Reminder to follow the course’s curated labs and exercises first to build foundational skills, avoid setup pitfalls, then create custom local environments after completing core lessons.
This is a quick reminder about staying focused on the curated labs and lessons provided in this course. It can be tempting to spin up your own local environment immediately, but we strongly recommend completing the provided materials first. The lab environment and exercises are designed to give you a consistent, hands-on path that builds core skills and avoids common setup pitfalls.
By following the labs as presented, you reduce distractions and interruptions, and you can follow a clear learning progression from foundational concepts to practical exercises. This approach helps you retain key concepts and prepares you for more advanced, self-directed setups later.
For best results, follow the labs exactly as shown until the instructor provides guidance on creating your own local setup.
Below is an example of what you might see when listing Docker images on a machine used in the labs. This output illustrates the typical images students will encounter during exercises:
We will provide step-by-step instructions and resources for creating a local environment at the appropriate stage in the course, so you can practice independently once you have the necessary foundational knowledge.
When to use the provided labs
When to build your own local setup
During early lessons to learn consistent workflows and avoid setup issues
After completing core labs and when you need custom tooling or advanced experimentation
Follow instructor guidance and supplied images/commands
Use local Docker, Kubernetes, or VM configurations tailored to your needs
Ideal for certification prep and timed exercises
Ideal for portfolio projects, performance tuning, or integrating additional services
If you want to explore related documentation while following the labs, these official resources are helpful:
A simple example of starting an image in a lab context:
$ docker run redis
For now, keep your focus on the lessons and exercises included in the course so you can build the foundational knowledge and skills required for more advanced setups.Thank you for choosing KodeKloud — we look forward to guiding you through the materials.
