Docker Networking Explained: Bridge Networks, Host Mode, and Leaner Images

Docker assigns each container an IP address at creation, and by default uses a bridge network to enable host-to-container and container-to-container communication via port mapping. Unlike the default bridge network, a custom bridge network supports DNS-based name resolution, allowing containers to communicate using their names rather than IP addresses, which is better suited for production environments. Host network mode lets a container share the host's network stack directly without port mapping, though this is only fully supported on Linux. Port mapping with the -p flag remains the standard method for exposing containerized applications to the host machine. Multi-stage Docker builds help reduce final image size by copying only the necessary runtime artifacts, resulting in faster downloads, less storage use, and quicker container startup times.