Docker Commandos Backstory: From Narrative to Hands-On Learning

Docker Commandos is a narrative-driven education framework I use to teach modern Docker security features through story, visuals, and hands-on exercises.

In June 2025, I had the opportunity to conduct a workshop at WeAreDevelopers in Berlin. The workshop was called Docker Deep Dive with a Docker Captain and explained 10 different Docker commands and features. The workshop was booked within minutes, and over 100 people queued up on the delivery day to attend it. Unfortunately, only 40 could fit in the room.

*Read about it here: Docker Deep Dive Workshop at WeAreDevelopers

10 Docker Commandos

After the success in Berlin, I brought the workshop home to my company JobRad in Freiburg, Germany. I renamed it to 10 Docker Commandos, as it was a play on the title 10 Docker Commands, as the word command is Kommando in German. I created a Teams background with a commando theme to advertise the workshop.

As you can see, the commandos are not really recognizable, apart from the guy in the middle that resembles me (with a red hat and orange T-shirt). And there are characters resembling Predator and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The workshop covered the following 10 features:

• 1️⃣ Docker Init
• 2️⃣ Docker Bake
• 3️⃣ Docker SBOM
• 4️⃣ SBOM Attestations
• 5️⃣ Docker Scout
• 6️⃣ Docker Debug
• 7️⃣ Docker Model Runner
• 8️⃣ Ask Gordon
• 9️⃣ Docker MCP Toolkit
• 🔟 CAgent

The full workshop is available on GitHub: github.com/DockerSecurity-io/commandos. One can follow the README to set up the environment and run through the exercises.

Docker and Kubernetes Security

My first book, Docker and Kubernetes Security, was published in October 2025. The book starts like this:

In this book, you will learn how to secure your Docker image building process, so that Jack can't add a bitcoin miner to your app.

Jack is featured on the back cover of the book alongside Gord. Also, the frontispiece of the book features a battle scene between Jack, Gord, a man with a shield, and a CVE monster. The book is hinting that more stories are coming.

Black Forest Shadows

In December 2025, I published a 24-day advent series on container security, titled "Black Forest Shadows." The series was published both on DEV.to and Medium. The series follows stories of Gord and Jack among others, as they navigate the Black Forest in 1865 and face shadowy monsters called "CVEs". The series combines folklore with practical container security tips that mimic the in-world challenges.

Later, I decided to finish the story with 7 more chapters of pure narrative, and compiled the entire story into a book, scheduled for publication in March 2026.

Docker Commandos v3

Black Forest Shadows became the narrative backbone of the Docker Commandos universe. On the turn of the year, as I was preparing for 3 confirmed talks in the first half of 2026, I recreated the Teams background with more recognizable characters:

This version featured Gord from the Black Forest Shadows series for the first time. Also, the red-hatted commando is now recognized as Rothütle, a character from the Black Forest Shadows story.

Docker Commandos in Asgard

In February 2026, I gave a talk at Jfokus in Sweden. The talk was titled Dockerize Securely: SBOMs + Attestations + Bake. As the conference was Norse-themed, I created a mission for the Docker Commandos to go to Asgard and fight the CVE monsters.

I even went further and created a comic strip for the talk, which I published as a part of the free package Docker Commandos Pack: buy.DockerCommandos.io.

The talk's recording is available on YouTube: Dockerize Securely: SBOMs + Attestations + Bake.

Docker Commandos and JAVAPRO

JCON is organized by the same organization that publishes the Java magazine JAVAPRO. In late 2025, I submitted two article abstracts to JAVAPRO, and both were accepted. I started writing the articles right after the Jfokus talk:

• The Whispering JAR: Java Security Lessons Hidden in a Fantasy Tale
• 10 Docker Commandos: Docker Commands to Hunt the Predator

The first article is a continuation of the Black Forest Shadows story, and the second one tells the Asgard story in more detail. But, as JAVAPRO is a published magazine, and many characters from the Docker Commandos v3 are copyrighted, I put together a new team with original characters, making the JAVAPRO version more of an origin story for the Docker Commandos.

The team consists of:

• Agent Null: The masked tactical soldier in dark armor wearing a skull balaclava.
• Wilhelmina (Mina): An undead assassin.
• Gord: The swordsmaster in silver plate armor.
• Rothütle: The tactician in a red fedora and bright orange shirt.
• Captain Ahab: The bearded naval veteran.
• The Valkyrie: Identity specialist.
• Jack: The cyborg cowboy.
• Evie: The infiltrator.

The commandos recruit two new members in the story:

• Artemisia: Amazonian warrior and naval commander.
• RuinTan: The immortal who died and came back stronger.

Docker Commandos Today

Today, Docker Commandos is:

• A hands-on Docker security workshop format
• A narrative universe with multiple characters and stories
• A comic-based storytelling format for DevSecOps education
• A growing fictional world that connects to Black Forest Shadows

More Docker Commandos

The Docker Commandos are here to stay. I have the following plans for them in 2026:

• Black Forest Shadows book introduces Gord, Rothütle, Jack, and Evie
• Rabobank workshop in March 2026
• JCON Cologne talk in April 2026
• EnterJS Mannheim talk in June 2026
• more blog posts to come

If you want the Commandos to visit your company, or if you want to see them in action at a conference, let me know! You can get in touch on LinkedIn or by email: DockerSecurity.io/contact

The Commandos are available to be hired for:

• A 2-hour workshop
• A half-day deep dive
• A conference talk
• A custom in-house training