10 Practical Docker Projects to Build in a Weekend 
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.
1. Self-Hosted Cloud Storage (Nextcloud)
Deploy Nextcloud to create your own private cloud storage alternative to Google Drive or Dropbox. Store, sync, and share files securely across devices.
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:
2. Personal Wiki (Wiki.js)
Run Wiki.js to build a personal or team knowledge base with markdown support, integrations, and an intuitive UI.
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
3. Media Server (Plex)
Host your own media streaming service with Plex, organizing and streaming movies, shows, and music to any device.
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
4. URL Shortener (YOURLS)
Deploy YOURLS to create branded, trackable short links. Perfect for marketing campaigns or internal use.
version: '3'
services:
yourls:
image: yourls/yourls
ports:
- 8082:80
environment:
YOURLS_SITE: "http://localhost:8082"
YOURLS_USER: admin
YOURLS_PASS: password
5. Home Automation Hub (Home Assistant)
Run Home Assistant to integrate smart home devices into one control panel with powerful automation.
version: '3'
services:
homeassistant:
image: ghcr.io/home-assistant/home-assistant:stable
volumes:
- ./config:/config
restart: unless-stopped
network_mode: host
6. Git Server (Gitea)
Host your own Git repositories with Gitea, a lightweight alternative to GitHub or GitLab.
version: '3'
services:
gitea:
image: gitea/gitea:latest
ports:
- "3000:3000"
- "222:22"
volumes:
- ./data:/data
restart: always
7. Web Analytics (Matomo)
Use Matomo to collect detailed website analytics without relying on third-party trackers.
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
8. Password Manager (Vaultwarden)
Run Vaultwarden, a lightweight Bitwarden server, to manage passwords privately and securely.
version: '3'
services:
vaultwarden:
image: vaultwarden/server:latest
ports:
- 8084:80
volumes:
- ./vw-data:/data
restart: always
9. Note-Taking App (Joplin Server)
Deploy Joplin Server to sync your notes, to-dos, and journals across devices with end-to-end encryption.
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
10. Developer Tools Suite (Dockerized Dev Tools)
Package common developer tools like Postgres, Redis, and Adminer into a ready-to-run local dev environment.
version: '3'
services:
postgres:
image: postgres
environment:
POSTGRES_PASSWORD: pass
redis:
image: redis
adminer:
image: adminer
ports:
- 8086:8080
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 active community support and extensive documentation, so setup and customization are straightforward.
!