---
title: "Learning Resources & Further Reading"
canonical: "https://kb.uconn.edu/space/IKB/28728164506/Learning%20Resources%20%26%20Further%20Reading"
format: markdown
---
Whether you're new to containers or looking to deepen your OpenShift skills, these curated resources will help you get up to speed.

---

## Hands-On Practice

| Resource | Description | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **OpenShift Developer Sandbox** | Free hands-on environment to explore OpenShift without any setup — 30-day access to a real cluster | [developers.redhat.com/developer-sandbox](https://developers.redhat.com/developer-sandbox) |
| **Killercoda OpenShift Labs** | Interactive browser-based scenarios covering OpenShift fundamentals | [killercoda.com/openshift](https://killercoda.com/openshift) |
| **Katacoda (archived)** | Classic OpenShift interactive tutorials — some scenarios still accessible | [learn.openshift.com](https://learn.openshift.com) |

> **Recommended:** Start with the Developer Sandbox — it gives you a real OpenShift project to experiment with, no credit card required.

---

## Official Documentation

| Resource | Description | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **OpenShift Documentation** | Comprehensive platform documentation and getting-started guides | [docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/openshift_container_platform](https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/openshift_container_platform) |
| **OpenShift CLI (oc) Reference** | Complete command reference for the `oc` tool | [docs.openshift.com/container-platform/latest/cli_reference](https://docs.openshift.com/container-platform/latest/cli_reference/openshift_cli/getting-started-cli.html) |
| **Kubernetes Documentation** | Official Kubernetes docs — OpenShift is built on K8s, so these concepts apply | [kubernetes.io/docs](https://kubernetes.io/docs/home/) |

---

## Video Tutorials

| Resource | Description | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Building Container Images with Podman** | Step-by-step video guide for creating your first container image | [youtube.com/watch?v=ICMyGtRUMuA](https://youtube.com/watch?v=ICMyGtRUMuA) |
| **OpenShift for Developers (Red Hat)** | Official video series covering developer workflows on OpenShift | [youtube.com/@RedHatDevelopers](https://www.youtube.com/@RedHatDevelopers) |
| **TechWorld with Nana — Kubernetes Crash Course** | Beginner-friendly Kubernetes fundamentals (concepts apply to OpenShift) | [youtube.com/watch?v=s_o8dwzRlu4](https://youtube.com/watch?v=s_o8dwzRlu4) |
| **Introduction to Containers (IBM)** | Clear explanation of container concepts for beginners | [youtube.com/watch?v=0qotVMKQn244](https://youtube.com/watch?v=0qotVMKQn244) |

---

## Free Courses & Certifications

| Resource | Description | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **DO180 — Red Hat OpenShift Introduction** | Free introductory course from Red Hat covering container and OpenShift basics | [redhat.com/en/services/training/do180](https://www.redhat.com/en/services/training/do180-introduction-containers-kubernetes-red-hat-openshift) |
| **Introduction to Kubernetes (edX)** | Free course from the Linux Foundation on Kubernetes fundamentals | [edx.org/course/introduction-to-kubernetes](https://www.edx.org/course/introduction-to-kubernetes) |
| **Docker Getting Started** | Official Docker tutorial — containers 101 | [docs.docker.com/get-started](https://docs.docker.com/get-started/) |
| **Kubernetes Basics (official)** | Interactive tutorial from the Kubernetes project | [kubernetes.io/docs/tutorials/kubernetes-basics](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tutorials/kubernetes-basics/) |

---

## Container Image Registries

| Registry | Description | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Red Hat Container Catalog** | Official, certified base images from Red Hat — recommended for OpenShift | [catalog.redhat.com](https://catalog.redhat.com) |
| **Docker Hub** | Largest public container registry — community and official images | [hub.docker.com](https://hub.docker.com) |
| **[Quay.io](http://Quay.io)** | Red Hat's container registry — many OpenShift-related images | [quay.io](https://quay.io) |
| **GitHub Container Registry** | Container images hosted alongside GitHub repositories | [ghcr.io](https://github.com/features/packages) |

---

## Tools to Install

| Tool | Purpose | Install Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **oc** (OpenShift CLI) | Command-line interface for OpenShift | [mirror.openshift.com/pub/openshift-v4/clients/ocp/latest](https://mirror.openshift.com/pub/openshift-v4/clients/ocp/latest/) |
| **Podman** | Build and run containers locally (Docker alternative, daemonless) | [podman.io/getting-started](https://podman.io/getting-started/) |
| **Docker Desktop** | Build and run containers locally (popular alternative) | [docker.com/products/docker-desktop](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/) |
| **kubectl** | Kubernetes CLI (also works with OpenShift) | [kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/tools](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/tools/) |
| **Helm** | Package manager for Kubernetes/OpenShift applications | [helm.sh/docs/intro/install](https://helm.sh/docs/intro/install/) |

> **For UConn:** Download the `oc` CLI directly from the OpenShift web console at **[https://console.opp.its.uconn.edu](https://console.opp.its.uconn.edu)** — click the **?** icon → **Command Line Tools**.

---

## Books & In-Depth Guides

| Resource | Description |
| --- | --- |
| **OpenShift in Action** (Manning) | Practical guide to deploying and managing applications on OpenShift |
| **Kubernetes Up & Running** (O'Reilly) | Foundational Kubernetes concepts that apply to OpenShift |
| **Cloud Native DevOps with Kubernetes** (O'Reilly) | Covers CI/CD, monitoring, and operations on Kubernetes platforms |
| **The Kubernetes Book** (Nigel Poulton) | Concise, beginner-friendly introduction to Kubernetes |

---

## Cheat Sheets

| Resource | Description | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **OpenShift CLI Cheat Sheet** (our KB) | Quick-reference for common `oc` commands | [OpenShift CLI (oc) Cheat Sheet](https://uconn.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/IKB/pages/28728688710) |
| **Kubernetes Cheat Sheet** (official) | `kubectl` commands that also work with `oc` | [kubernetes.io/docs/reference/kubectl/cheatsheet](https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/kubectl/cheatsheet/) |
| **Docker Cheat Sheet** | Common Docker/container commands | [docs.docker.com/get-started/docker_cheatsheet.pdf](https://docs.docker.com/get-started/docker_cheatsheet.pdf) |

---

## UConn-Specific Resources

| Resource | Description |
| --- | --- |
| **UConn OpenShift Console** | [https://console.opp.its.uconn.edu](https://console.opp.its.uconn.edu) |
| **ITS Service Desk** | [https://its.uconn.edu/help](https://its.uconn.edu/help) — for namespace requests and support |
| **OpenShift Knowledge Base** | This Confluence space — bookmark the [OpenShift landing page](https://uconn.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/IKB/pages/28394192912) |

---

## Learning Path: Recommended Order

| Step | What to Learn | Resource |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | What are containers? | Docker Getting Started tutorial |
| 2 | Container basics hands-on | Build a container with Podman (video above) |
| 3 | What is Kubernetes/OpenShift? | Our Overview KB article + DO180 course |
| 4 | Hands-on OpenShift | Developer Sandbox |
| 5 | Deploy on UConn's platform | Follow our KB guides starting from Requesting Access |
| 6 | Go deeper | Kubernetes Up & Running book + official docs |

---

*UConn ITS Infrastructure Services — OpenShift Knowledge Base*