- name
- docker-encyclopedia
- description
- >-
- metadata
- {"openclaw":{"emoji":"🐳","homepage":"https://docs.docker.com/"}}
Docker Encyclopedia
Overview
Use a docs-first workflow for Docker work. Prefer the official Docker documentation at https://docs.docker.com/, consult cached local copies under .Docker-Encyclopedia/ before re-fetching, and record useful official-doc excerpts plus environment-specific operational learnings so future work gets faster and safer.
This skill is for the Docker product/runtime layer. It should trigger for real Docker behavior, configuration, build/runtime, and operational questions — not for generic Linux admin work, generic container theory, or generic orchestration talk where Docker-specific semantics are not the real issue.
Workflow
- Classify the task
- Decide whether the task is a Docker question, troubleshooting task, command-planning task, image/build task, Compose review, runtime review, or live operational task. - Use this skill when the request is specifically about Docker product behavior, Docker CLI semantics, Docker build/runtime behavior, Docker Compose behavior, image/container lifecycle, or Docker-specific networking/storage/registry details. - Do not use this skill for generic shell work, generic Linux admin, generic OCI/container theory, or Kubernetes questions unless the Docker layer is specifically in play.
- Check local cache first
- Use .Docker-Encyclopedia/ as the local knowledge/cache root. - Check these locations first when relevant: - .Docker-Encyclopedia/docs/docs.docker.com/... - .Docker-Encyclopedia/notes/components/... - .Docker-Encyclopedia/notes/patterns/... - .Docker-Encyclopedia/inventory/... - If a cached page or note already answers the question well enough, use it.
- Consult official Docker docs before answering or touching the system
- Before answering direct or indirect Docker questions that depend on command syntax, feature boundaries, configuration semantics, builder/runtime behavior, storage/network semantics, or version-sensitive details, consult the official docs unless the answer is already well-supported by the local cache. - Before performing direct Docker CLI or configuration work, consult the relevant docs first when: - the exact command path matters - build/runtime semantics are easy to misremember - the action could affect running containers, images, volumes, networks, registries, credentials, or host reachability - Do not improvise high-impact Docker commands or config changes from memory when the docs are easy to check.
- Cache consulted docs locally
- When you consult a Docker docs page, save a normalized markdown/text cache copy under .Docker-Encyclopedia/docs/docs.docker.com/.... - Mirror the official docs path structure as much as practical. - Cache only pages actually consulted; do not try to mirror the whole docs site eagerly. - Use scripts/cache_doc.py when appropriate.
- Separate official documentation from local observations
- Store official-doc-derived material under .Docker-Encyclopedia/docs/.... - Store environment-specific operational knowledge under: - .Docker-Encyclopedia/notes/components/ - .Docker-Encyclopedia/notes/patterns/ - .Docker-Encyclopedia/inventory/ - Distinguish clearly between: - official documented behavior - observed local configuration/state - inferred best-practice guidance
- Record useful local learnings
- After useful live work, save durable notes such as: - host-specific Docker layout and runtime conventions - recurring build/runtime/debugging patterns - image/registry/credential-helper gotchas - Compose/deployment conventions - safe/unsafe operational boundaries for the environment - Prefer concise durable notes over re-learning the same Docker details later.
Live Work Rules
- Treat official Docker docs lookup as the default preflight for non-trivial Docker work.
- Prefer read/inspect first when entering a Docker area you have not recently reviewed.
- Treat image pruning, volume/network changes, Compose deployments, builder/registry config, daemon config, and credential-handling paths as high-sensitivity areas.
- When uncertainty remains after checking cache + docs, say so and avoid bluffing.
- When answering a question, mention when useful whether the answer comes from cached official docs, a fresh official docs lookup, or live observed environment state.
Data Root
Use this workspace-local root for cache and notes:
.Docker-Encyclopedia/
Expected structure:
.Docker-Encyclopedia/docs/docs.docker.com/....Docker-Encyclopedia/notes/components/....Docker-Encyclopedia/notes/patterns/....Docker-Encyclopedia/inventory/...
Use scripts/init_workspace.py to create or repair the expected directory structure.
Note Destinations
- Component-specific observations →
.Docker-Encyclopedia/notes/components/<component-name>.md - Reusable Docker patterns/gotchas →
.Docker-Encyclopedia/notes/patterns/<topic>.md - Environment-wide deployment/access info →
.Docker-Encyclopedia/inventory/*.md - Cached official docs →
.Docker-Encyclopedia/docs/docs.docker.com/...
Secrets / Sensitive Data
- Do not store plaintext credentials, API keys, session tokens, private URLs, recovery codes, or other secrets in the encyclopedia notes/inventory tree.
- If a note needs to mention access details, keep it high-level and redact or omit secret material.
- Treat these workspace notes as operational memory, not as a secrets vault.
Resources
scripts/init_workspace.py— create or repair the.Docker-Encyclopedia/directory tree.scripts/cache_doc.py— fetch and cache a consulted official Docker docs page under.Docker-Encyclopedia/docs/....references/workflow.md— detailed operating workflow and evidence-handling rules.references/cache-layout.md— canonical.Docker-Encyclopedia/directory structure.references/topic-map.md— useful Docker topic groupings for faster doc lookup.
Good Outcomes
- Answer a Docker question using cached or freshly checked official docs instead of guesswork.
- Inspect a live Docker environment after checking the relevant docs and record any new local operational knowledge.
- Build a growing local Docker knowledge cache that makes later work faster, safer, and more grounded.
- Turn one-off Docker discoveries into durable notes so future work does not rediscover them from scratch.
Avoid
- Answering Docker-specific questions purely from memory when docs are easy to consult.
- Treating local observed behavior as if it were guaranteed official documented behavior.
- Dumping large amounts of low-value docs into the workspace without a reason.
- Writing component-specific observations into the official-doc cache tree.
- Making high-impact live changes before checking the relevant docs when exact behavior matters.