Start out by going to https://kitematic.com and download the “Docker Toolbox”
This will install VirtualBox if you don’t already have it.
While on the webpage go ahead and create a new Docker ID.
Let’s jump right in, there is a library of prebuilt docker containers so let’s start with Postgres.
Search for Postgres, notice the official tag.
Open a terminal session and run:
psql -U postgres
Then you can select the current date:
select now();
Search for mysql
When you start you’ll get an error message. Go to the Settings tab and add an environment variable:
MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD pickles
Restart so the change is picked up, launch EXEC and connect to the db:
mysql -u root -p
enter `pickles` for password
Like Postgres we’ll select the current date:
select now();
Search for mssql-server-linux.
Upon start it will error out on memory. In Kinematic click on the gear in the lower left corner to bring up preferences. Check the “Shutdown Linux VM on Closing Kinematic” checkbox. Then shutdown. Go into VirtualBox and add RAM. Reopen Kitematic.
Start and observe error message about accepting EULA. Go to Settings and add:
ACCEPT_EULA Y
SA_PASSWORD b0yg1rl01
Again RESTART and open EXEC and connect to sqlcmd:
/opt/mssql-tools/bin/sqlcmd -H 127.0.0.1 -U sa -P b0yg1rl01
Like the last two database platforms show the current date:
1> select getdate()
2> go
Let’s see a big data tool with multiple nodes.
Search for cassandra
Nothing needs to configure here. The command line tool cqlsh is used to query the cluster. Open EXEC:
cqlsh
And again we’ll select the date/time as proof of life:
SELECT dateof(now()) FROM system.local ;
We can also experiment with containers which have nothing to do with databases. Ghost is a blog post tool, in fact we use this for the Steak & Rain blog.
Search for ghost
There is no command line tooling so we open a browser. To know where to navigate to open Settings > Hostname / Ports and grab the Published IP:Port and use this for your url.
That’s it. There are all sorts of other containers useful for testing out different OS versions, Minecraft servers, Wordpress, etc. The rest of the time I’ll help those that would like the tool installed on their own equipment. Feel free to experiment and share with others any cool tricks you discover.