iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 14/09/2026

One small GitHub CLI feature that makes agentic workflows a lot easier. You can now attach images directly to issues, PRs, and comments. This was a blocker for me in my agentic flows using tools like Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, etc. Nice to see this added!

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 12/09/2026

Happy to share that I have been named a Microsoft MVP in Developer Technologies (DevOps) for 2026-2027! 🏆 Thank you to the @mvpaward.bsky.social, and MVP team for their support, and congratulations to everyone newly awarded or returning this cycle. #MVP #MVPBuzz

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 07/09/2026

In Docker, `docker debug` provides a debugging environment to run containers without changing the original image. It’s especially useful when your container is missing the tools you need, and it includes built-in tools like entrypoint to inspect how a container started.

Terminal window showing the output of the `docker debug` command, displaying Docker ASCII art, built-in commands, and system information on a grey background.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 30/08/2026

Really impressed with Omarchy. Put it on my 2013 MacBook Air with 4GB RAM, and it's crazy responsive. Doesn't feel like a 13-year-old machine at all. Everything you need is already there. Of course, the first thing I ran was Docker containers.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 26/08/2026

In Docker Compose, you can use `pre_start` to run commands before your container starts. It’s useful for tasks such as running database migrations, preparing files, or performing any setup your app needs before it starts.

A dark-themed compose.yml file shows an app service with image “myapp” and a pre_start command running “./migrate.sh”.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 18/08/2026

Docker has outgrown being just a "container platform". It's evolving fast and gaining new capabilities. I've been writing a lot about Docker recently. Check it out here: pradumnasaraf.dev/blog/tag/doc...

A webpage displays a list of articles tagged with “docker,” featuring five article cards with titles, dates, and brief descriptions. The layout includes a search bar and sorting options.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 11/08/2026

Docker copies your whole folder into the build before it runs anything. That is slow, and worse, your .env can end up inside the image. Deleting it later does not help; the layer keeps it. A .dockerignore next to your Dockerfile stops both: simple file, powerful effect.

A .dockerignore file containing: .git, .gitignore, node_modules, dist, build, .env, .env.*, *.log, .DS_Store

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 01/08/2026

You can now use OIDC to authenticate GitHub Actions with Docker Hub. No more PATs sitting in your repo secrets. Each run gets a short-lived token instead. Nothing to rotate. Nothing to leak. @docker.com

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 27/07/2026

Two Docker commands worth knowing. One shows what is in your build cache. The other shows your images, containers and volumes. Run both before you delete anything. @docker.com

A terminal window shows two Docker commands with comments explaining how to inspect build cache and system disk usage.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 03/07/2026

This book is different from any other one I've read. Recently, I was one of the technical reviewers for the book "Operational AI with Docker". This was my first time reviewing a book, and I loved it. There's something special about being part of a book from the early idea stage, watching it..

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 01/07/2026

In Docker Compose, you can use post_start to run commands after your container starts. It's useful for things like fixing file permissions, creating folders, or running any one-time setup before your app is ready. @docker.com

Docker Compose example showing how to use `post_start` to run a command after a container starts, with a YAML snippet that changes ownership of the `/app/uploads` directory.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 22/06/2026

Rebuilding or pulling a new version of an image with the same name and tag can leave behind dangling images. Use the following command to list all dangling Docker images and reclaim disk space by removing them. @docker.com

A screenshot of a bash shell script displaying code and command-line interface elements.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 08/06/2026

Excited to share that I've been renewed as a Docker Captain! 🐳 It's been a crazy journey; learned a ton and made some great new friends along the way. Huge thanks to Eva and the Docker team (@docker.com), and the incredible Docker community for the continued trust and support.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 19/05/2026

The Docker Compose environment variable support goes beyond just ${VAR}. Useful when you want safer configurations without hardcoding values. `:-` → use a default value (optional configuration) `:?` → stop with an error message (required values like secrets) @docker.com

A compose.yml file with example Docker Compose service configuration, including environment variables and default values with comments.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 27/04/2026

Two supply chain attacks. Same pattern. Trivy and KICS show how compromised credentials can turn trusted CI/CD pipelines into a delivery path for malicious artifacts. Docker shared an informative blog breaking down what actually happened: www.docker.com/blog/trivy-k... @docker.com

Screenshot of a Docker blog post titled "Trivy, KICS, and the shape of supply chain attacks so far in 2026," discussing supply chain security incidents and analysis.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 13/04/2026

Are you running out of tokens in OpenCode or Claude Code? Check out my recent guides on running them locally. I wrote official Docker guides on using OpenCode & Claude Code with Docker Model Runner. OpenCode: docs.docker.com/guides/openc... Claude Code: docs.docker.com/guides/claud...

Screenshot of Docker Docs page titled “Use OpenCode with Docker Model Runner,” showing a guide on connecting OpenCode to Docker Model Runner, with steps, prerequisites, and an acknowledgment crediting Pradumna Saraf.

Screenshot of Docker Docs page titled “Use Claude Code with Docker Model Runner,” showing a guide on running Claude Code with Docker Model Runner, including steps, prerequisites, and an acknowledgment crediting Pradumna Saraf.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 06/04/2026

Use `stop_grace_period` to give your app time to shut down properly. When you stop a container, @Docker waits before force-killing it. This helps finish requests, save data, and avoid unexpected issues. @docker.com

Illustration of a compose.yml file showing a Docker Compose service named api using the image myapp with stop_grace_period: 20s configured.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 21/03/2026

Switching to a Docker Hardened Image (DHI) is a simple change. The Docker workflow remains the same, but the base image is built with fewer packages, reduced attack surface, and better security defaults. @docker.com

A dark-themed Dockerfile code snippet compares an original and a hardened version. The original uses "FROM node: 24," and the hardened uses "FROM dhi.io/node: 24."

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 12/03/2026

In Docker Compose, you can use `cache_from` in the `build` section to reuse layers from an existing image and speed up builds This is especially useful in CI environments where a local build cache doesn’t exist. @docker.com

The code block window titled "compose.yml" shows YAML code for a Docker service. It features build context, Dockerfile, and cache settings.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 05/03/2026

Play with Docker is now deprecated and no longer available. If you’re looking for a simple browser-based Docker playground, you can use LabSpaces instead. It will spin up environments instantly and experiment with Docker without installing anything locally. @docker.com

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 20/02/2026

If you are repeating the same config and environment variables across multiple Docker Compose files, use YAML anchors. You can define the config once and reuse it everywhere. This keeps your compose files cleaner, easier to update, and more maintainable. @docker.com

A dark-themed code editor displays a `compose.yml` file, which defines three Docker Compose services: `api`, `worker`, and `scheduler`. All three services share the same configuration for `image: myapp:latest`, `restart: unless-stopped`, `volumes: - .:/app`, and environment variables `NODE_ENV: production` and `LOG_LEVEL: info`. Their unique commands are `npm run api`, `npm run worker`, and `npm run scheduler`, respectively. A large red 'X' graphic is prominently featured in the top right corner of the editor window.

A dark-themed code editor displays a Docker Compose file named `compose.yml`. The file defines a reusable `x-common` configuration block, which includes `restart: unless-stopped`, a volume mount of `.:/app`, and environment variables `NODE_ENV: production` and `LOG_LEVEL: info`. Below this, three services are defined: `api`, `worker`, and `scheduler`. Each service uses `myapp:latest` as its image, merges the `*common` configuration, and has a unique `npm run` command (e.g., `npm run api` for the api service). A prominent green checkmark icon is positioned in the top right corner of the window.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 12/01/2026

Did you know Docker Compose has profiles? You can keep heavy services like Prometheus and Grafana turned off by default, and only start them when you actually need monitoring. You can start them by running: docker compose --profile monitoring up @docker.com

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 17/12/2025

One of the biggest announcements from Docker (@docker.com) this year, at least for me: Docker Hardened Images (DHI) are now free for every developer. Making secure, minimal, production-ready images available to everyone changes how we think about container security.

A screenshot of the Docker Hub website's "Hardened Images" page. The left sidebar shows user "pradumnasaraf" with navigation links like Repositories, Hardened Images (selected), Collaborations, Settings, Billing, and Usage. The main content area features a banner titled "Docker Hardened Images" with the text "Choose secure, minimal, production-ready images. They're free to use." and a "How it works" button. Below this are a search bar, a "Filter by" dropdown, and a "Make a request" button. The page then displays sections for "Recently added" hardened images (Time MCP Server, MongoDB MCP Server, Memory MCP Server, Docker Hub MCP Server, Grafana MCP Server, GitHub MCP Server) and "Featured" images and Helm charts, including Dart (a hardened image) and Traefik Helm chart.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 10/12/2025

Using the "-ft" flag with Docker logs helps you follow the logs and monitor the output of a running container in real-time. Otherwise, without the flag, you have to keep typing the log command to get output. "-f" is for follow, and "-t" is for timestamps. @docker.com

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 01/12/2025

Exciting news! I’m honoured to share that I am officially a Microsoft MVP in DevOps! 🎉 I didn’t see this coming. People inside and outside the program say the award is like the “Oscars of tech,” and I’m truly grateful to Microsoft (@microsoft.com) for recognising me. #mvpbuzz

Clear glass and blue acrylic MVP award with globe engraving. "Microsoft Most Valuable Professional 2025" text. Recognizes technical contributions.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 26/11/2025

Hacktoberfest is over, but spam PRs are not.

GitHub pull request page showing a proposed change to introduction.md, adding "Akobir" to a list. The pull request is open and titled "Update introduction.md to include 'Akobir' #117".

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 24/11/2025

Thank you, @aerabi.com, for gifting a copy of your newly published book, Docker and Kubernetes Security, and for bringing it all the way from Germany to Istanbul. I will go through it soon. If you want to learn @docker.com and Kubernetes security, I highly recommend this book.

A white piece of paper features a handwritten dedication in blue ink at the top, reading "To the best Captain in India," followed by the signature "Mohammad-Ali." Below this, printed in a gothic-style font, is the title "Docker and Kubernetes Security." Underneath the title is a black illustration of a stylized archer, possibly a man, riding a lion-like mythological creature with a bow and arrow. The paper is placed in front of a computer monitor displaying a vibrant, blurry red and orange abstract wallpaper with a row of indistinct application icons at the bottom.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 18/11/2025

One of the unexpected things that happened at Docker Summit in Istanbul was that I won the Most Active Docker Captain award. It was a weird and happy moment because going from just passionately using Docker to actually winning an award from them feels like a full-circle moment. @docker.com

An awards ceremony where a young man in a black "CAPTAIN SUMMIT" t-shirt and jeans accepts a blue plaque from a young woman, also in a "CAPTAIN SUMMIT" t-shirt and light jeans, who holds a microphone. Behind them, a projector screen displays "Congratulations!" and a photo of the man, identified as "Pradumna Saraf."

A clear glass plaque stands on a light wooden desk. Etched onto the glass are the words "Tip o' the Captain's Hat" above a circular emblem featuring a cartoon bird wearing a captain's hat, flanked by stylized wings. Below the emblem, the words "-docker- Captains" are etched. The background includes a light wall and a blurred dark monitor to the right.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 18/11/2025

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 12/11/2025

You can define multiple AI models in Docker Compose. For example, if your app uses an LLM for chat and an embedding model for semantic search, both can be declared together in one file. No need to run models separately and then use them in your compose app. @docker.com

A screenshot of a `compose.yml` configuration file displayed in a code editor. The file defines a `services` section with an `app` service that uses the `my-app` image and requires `llm` and `embedding-model`. Below this, a `models` section specifies `llm` as `ai/smollm2` and `embedding-model` as `ai/all-minilm`.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 05/11/2025

Docker Captains Summit 2025 in Istanbul🇹🇷 was an incredible experience! Over 50 Captains from 20+ countries came together for amazing discussions, cultural exchanges, and ideas to make Docker even better. Huge thanks to the Docker DevRel team for organising everything so smoothly!

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 22/10/2025

It feels nice to have your interview published on Docker’s official website. @docker.com

A webpage displaying a Docker blog post titled "From the Captain's Chair: Pradumna Saraf." The main image in the blog post is a selfie-style shot from a cable car, showing the top of a person's head in the foreground, with lush green mountains, cable lines, and other cable car cabins in the background under a cloudy sky.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 15/10/2025

I still see many Docker Compose files that include a version field. After Docker Compose V2, you no longer need to specify a version. Both formats are still valid, but if you include a version, you’ll see a small warning in the terminal when you run the compose command. @docker.com

Displays a YAML file titled 'compose.yml.' It specifies version '3.9' with a red X, and details services for an Nginx web server, including image, ports, and volumes. The background is a gradient neutral tone.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 06/10/2025

Not only can you use Docker Compose to run multiple services, but you can also use it to build images and save time typing long build commands in the command line. @docker.com

A dark, stylized terminal window with rounded corners, centered on a light brown background. Inside the terminal, the white text "docker compose build" is displayed. At the top of the terminal, there are three gray window control dots on the left and the word "bash" in the center.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 28/09/2025

This is how my website pradumnasaraf.dev looks now compared to back in 2021.

A white background displaying the bold text "Hey there!, It's Pradumna Saraf" centered at the top. Below this, smaller text reads "Connect with me:", followed by five social media icons: Twitter (blue bird), LinkedIn (blue "in"), Facebook (blue "f"), Instagram (orange-pink gradient camera), and GitHub (black octocat).

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 05/09/2025

When you run docker compose up, we can decide whether to pull a fresh image or use the one already on your machine. That’s why we use pull_policy. Here’s what you can set: - always: Always pull from the registry, even if you already have it. @docker.com (1/3)

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 03/09/2025

The Open Letter’s newsletter, Edition 4, is LIVE! open.substack.com/pub/pradumna...

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 29/08/2025

Working on the 4th edition of The Open Letter. It’s been a while since I sent one out. There will be some exciting news. If you haven’t subscribed yet, now’s the time: newsletter.pradumnasaraf.dev

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 25/08/2025

With Docker Compose, you can run AI models too. Just like defining services or volumes in compose.yml, you can define models. @docker.com auto-injects the model configs into our app, and with `docker compose up` or down, the model is created or removed on demand.

Screenshot of a `compose.yml` file. The file defines a service called `saraf-ai`, which is built from a Dockerfile located in the context directory. It exposes port 3000 and specifies that the `llm` model should be run using the `ai/smollm2` Docker image. A commented-out section indicates further model configurations are possible.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 11/08/2025

KubeCon India was amazing. As always, I love hitting the stage and speaking about the tools and tech I enjoy using and sharing. The most important thing for me was reconnecting with friends and having non-professional/no-fluff chats over food (especially dosa).

An indoor, wide-angle shot of a large, crowded conference hall or auditorium, taken from the back of the room. A large audience is seated in rows of chairs, facing a distant stage where two large screens are displaying a presentation. The hall has a high, dark ceiling with numerous arrays of bright, circular lights. In the foreground on the left, a couple of attendees are standing in an aisle, while on the right, other attendees are seated, with one person looking at their smartphone. The overall atmosphere is that of a major seminar or tech conference.

A friendly group of six people, five men and one woman, pose for a photo inside a large conference hall. They are all smiling and dressed casually, wearing event lanyards around their necks. From left to right: a man with a beard, glasses, and a tilak on his forehead in a white t-shirt; a woman with glasses in a pink graphic tee and jeans; a tall young man in a light-colored collared shirt; a man in a grey t-shirt; a man in a black sweatshirt and green cargo pants with his arm around the next person; and a man on the far right in a grey zip-up hoodie and glasses. The background features a patterned carpet, wood-paneled walls, and a high ceiling with distinctive grids of circular lights.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 29/07/2025

If you noticed or not, there is a taste and design change to my thumbnails. It was always used to be a dark background with lighter colored text, etc. A few months ago, I moved on with attachment to darker shades, especially black colour. And I love this transition.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 10/07/2025

In case you missed it, @docker.com, at the WeAreDevelopers conference announced an amazing new offering called Docker Offload! 🐳 We can run heavy dev tasks in the cloud without changing a thing locally, for fast and convenient development.

Screenshot of the Docker Desktop application interface, showing the Containers section. The main view displays a list of running containers, including 'devops' and 'server', along with details such as Container ID, Image, Port(s), CPU usage (0.02%), Last started time, and action buttons (Stop, More options, Delete). The interface also shows overall Container CPU and Memory usage statistics (0.01% and 361.6MB respectively), a search bar, and a toggle to show only running containers. Below the container list, there is a 'Walkthroughs' section featuring cards for 'Multi-container applications' and 'Containerize your application'.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 01/07/2025

It’s been over a year since I became a Docker Captain. I’ve learned a lot by being surrounded by some of the coolest and most brilliant folks in the space. Also, it always feels nice to see your name on @docker.com official website.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 28/06/2025

KubeCon China was an incredible experience! I loved speaking about development and the developer experience with Docker and WASM. It was also fascinating to explore and learn about China's tech scene, with its ecosystem of vendors and companies beyond the Western landscape.

A man stands on a stage with a laptop at a podium, in front of a large screen displaying a colourful abstract image. A smaller screen is visible to the left. The podium has a sign for KubeCon CloudNativeCon China 2025.

A presenter stands on a stage in front of a large screen displaying the title "WASM vs Docker: Partners, Not Rivals". The screen also shows "KubeCon China 2025", "Presentation by Pradumna Saraf", and a diagram with "WASM" and "Docker"

A group of people are seated around a round table in a meeting room, looking towards the front. Laptops, papers, and drinks are on the table.

An image of a busy indoor conference or exhibition hall. Attendees are walking around and interacting at various display booths, including one for AWS and another promoting KubeCon + CloudNativeCon China 2025. Large, ornate crystal chandeliers illuminate the room, and there are seating areas with tables and chairs.

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Pradumna Saraf @pradumnasaraf.dev · 25/06/2025

Over 13K views in 48 hours and trending No.1 on @dev.to under the @docker.com tag. Check it out if you haven't.

Screenshot of a web page for the Docker community, featuring a list of stories and articles about Docker technology with filters for sorting by relevance, date, and popularity, along with sidebars for submission guidelines, information about Docker, and active discussions

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