C# (.NET) and Docker: Application Containerization

Modern development in C# and .NET is unthinkable without understanding containerization. Docker has become the de facto standard for packaging, delivering, and running applications in isolated environments. The book "C# (.NET) and Docker: Application Containerization" is a practical guide that will take you from the first Docker installation to building a production-ready microservice architecture based on .NET.

What is this book about?

You will learn how to turn a regular .NET application (ASP.NET Core, console, background service) into a lightweight Docker image. We will cover:

• Docker Basics: images, containers, layers, volumes, networks — with a focus on .NET.
• Creating a Dockerfile for C#: multi-stage build, image size optimization, NuGet package caching.
• docker-compose: orchestrating multiple services (web API + database + Redis).
• Working with environment variables and secrets in .NET applications inside containers.
• Logging and debugging: how to view logs, connect to a container, and debug C# code in real time.
• CI/CD: integrating Docker with GitHub Actions or Azure DevOps for automatic building and publishing of images.
• Security: best practices — running as a non-privileged user, vulnerability scanning, minimal image.

Who is this book for?

• Backend developers in C# who want to master modern deployment practices.
• DevOps engineers working with .NET infrastructure.
• Team Leads and architects planning a transition to microservices.
• Students and junior developers looking to increase their market value.

What will you get?

• Ready-made Dockerfile examples for different types of .NET projects (web, API, Worker Service).
• docker-compose.yml templates for typical scenarios (SQL Server + .NET + Nginx).
• Understanding how to reduce the image size from 1.5 GB to 100 MB.
• Skills for configuring healthchecks and graceful shutdown in containers.
• Hands-on experience with Docker in Visual Studio, Rider, and the command line.

The book is written in a lively language, contains a minimum of theory and a maximum of code. All examples are relevant for .NET 8/9 and the latest versions of Docker. After reading it, you will be able to confidently containerize any .NET applications and implement Docker in your projects.