My Honest Review After Using Docker for Every Project for 2 Years

🤔 To Docker or Not to Docker

Docker is clearly the trend right now, and it’s not hard to see why.

I started converting all my projects to Docker-based workflows about two years ago, and I haven’t looked back since.

🔧 Why I Made the Switch

The trigger was simple: I was sick of manually setting up server environments every time I delivered a project.

Match the PHP version. Check the MySQL version. Tweak the Apache config. Repeat for every single project. It was soul-crushing.

# The old delivery process (nightmare)
ssh root@server
apt-get install php7.2
apt-get install mysql-server
vi /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf
# ... endless configuration

💡 What I Loved About It

Low Barrier to Entry

Docker’s biggest strength is that it’s surprisingly approachable. If you already know basic Linux commands, you can pick up Dockerfile syntax in no time. It’s intuitive enough that the learning curve feels more like a gentle slope.

Deployment Becomes Trivial

This is the real game-changer. With a few scripts prepared in advance, I don’t even need to be physically present for project delivery anymore. Anyone can go on-site, type a few commands, and everything just works.

# The new delivery process (bliss)
docker-compose up -d

One line. That’s it. Web server, database, cache server — all up and running.

Consistent Environments

“But it works on my machine!” — every developer has heard this at least once. Docker eliminates this problem entirely. Your development environment and production environment are identical.

⚠️ Any Downsides?

There is some performance overhead from virtualization. That’s a fact.

But compared to the benefits, it’s negligible — especially for web services where the difference is imperceptible.

One minor inconvenience: writing the initial Dockerfile and docker-compose.yml takes some time. But once you’ve built them, they’re endlessly reusable. Think of it as a one-time investment.

🎯 The Bottom Line

If you haven’t tried Docker yet, just do it.

The barrier to entry is low. Once you experience it, there’s no going back.

Especially for freelancers or developers who handle a lot of outsourced projects — Docker will dramatically streamline your delivery process. After two years of using it, I can say that with absolute certainty.