Docker Commands: A Comprehensive List

📅May 13, 2023

🗁Cheat Sheets

Docker is a powerful containerization platform that allows developers to package and deploy their applications in a portable way. However, mastering Docker requires familiarity with a wide range of commands. In this article, we will explore a comprehensive list of Docker commands that can help you manage containers, images, networks, and volumes.

Table of Contents

Process Management
Volumes & Ports
Docker Compose
Images/Repository
Troubleshooting

Docker Commands

Process Management

Show all running docker containers
```
<code class="language-sh">docker ps
```
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Show all docker containers
```
<code class="language-sh">docker ps -a
```
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Run a container

<code class="language-sh">docker run <image>:<tag>

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Run a container and connect to it

<code class="language-sh">docker run -it <image>:<tag>

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Run a container in the background

<code class="language-sh">docker run -d <image>:<tag>

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Stop a container

<code class="language-sh">docker stop <container>

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Kill a container

<code class="language-sh">docker kill <container>

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Volumes & Ports

List volumes

<code class="language-sh">docker volume ls

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Create a volume

<code class="language-sh">docker volume create <volume>

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Delete a volume

<code class="language-sh">docker volume rm <volume>

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Show volume metadata

<code class="language-sh">docker volume inspect <volume>

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Delete all volumes not attached to a container
```
<code class="language-sh">docker volume prune
```
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Mount a local directory to your container

<code class="language-sh">docker run -v <local_dir>:<container_dir> <image>

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Copy file or folder from a docker container to host machine

<code class="language-sh">docker cp container>:<container_dir> <local_dir>

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Copy file or folder from local machine onto a container

<code class="language-sh">docker cp <local_dir> <container>:<container_dir>

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Map a local port to a docker instance

<code class="language-sh">docker run -d -p 127.0.0.1:<local_port>:<docker_port> <image>

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List the ports a docker container is running on
```
<code class="language-sh">docker port <container>
```
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Docker Compose
- Start your docker-compose defined resources in detached mode
```
<code class="language-sh">docker-compose up -d -f <docker_compose_yaml>
```
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- Stop all docker-compose resources
```
<code class="language-sh">docker-compose stop
```
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- Destroy all docker-compose resources
```
<code class="language-sh">docker-compose down
```
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- Show docker-compose processes
```
<code class="language-sh">docker-compose ps
```
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- Show docker-compose logs
```
<code class="language-sh">docker-compose logs
```
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- Show docker-compose resource consumption
```
<code class="language-sh">docker-compose top
```
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Images/Repository

List available local images
```
<code class="language-sh">docker images
```
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Search for docker images

<code class="language-sh">docker search <image>

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Pull a docker image

<code class="language-sh">docker pull <image>

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Build an image with a dockerfile

<code class="language-sh">docker build -t <image>:<tag> <run_directory> -f <dockerfile>

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Login to a remote repository

<code class="language-sh">docker login <repository>

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Push an image to your remote repository
```
<code class="language-sh">docker push <image>:<tag>
```
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Remove a local docker image

<code class="language-sh">docker rmi <image>:<tag>

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Show metadata for an image

<code class="language-sh">docker inspect <image>

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Remove all unused docker images

<code class="language-sh">docker image prune

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Troubleshooting
- Show the logs of a container
```
<code class="language-sh">docker logs <container>
```
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- Follow/tail the logs of a container
```
<code class="language-sh">docker logs -f <container>
```
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- Show timestamps on docker logs
```
<code class="language-sh">docker logs -t <container>
```
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- Show details/metadata of a container
```
<code class="language-sh">docker inspect <container>
```
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- Show a 'top' view of processes running on a container
```
<code class="language-sh">docker top <container>
```
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- Show a 'top' view of all docker containers
```
<code class="language-sh">docker stats
```
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- Show any files that have changed since startup
```
<code class="language-sh">docker diff <container>
```
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- Connect to an already running container
```
<code class="language-sh">docker attach <container>
```
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- Execute a command on a container
```
<code class="language-sh">docker exec -it <container_id> /bin/bash
```
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- Show docker system wide information
```
<code class="language-sh">docker system info
```
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- Show docker disk space used
```
<code class="language-sh">docker system df
```
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Understanding these commands will help you streamline your workflow, improve productivity, and make the most out of Docker's containerization platform.