Docker State of App Dev Dev Ex & Productivity

Great culture, better tools — but developers often still feel stuck. From pull requests stuck in rev

Great culture, better tools — but developers often still feel stuck. From pull requests stuck in review to tasks without clear estimates, the inner loop remains cluttered with surprisingly persistent friction points. This year’s data maps the disconnect between what developers need, where they’re blocked, and how better tooling and cultural support can keep velocity on track. Here are six key insights into developer experience and productivity from Docker’s annual , based on responses from over 4,500 industry professionals. . Across all industries, fully of respondents turn to online courses or certifications, far outpacing traditional sources like school ( ), books ( ), or on-the-job training ( ).  Among IT folks, the picture is more nuanced. for learning to code ( , up from 57% in our 2024 survey), but online resources are also trending upward. Some of IT pros learned coding skills via online resources (up from 54% in our 2024 survey) and favored online courses or certifications (up from 45% in 2024). Note: For this year’s report, we surveyed over three times more users across a broader spectrum of industries than for our more IT-focused 2024 report. As for devs prefer to learn,

, as in last year’s report — that despite the rise in new and interactive forms of learning. Some say they lean on documentation, edging out videos and side projects ( ) and slightly ahead of structured online training ( ).  AI tools play a relatively minor role in how respondents learn, with GitHub Copilot cited by just overall — and only among IT pros. It’s also cited by as a preferred learning method. Among IT pros, container usage soared to — up from 80% in our 2024 survey. Zoom out to a broader view across industries, however, and adoption appears considerably lower. Just of developers say they use containers in any part of their workflow.  Why the gap? Differences in app structure may offer an explanation: IT industry respondents work with microservice-based architectures more often than those in other industries ( versus ). So the higher container adoption may stem from IT pros’ need for modularity and scalability — which containers provide in spades. And among container users, needs are evolving. They want better tools for , , and — stubborn pain points across the software lifecycle. No matter the role, across the board. Whether you’re a front-end developer ( ), data scientist ( ), or a software decision-maker ( ), precision in time planning remains elusive. Other top roadblocks? and are slowing teams down. Interestingly, where people say they need doesn’t always match where they’re getting stuck. Case in point, come up often when devs talk about tooling gaps — even though they’re not always flagged as blockers. When you break it down by role, some unique themes emerge: Across personas, a common thread stands out: even seasoned professionals are grappling with foundational coordination tasks — not the “hard” tech itself, but the orchestration around it. On the tooling side, the biggest callouts for improvement include: But productivity isn’t just about tools — it’s deeply cultural. When asked what’s working well, developers pointed to , , and as top cultural strengths. The weak spots? , , and . In other words: developers like where, when, and how they work, but not always . While the dev world is full of moving parts, a few areas are surprisingly challenging: Contrast that with the most taxing areas: It’s a reminder that production is still where the stress — and the stakes — are highest. Developer productivity isn’t about just one thing. It’s the compound effect of better tools, smarter learning, sharper planning — and yes, a healthy team culture. For orgs to excel, they need to invest not just in platforms, but also in people. Because when you improve the , you unlock the performance.