Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Docker Patterns agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The docker-patterns skill is a set of Docker and Docker Compose best practices that an AI agent reads when you ask it to containerize an app or review Docker files. Once installed, the agent can write Compose files for local stacks, suggest multi-stage Dockerfiles, and apply common security settings. This guide explains what the skill does, how to install it, how to trigger it, and where to be careful.
Docker Patternsaffaan-m/ECC · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download and unzip. Download the docker-patterns ZIP from this page and unzip it so you have a folder containing SKILL.md.
- 2Place the skill folder. Move the folder to ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or to .claude/skills/ inside your project. Alternatively, upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the Claude apps.
- 3Confirm Docker is installed. Make sure Docker and Docker Compose are installed if you intend to run the configs the agent writes.
- 4Describe your task. Ask the agent in plain language, for example to containerize your app with Postgres and Redis.
- 5Review the output. Read the generated Dockerfile and compose file, checking image tags, credentials and ports before using them.
- 6Run and debug. Start the stack with docker compose up and use docker compose logs or docker compose exec to troubleshoot.
What an agent skill is and what this one does
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file with instructions that an AI agent loads when a task matches the skill's description. This skill covers Docker and Docker Compose patterns for local development, container security, networking, volume strategies and multi-service setups.
When it is active, the agent follows these patterns: it can write compose files for local stacks such as an app, Postgres, Redis and a mail catcher, suggest multi-stage Dockerfiles, set up networks and volumes, and apply settings such as non-root users, dropped capabilities and keeping secrets out of images.
- Writes docker-compose.yml files with app, database, cache and email services
- Suggests multi-stage Dockerfiles with dev, build and production stages
- Sets up custom networks and named volumes
- Reviews Dockerfiles for size and security
- Explains common Docker Compose debugging commands
Install the docker-patterns skill
Download the ZIP for the skill from this page and unzip it. For a personal setup, place the unzipped folder in ~/.claude/skills/. To limit it to one project, place it in that project's .claude/skills/ folder instead.
If you use the Claude apps, you can instead upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
- Single project: .claude/skills/ inside the project folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills
Check what you need before you start
The skill's guidance is useful on its own, but running the configs it produces requires Docker and Docker Compose installed on your machine. You also need an agent that can read and edit files in your project so it can write the Dockerfile and compose files.
The skill does not run any commands itself, runs no scripts and uses no network access. It is guidance and example configs.
- Docker and Docker Compose installed, if you plan to run the generated configs
- An agent that can read and edit files in the project
Trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need a special command. Describe the task in plain language and mention Docker, containers or Compose. The skill is meant to activate when you set up a containerized development environment or review Docker configuration.
Requests that fit the skill include setting up Compose for local development, designing a multi-container architecture, troubleshooting container networking or volume issues, reviewing a Dockerfile for security and size, and moving from local dev to a containerized workflow.
- "Containerize this Node app with Postgres and Redis using Docker Compose."
- "Review my Dockerfile for size and security problems."
- "Why can't my app container reach the database?"
- "Help me move our local setup to a containerized workflow."
Example: a local Compose stack and a multi-stage Dockerfile
A typical result is a compose file with an app service that uses a dev build stage, a Postgres 16 database with a health check, a Redis 7 cache, and a Mailpit service for local email testing. The app reaches the database at the hostname db because Compose services resolve by service name.
The skill also suggests a Dockerfile split into deps, dev, build and production stages, so the dev image keeps hot reload and debug tools while the production image stays minimal and runs as a non-root user.
docker compose upReview your configs for security and networking
The skill recommends pinning specific image tags rather than :latest, running as a non-root user, adding no-new-privileges, dropping capabilities with cap_drop, and keeping .env files and secrets out of git and image layers. It also suggests binding database ports to 127.0.0.1 or omitting them in production.
For networking problems, the skill points to checking DNS resolution from inside a container and inspecting Docker networks.
- Use specific tags, never :latest
- Run as a non-root user
- Drop capabilities and set no-new-privileges
- Pass secrets at runtime, not hardcoded in the image
- Add a .dockerignore to keep node_modules, .git and .env out of the build
docker compose logs -f appWhat people use it for
- Setting up a local web app with a database, cache and mail catcher in one Compose file
- Splitting a Dockerfile into dev and production stages to shrink the production image
- Reviewing an existing Dockerfile for non-root users, pinned tags and leaked secrets
- Diagnosing why one container cannot reach another, using DNS and network checks
- Separating a private database network from a frontend network in Compose
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the docker-patterns skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps, you can upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills instead.
What do I need to use the docker-patterns skill?
You need an agent that can read and edit files in your project. You also need Docker and Docker Compose installed if you plan to run the configs the agent generates. The skill itself runs no scripts and uses no network.
Is the docker-patterns skill free?
The skill is published under the MIT licence, as stated on this page. Check the licence file in the source repository for the full terms.
Does the skill run Docker commands for me?
No. The file is a set of guidance and example configs and does not itself run any commands. You run the generated configs yourself with Docker Compose.
Can I use the example configs in production?
Not as-is. The examples are generic and include hardcoded development credentials, such as a postgres password, that must not be reused. Production hardening decisions should get expert review, and the patterns only partly apply to Kubernetes-only or serverless setups.
How is this different from just asking an AI about Docker?
The skill gives the agent a consistent set of Docker and Compose patterns to follow, covering security settings, networking, volumes and multi-stage builds. Without it, the agent answers from general knowledge each time, so the output may vary.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if you are moving a web app to a containerized local workflow, or if you want a second pair of eyes on Dockerfiles and Compose files for size, networking and security. Pick something else if you need production hardening reviewed by an expert, or if your deployment is Kubernetes-only or serverless, since the patterns only partly apply there.
Download the skill