Docker Networking Basics

This page is a hands-on intro to Docker's built-in network drivers - bridge, host, and none - and to publishing ports so the outside world can reach a container.

Everything here is single-host Docker Engine; Kubernetes networking is a separate model covered elsewhere.

Prerequisites

• Docker Engine 29.6.1 with BuildKit (the default backend).
• Compose v2 (docker compose, not the legacy docker-compose).
• A Linux host or Docker Desktop; commands assume you can run docker without extra privileges.

docker version --format '{{.Server.Version}}'
docker network ls

Basic Examples

1. Inspect the default networks

Every install ships with three networks you cannot delete.

docker network ls

• bridge is the default network containers join when you pass no --network.
• host shares the host's network namespace directly.
• none gives a container no network at all.
• These three map to the three built-in drivers of the same name.

2. Run a container on the default bridge

A plain docker run attaches to the default bridge.

docker run -d --name web nginx:1.27
docker inspect -f '{{.NetworkSettings.IPAddress}}' web

• The container receives a private IP on the docker0 subnet.
• Outbound traffic is NATed to the host address automatically.
• Nothing outside the host can reach that private IP yet.
• The default bridge does not provide DNS resolution between containers.

3. Publish a port to reach the container

Publishing maps a host port to a container port with a DNAT rule.

docker run -d -p 8080:80 --name web nginx:1.27
curl -s http://localhost:8080 | head -n1

• -p 8080:80 forwards host 8080 to container 80.
• EXPOSE in a Dockerfile is only documentation; it does not publish anything.
• Bind to a specific interface with -p 127.0.0.1:8080:80 to avoid exposing publicly.
• Use -P to publish all exposed ports to random high host ports.

4. Use host networking

The host driver skips the network namespace entirely.

docker run -d --network host --name metrics prom/node-exporter:v1.8.2

• The container binds directly to host ports, so no -p is needed or allowed.
• There is no network isolation, which is a security trade-off.
• Port conflicts with the host or other host-net containers are possible.
• host is Linux-native; on Docker Desktop it behaves differently.

5. Disable networking with none

The none driver creates an isolated stack with only loopback.

docker run --rm --network none alpine:3.20 ip addr

• Useful for batch jobs that must not touch the network.
• Only the lo interface exists inside the container.
• A strong default for untrusted or purely CPU-bound workloads.
• You can attach a network later with docker network connect.

6. List and inspect a network

docker network inspect shows the subnet, gateway, and connected containers.

docker network inspect bridge

• The Containers map lists every attached container and its IP.
• IPAM shows the subnet and gateway the driver allocated.
• Use this first when debugging "which network is this on".
• --format lets you pull a single field for scripts.

7. Map published ports on a running container

Check what a container actually published with docker port.

docker port web

• Confirms the host-to-container port mapping in effect.
• Handy when you used -P and got random host ports.
• Mismatches here explain most "connection refused" reports.
• Pair it with ss -tlnp on the host to see the listener.

Intermediate Examples

8. Create a user-defined bridge for DNS

Custom bridges add automatic name resolution the default bridge lacks.

docker network create appnet
docker run -d --network appnet --name api myapi:1.0
docker run --rm --network appnet alpine:3.20 ping -c1 api

• Containers on a user-defined bridge resolve each other by container name.
• This is the recommended default for multi-container apps.
• Isolation is stronger: only containers on appnet can reach api.
• The embedded DNS server lives at 127.0.0.11 inside the container.

9. Attach a container to multiple networks

A container can join several networks for segmentation.

docker network create frontend
docker network create backend
docker run -d --name app --network frontend myapp:1.0
docker network connect backend app

• app can now reach services on both frontend and backend.
• This models a DMZ pattern: public tier plus private tier.
• Each network gets its own interface inside the container.
• Disconnect cleanly with docker network disconnect backend app.

10. Control published ports in Compose

Compose declares ports and networks in one file.

services:
  web:
    image: nginx:1.27
    ports:
      - "127.0.0.1:8080:80"
    networks:
      - appnet
networks:
  appnet:

• Compose creates appnet automatically and joins web to it.
• The 127.0.0.1: prefix keeps the port off public interfaces.
• Services in the same Compose project resolve each other by service name.
• Run it with docker compose up -d.

11. Debug connectivity from inside a container

When a connection fails, test from the container's own namespace, not the host.

docker run --rm --network appnet nicolaka/netshoot \
  sh -c 'nslookup api; nc -zv api 80'

• netshoot bundles dig, nc, curl, and tcpdump for network debugging.
• Running it on the same network reproduces the failing container's exact view.
• nslookup confirms whether embedded DNS resolves the target name.
• nc -zv proves whether the port is actually open and reachable.

External Related Links

• Docker Docs - Official Docker documentation (Engine, Desktop, Compose, Build, Hub).
• Docker Get Started - Official Docker beginner path.
• Awesome Docker - Curated list of Docker tools, resources, and projects.
• Docker in Action, 2nd Edition - Nickoloff & Kuenzli.
• Learn Docker in a Month of Lunches, 2nd Edition - Elton Stoneman.

Stack versions: This page was written for Kubernetes 1.36.2, Docker Engine 29.6.1 (BuildKit default), containerd (CRI runtime on nodes), Helm 3, Compose v2, Argo CD (latest - verify at build), and Gateway API (GA - verify controller support at build).