Docker Lab Documentation¶
Production-grade Docker Compose infrastructure for commodity VPS deployments
Docker Lab is an opinionated, security-hardened Docker Compose stack that transforms a single VPS into a reliable hosting platform. It provides a complete foundation -- reverse proxy, TLS certificates, access control, observability -- all configured through declarative YAML.
This documentation is both a learning resource and an operational manual. Whether you are deploying your first container or managing multi-tenant infrastructure, Docker Lab gives you the patterns and tools to do it right.
What You Will Learn¶
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Architecture & Concepts
Understand the layered architecture: socket proxy, reverse proxy, and application services. Learn why each layer exists and how they compose.
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Deploy in Minutes
Go from a fresh VPS to a running stack with TLS certificates, basic auth, and a web dashboard in under 15 minutes.
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Security by Default
Docker socket isolation, principle of least privilege, network segmentation, and automated TLS -- all built in from the start.
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Observe Everything
Choose from lightweight monitoring (Netdata + Uptime Kuma) or full observability (Prometheus + Grafana + Loki). Both profiles are included.
Quick Navigation¶
Getting Started¶
New to Docker Lab? Start here.
- Introduction -- What Docker Lab is and who it is for
- Concepts -- Architecture, design principles, and terminology
- Quick Start -- From zero to running in 15 minutes
Operations¶
Deploy and operate Docker Lab in production.
- Foundation Stack -- The three core services that power everything
- Security & Hardening -- Socket isolation, TLS, access control
- Deployment -- VPS provisioning, configuration, and updates
Features¶
Extend your stack with built-in capabilities.
- Dashboard -- Real-time container management interface
- Profiles -- Composable service profiles for different needs
- Observability -- Monitoring, metrics, and log aggregation
Reference¶
Deep-dive technical content.
- Extending Docker Lab -- Add your own services
- Use Cases -- Real-world deployment patterns
- Limitations & Roadmap -- Known constraints and what is next
- Reference -- Configuration, environment variables, CLI commands