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

  • Show all running docker containers
  • Show all docker containers
  • Run a container
  • Run a container and connect to it
  • Run a container in the background
  • Stop a container
  • Kill a container

• Volumes & Ports

  • List volumes
  • Create a volume
  • Delete a volume
  • Show volume metadata
  • Delete all volumes not attached to a container
  • Mount a local directory to your container
  • Copy file or folder from a docker container to host machine
  • Copy file or folder from local machine onto a container
  • Map a local port to a docker instance
  • List the ports a docker container is running on

• Docker Compose

  • Start your docker-compose defined resources in detached mode
  • Stop all docker-compose resources
  • Destroy all docker-compose resources
  • Show docker-compose processes
  • Show docker-compose logs
  • Show docker-compose resource consumption

• Images/Repository

  • List available local images
  • Search for docker images
  • Pull a docker image
  • Build an image with a dockerfile
  • Login to a remote repository
  • Push an image to your remote repository
  • Remove a local docker image
  • Show metadata for an image
  • Remove all unused docker images

• Troubleshooting

  • Show the logs of a container
  • Follow/tail the logs of a container
  • Show timestamps on docker logs
  • Show details/metadata of a container
  • Show a ‘top’ view of processes running on a container
  • Show a ‘top’ view of all docker containers
  • Show any files that have changed since startup
  • Connect to an already running container
  • Execute a command on a container
  • Show docker system wide information
  • Show docker disk space used

Docker Commands

• Process Management

  • Show all running docker containers
    docker ps

    1

    docker ps

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  • Show all docker containers
    docker ps -a

    1	docker ps -a

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  • Run a container
    docker run <image>:<tag>

    1	docker run <image>:<tag>

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  • Run a container and connect to it
    docker run -it <image>:<tag>

    1	docker run -it <image>:<tag>

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  • Run a container in the background
    docker run -d <image>:<tag>

    1	docker run -d <image>:<tag>

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  • Stop a container
    docker stop <container>

    1	docker stop <container>

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  • Kill a container
    docker kill <container>

    1	docker kill <container>

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• Volumes & Ports

  • List volumes
    docker volume ls

    1	docker volume ls

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  • Create a volume
    docker volume create <volume>

    1	docker volume create <volume>

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  • Delete a volume
    docker volume rm <volume>

    1	docker volume rm <volume>

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  • Show volume metadata
    docker volume inspect <volume>

    1	docker volume inspect <volume>

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  • Delete all volumes not attached to a container
    docker volume prune

    1	docker volume prune

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  • Mount a local directory to your container
    docker run -v <local_dir>:<container_dir> <image>

    1	docker run -v <local_dir>:<container_dir> <image>

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  • Copy file or folder from a docker container to host machine
    docker cp container>:<container_dir> <local_dir>

    1	docker cp container>:<container_dir> <local_dir>

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  • Copy file or folder from local machine onto a container
    docker cp <local_dir> <container>:<container_dir>

    1	docker cp <local_dir> <container>:<container_dir>

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  • Map a local port to a docker instance
    docker run -d -p 127.0.0.1:<local_port>:<docker_port> <image>

    1	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
    docker port <container>

    1	docker port <container>

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• Docker Compose

  • Start your docker-compose defined resources in detached mode
    docker-compose up -d -f <docker_compose_yaml>

    1	docker-compose up -d -f <docker_compose_yaml>

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  • Stop all docker-compose resources
    docker-compose stop

    1	docker-compose stop

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  • Destroy all docker-compose resources
    docker-compose down

    1	docker-compose down

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  • Show docker-compose processes
    docker-compose ps

    1	docker-compose ps

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  • Show docker-compose logs
    docker-compose logs

    1	docker-compose logs

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  • Show docker-compose resource consumption
    docker-compose top

    1	docker-compose top

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• Images/Repository

  • List available local images
    docker images

    1	docker images

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  • Search for docker images
    docker search <image>

    1	docker search <image>

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  • Pull a docker image
    docker pull <image>

    1	docker pull <image>

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  • Build an image with a dockerfile
    docker build -t <image>:<tag> <run_directory> -f <dockerfile>

    1	docker build -t <image>:<tag> <run_directory> -f <dockerfile>

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  • Login to a remote repository
    docker login <repository>

    1	docker login <repository>

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  • Push an image to your remote repository
    docker push <image>:<tag>

    1	docker push <image>:<tag>

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  • Remove a local docker image
    docker rmi <image>:<tag>

    1	docker rmi <image>:<tag>

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  • Show metadata for an image
    docker inspect <image>

    1	docker inspect <image>

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  • Remove all unused docker images
    docker image prune

    1	docker image prune

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• Troubleshooting

  • Show the logs of a container
    docker logs <container>

    1	docker logs <container>

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  • Follow/tail the logs of a container
    docker logs -f <container>

    1	docker logs -f <container>

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  • Show timestamps on docker logs
    docker logs -t <container>

    1	docker logs -t <container>

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  • Show details/metadata of a container
    docker inspect <container>

    1	docker inspect <container>

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  • Show a ‘top’ view of processes running on a container
    docker top <container>

    1	docker top <container>

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  • Show a ‘top’ view of all docker containers
    docker stats

    1	docker stats

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  • Show any files that have changed since startup
    docker diff <container>

    1	docker diff <container>

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  • Connect to an already running container
    docker attach <container>

    1	docker attach <container>

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  • Execute a command on a container
    docker exec -it <container_id> /bin/bash

    1	docker exec -it <container_id> /bin/bash

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  • Show docker system wide information
    docker system info

    1	docker system info

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  • Show docker disk space used
    docker system df

    1	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.