docker-networking

Q: How do I install docker-networking?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/full-stack-skills/docker-skills --skill docker-networking in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/docker-networking/ (personal) or .claude/skills/docker-networking/ (project).

by full-stack-skillsDevOps & Cloud

Guidance for Docker networking configuration and inter-container communication. Covers network modes (bridge/host/overlay/none/macvlan/ipvlan), custom bridge networks with DNS resolution, port publishing (-p/--publish), container linking and service discovery, network troubleshooting (inspect/ping/nslookup), overlay networks for Swarm, and network security (internal networks, encrypted overlay). Use when the user asks about docker network, container networking, bridge mode, port mapping, inter-container communication, network troubleshooting, or Docker network modes. 使用场景：docker network、容器网络、bridge、overlay、端口映射、容器通信、网络配置、网络排查.

Installs: 112
Last 24h: —
Trending rank: —
Security: Not audited

Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/full-stack-skills/docker-skills --skill docker-networking

01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads docker-networking automatically when relevant.
03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

Docker Networking — 网络配置与容器通信

Comprehensive guidance for Docker networking modes, configuration, and troubleshooting.

When to Use

ALWAYS use this skill when the user mentions:

"docker network", "容器网络"
"bridge network", "host network", "overlay network"
"端口映射", "publish port"
"容器之间怎么通信", "跨容器通信"
"网络不通", "network troubleshooting"

Network Mode Comparison

Mode	Isolation	Use Case	Cross-Host?
bridge (default)	Container-level	Single-host containers	❌
host	None (share host)	Max performance, no isolation	❌
overlay	Container-level	Swarm multi-host	✅
none	Full	No networking needed	❌
macvlan/ipvlan	MAC/IP-level	Legacy apps needing physical IP	✅

Custom Bridge Network (Recommended)

# Create a custom network
docker network create --driver bridge mynet

# Run containers on it
docker run -d --name app1 --network mynet nginx:alpine
docker run -d --name app2 --network mynet nginx:alpine

# DNS resolution works automatically
docker exec app1 ping app2    # ✅ responds
docker exec app1 nslookup app2  # ✅ resolves

# Benefits over default bridge:
# - Automatic DNS resolution
# - Container isolation from default bridge
# - Can connect/disconnect at runtime

Port Publishing

# Basic port mapping
docker run -p 8080:80 nginx     # host:8080 → container:80
docker run -p 8080              # random host port → container:8080
docker run -P nginx             # publish all EXPOSE'd ports to random host ports

# Multiple ports
docker run -p 8080:80 -p 8443:443 nginx

# Bind to specific interface
docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8080:80 nginx  # only localhost

Service Discovery

Custom bridge network provides automatic DNS:

┌──────────────────────────────────┐
│  my-network (bridge)             │
│                                  │
│  ┌──────┐  ┌──────┐  ┌──────┐   │
│  │ app1 │  │ app2 │  │  db  │   │
│  └──┬───┘  └──┬───┘  └──┬───┘   │
│     │         │         │        │
│     └─── DNS: app2 → 172.18.0.3 │
│          DNS: db → 172.18.0.4   │
└──────────────────────────────────┘

app1 can connect to db:5432 directly — no IP needed!

Overlay Network (Swarm)

# Create overlay for multi-host
docker network create --driver overlay --attachable my-overlay

# In compose:
networks:
  backend:
    driver: overlay

Network Troubleshooting

# Inspect network details
docker network inspect mynet

# Test connectivity from container
docker exec app1 ping -c 3 app2
docker exec app1 nslookup db
docker exec app1 curl http://app2:8080/health

# Check iptables (host)
sudo iptables -t nat -L DOCKER -n

Workflow — 推荐配置流程

Step 1: 确定需求: 容器间通信？端口暴露？跨主机？选择网络模式 Step 2: 创建网络: docker network create --driver bridge mynet Step 3: 启动容器: docker run -d --network mynet --name db mysql + docker run -d --network mynet --name api myapp Step 4: 验证连通性: docker exec api ping db（服务名 DNS 解析） Step 5: 排查问题: docker network inspect mynet → docker exec api nslookup db

Gotchas — Common Pitfalls

Default bridge no DNS: Containers on the default bridge CANNOT resolve each other by name. → Recovery: docker network create mynet && docker run --network mynet ...; always use custom bridge networks.
Port already in use: -p 8080:80 fails if host port 8080 is taken. → Recovery: lsof -i :8080 to find the process; use -p 8081:80 or -p 80 for random host port.
Mac host networking limitation: --network host on Docker Desktop (Mac) joins the VM's network, not the Mac's. → Recovery: Publish ports with -p instead of --network host.
Overlay without Swarm: Overlay networks only work with Swarm mode. → Recovery: docker swarm init first, or add --attachable flag for standalone containers.
EXPOSE does NOT publish: EXPOSE in Dockerfile is documentation only. → Recovery: Always use -p or Compose ports: to actually make ports accessible.

Boundary — 能力边界（适用与不适用场景）

分类	场景	说明
✅ 能做	单机容器网络配置	bridge/host/none 模式选择
✅ 能做	容器间 DNS 通信	自定义 bridge 网络 + 服务名解析
✅ 能做	端口发布	`-p host:container` 端口映射
⚠️ 需条件	跨主机通信	需要 overlay 网络 + Swarm 模式
⚠️ 需条件	macOS `--network host`	行为不同于 Linux，建议用 `-p` 替代
❌ 超范围	K8s 网络策略（NetworkPolicy）	使用 `docker-production` + K8s 文档
❌ 超范围	外部负载均衡（Nginx/HAProxy）	基础设施层级
❌ 超范围	iptables/nftables 精细配置	Linux 网络管理

When NOT to Use This Skill

❌ Skip	✅ Use Instead
Docker basics	`docker-basics`
Running containers	`docker-run`
Compose networking	`docker-compose` (compose handles network creation automatically)
Kubernetes networking	K8s documentation

Security & Stability

Use --internal flag for networks that should not have internet access.
Encrypt overlay network traffic: --opt encrypted=true.
Avoid --network host in production — no network isolation.
No executable scripts bundled. Guidance only.

📚 官方文档参考

文档	地址
Docker 网络概述	https://docs.docker.com/network/
docker network 命令	https://docs.docker.com/reference/cli/docker/network/
网络驱动	https://docs.docker.com/network/drivers/
Bridge 网络	https://docs.docker.com/network/bridge/
Overlay 网络	https://docs.docker.com/network/overlay/
端口发布	https://docs.docker.com/network/#published-ports

🧭 Docker Skills Journey

📍 You are here: docker-networking — 网络配置

← Previous: docker-run | → Next: docker-compose

FAQ

Q1: 如何快速上手此技能？ A: 参考上方的快速开始章节，按步骤操作即可。

Q2: 遇到版本不兼容问题怎么办？ A: 检查依赖版本，使用 lock 文件锁定，参考常见陷阱章节。

Q3: 如何在生产环境使用？ A: 参考最佳实践章节，确保配置正确，做好监控和日志。

Q4: 性能如何优化？ A: 参考性能优化相关文档，使用缓存、索引等手段。

Q5: 如何贡献或反馈问题？ A: 在 GitHub 仓库提交 Issue 或 Pull Request。

Q6: 是否支持中文？ A: 支持中文文档和中文注释，详见国内适配章节。

FAQ

What does the docker-networking skill do?

How do I install docker-networking?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/full-stack-skills/docker-skills --skill docker-networking in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/docker-networking/ (personal) or .claude/skills/docker-networking/ (project).

Which AI agents can use docker-networking?

Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.

Is docker-networking safe to install?

No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.

Who maintains docker-networking?

It is published by full-stack-skills in full-stack-skills/docker-skills. It has 112 recorded installs.