For self-hosting purposes, Docker = lightweight disposable VMs that are configured via docker-compose.yml
. All important data should be in “volumes”, which are just shared folders between the host and the container.
The end result is that you can delete and re-create containers at any time and they should just pick up where they left off from the data that’s in these volumes.
Each individual published image has some paths they want to use for that; everything is usually specified in their example docker-compose files.
If you’re not a dev, don’t even try to understand Dockerfiles, it’s not for you.
My firefighter neighbour told me that the procedure now is just to let them burn, like they do with gasoline fires. They make sure it doesn’t spread, but they won’t try to extinguish it because it’d take 10-12 hours and thousands of gallons. By just letting it burn they’re done in an hour with a few hundred gallons.