diff --git a/dashcaddy-api/src/context/docker.js b/dashcaddy-api/src/context/docker.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ebbf39d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dashcaddy-api/src/context/docker.js
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+/**
+ * Docker context
+ * Docker API wrapper and container utilities
+ */
+
+const Docker = require('dockerode');
+const { DOCKER } = require('../../constants');
+
+// Docker client instance
+const docker = new Docker();
+
+/**
+ * Pull a Docker image with timeout protection
+ * @param {string} imageName - Image name (e.g., 'nginx:latest')
+ * @param {number} timeoutMs - Timeout in milliseconds
+ * @returns {Promise<Array>} Pull progress output
+ */
+function dockerPull(imageName, timeoutMs = DOCKER.TIMEOUT) {
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    const timer = setTimeout(
+      () => reject(new Error(`Docker pull timed out after ${timeoutMs / 1000}s: ${imageName}`)),
+      timeoutMs,
+    );
+
+    docker.pull(imageName, (err, stream) => {
+      if (err) {
+        clearTimeout(timer);
+        return reject(err);
+      }
+
+      docker.modem.followProgress(stream, (err, output) => {
+        clearTimeout(timer);
+        if (err) return reject(err);
+        resolve(output);
+      });
+    });
+  });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Find a running Docker container by name substring
+ * @param {string} name - Container name or substring
+ * @param {object} opts - Options (e.g., { all: true } to include stopped containers)
+ * @returns {Promise<object|null>} Container object or null if not found
+ */
+async function findContainerByName(name, opts = { all: false }) {
+  const containers = await docker.listContainers(opts);
+  const match = containers.find((c) =>
+    c.Names.some((n) => n.toLowerCase().includes(name.toLowerCase())),
+  );
+  return match || null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get all host ports currently in use by Docker containers
+ * @returns {Promise<Set<number>>} Set of port numbers
+ */
+async function getUsedPorts() {
+  const containers = await docker.listContainers({ all: false });
+  const ports = new Set();
+
+  for (const c of containers) {
+    for (const p of (c.Ports || [])) {
+      if (p.PublicPort) {
+        ports.add(p.PublicPort);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  return ports;
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  client: docker,
+  pull: dockerPull,
+  findContainer: findContainerByName,
+  getUsedPorts,
+};
diff --git a/dashcaddy-api/src/utils/index.js b/dashcaddy-api/src/utils/index.js
index ba120bd..86ef7a5 100644
--- a/dashcaddy-api/src/utils/index.js
+++ b/dashcaddy-api/src/utils/index.js
@@ -6,10 +6,12 @@
 const asyncHandler = require('./async-handler');
 const { errorResponse, ok } = require('./responses');
 const { safeErrorMessage } = require('./safe-error');
+const log = require('./logger');
 
 module.exports = {
   asyncHandler,
   errorResponse,
   ok,
   safeErrorMessage,
+  log,
 };
diff --git a/dashcaddy-api/src/utils/logger.js b/dashcaddy-api/src/utils/logger.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bcfcb0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dashcaddy-api/src/utils/logger.js
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+/**
+ * Structured logging
+ * JSON-formatted logs with levels (debug, info, warn, error)
+ */
+
+const LOG_LEVELS = { debug: 0, info: 1, warn: 2, error: 3 };
+const LOG_LEVEL = LOG_LEVELS[process.env.LOG_LEVEL || 'info'] || 1;
+
+/**
+ * Core log function
+ * @param {string} level - Log level (debug, info, warn, error)
+ * @param {string} context - Context label (e.g., 'server', 'docker', 'caddy')
+ * @param {string} message - Log message
+ * @param {object} data - Additional structured data
+ */
+function log(level, context, message, data = {}) {
+  if (LOG_LEVELS[level] < LOG_LEVEL) return;
+
+  const entry = {
+    t: new Date().toISOString(),
+    level,
+    ctx: context,
+    msg: message,
+  };
+
+  if (Object.keys(data).length) {
+    entry.data = data;
+  }
+
+  const fn = level === 'error' ? console.error : level === 'warn' ? console.warn : console.log;
+  fn(JSON.stringify(entry));
+}
+
+// Convenience methods
+log.info  = (ctx, msg, data) => log('info', ctx, msg, data);
+log.warn  = (ctx, msg, data) => log('warn', ctx, msg, data);
+log.error = (ctx, msg, data) => log('error', ctx, msg, data);
+log.debug = (ctx, msg, data) => log('debug', ctx, msg, data);
+
+module.exports = log;