Publishing Docker Images to Docker Hub

Now we are going to cover how to publish our Docker images onto Docker Hub.

Step 1 — Sign Up on Docker Hub

Visit:

https://hub.docker.com

Sign up for an account.

After signing up:

• Go to your profile
• Navigate to the Repositories section

Step 2 — Create a New Repository

Just as on GitHub we create repositories to push our code, similarly on Docker Hub we create repositories for Docker images.

Create a new repository:

• Give it a name (e.g., test-application)
• Write a short description
• Choose Public or Private
• Click Create

Step 3 — Build the Image With Repository Name

Once the repository is created, build your image using the exact Docker Hub repository naming format:

docker build -t your-username/test-application .

Step 4 — Login to Docker From Terminal

Option 1 — Username and Password

docker login

Then enter:

• Username
• Password

when prompted.

Option 2 — Device Authentication (Browser)

docker login

Docker will:

• Provide a link to open in browser
• Show a one-time device confirmation code
• You paste the code in the browser and confirm authentication

Step 5 — Push the Image

docker push your-username/test-application

What Happens During Push?

• Docker uploads all image layers
• Layers are reused if already present in Docker Hub cache
• Only missing layers are uploaded
• Image is stored in your Docker Hub repository

After Successful Push

Refresh your Docker Hub repository page.

By default:

• If no tag is specified → latest tag is used

You will see:

• Image name
• Tag (latest)
• Image size
• Pull command

Example Pull Command

docker pull your-username/test-application

Why This Is Powerful

Just like we pull Docker images created by others, now others can pull our image too.

Real-World Benefit

We can even delete our local project:

• Remove VS Code project
• Remove local files
• Remove local setup

And still recover everything anytime using:

docker pull your-username/test-application
docker run your-username/test-application

Key Idea

The application is no longer tied to your machine — it is packaged as a Docker image.

This means:

• Portable deployment
• Easy sharing
• Consistent environments
• No need to reinstall dependencies

Summary

• Docker Hub is a registry for Docker images
• Repositories store your images
• docker build creates an image with your username
• docker login authenticates your Docker Hub account
• docker push uploads your image to Docker Hub
• Anyone can now pull and run your application using Docker