
environment:
POSTGRES_USER: joplin
POSTGRES_PASSWORD: joplinpass
POSTGRES_DB: joplin
app:
image: joplin/server:latest
ports:
- 8085:22300
environment:
- APP_PORT=22300
- POSTGRES_PASSWORD=joplinpass
depends_on:
- db
Link: https://hub.docker.com/r/joplin/server
Developer Tools Suite (Dockerized Dev Tools) 🧑💻⚙️
What it does: Package common developer tools like Postgres, Redis, and Adminer into a ready-to-run local dev environment.
Code:
YAML
version: '3'
services:
postgres:
image: postgres
environment:
POSTGRES_PASSWORD: pass
redis:
image: redis
adminer:
image: adminer
ports:
- 8086:8080
Link: (This is a custom-built solution combining multiple official images)
💡 Why These Projects?
These projects cover storage, automation, development, analytics, and productivity—making them perfect for learning Docker while building something genuinely useful. Each has an active community support and extensive documentation, so setup and customization are straightforward. 💖
ENJOY & HAPPY LEARNING! 🎉
