Docker commands are the primary way to interact with Docker containers, images, networks, and volumes. This comprehensive guide covers all essential commands you need to master Docker effectively.
docker [OPTIONS] COMMAND [ARG...]
# Show Docker version
docker --version
docker version
# Show system information
docker info
# Get help for Docker
docker --help
# Get help for specific command
docker run --help
docker build --help
# Pull latest image
docker pull ubuntu
docker pull nginx
# Pull specific version
docker pull ubuntu:20.04
docker pull node:18-alpine
# Pull from specific registry
docker pull gcr.io/google-containers/nginx
docker pull registry.company.com/app:latest
# Pull all tags of an image
docker pull --all-tags ubuntu
# List all images
docker images
docker image ls
# List images with specific format
docker images --format "table \t\t"
# List image IDs only
docker images -q
# List dangling images
docker images --filter "dangling=true"
# List images by repository
docker images ubuntu
# Remove specific image
docker rmi ubuntu:20.04
docker image rm ubuntu:20.04
# Remove image by ID
docker rmi 1a2b3c4d5e6f
# Remove multiple images
docker rmi ubuntu:18.04 ubuntu:20.04 ubuntu:22.04
# Remove all images
docker rmi $(docker images -q)
# Remove dangling images
docker image prune
# Remove all unused images
docker image prune -a
# Force remove image
docker rmi -f ubuntu:20.04
# Inspect image details
docker inspect ubuntu:20.04
# Show image history (layers)
docker history ubuntu:20.04
# Show image size information
docker images --format "table \t\t"
# Basic container run
docker run ubuntu
# Run with interactive terminal
docker run -it ubuntu /bin/bash
# Run in detached mode (background)
docker run -d nginx
# Run with custom name
docker run --name my-nginx -d nginx
# Run with port mapping
docker run -p 8080:80 -d nginx
# Run with environment variables
docker run -e ENV_VAR=value -d myapp
# Run with volume mount
docker run -v /host/path:/container/path -d myapp
# Run with resource limits
docker run --memory=512m --cpus=1.0 -d myapp
# Run with restart policy
docker run --restart=always -d nginx
# Run and remove after exit
docker run --rm ubuntu echo "Hello World"
# List running containers
docker ps
# List all containers (including stopped)
docker ps -a
# List container IDs only
docker ps -q
# List containers with custom format
docker ps --format "table \t\t"
# Start stopped container
docker start container-name
docker start container-id
# Stop running container
docker stop container-name
# Restart container
docker restart container-name
# Pause container
docker pause container-name
# Unpause container
docker unpause container-name
# Kill container (force stop)
docker kill container-name
# Execute command in running container
docker exec -it container-name /bin/bash
docker exec -it container-name sh
# Execute single command
docker exec container-name ls -la
docker exec container-name cat /etc/hosts
# Execute as specific user
docker exec -u root -it container-name /bin/bash
# Execute with environment variables
docker exec -e ENV_VAR=value container-name command
# Show container logs
docker logs container-name
# Follow logs in real-time
docker logs -f container-name
# Show last N lines of logs
docker logs --tail 50 container-name
# Show logs with timestamps
docker logs -t container-name
# Inspect container details
docker inspect container-name
# Show container resource usage
docker stats container-name
# Show running processes in container
docker top container-name
# Show container port mappings
docker port container-name
# Copy file from host to container
docker cp /host/file.txt container-name:/container/path/
# Copy file from container to host
docker cp container-name:/container/file.txt /host/path/
# Copy directory
docker cp /host/directory/ container-name:/container/path/
docker cp container-name:/container/directory/ /host/path/
# Copy with archive mode (preserves permissions)
docker cp -a /host/file.txt container-name:/container/path/
# Remove stopped container
docker rm container-name
# Force remove running container
docker rm -f container-name
# Remove multiple containers
docker rm container1 container2 container3
# Remove all stopped containers
docker container prune
# Remove containers older than 24 hours
docker container prune --filter "until=24h"
# Remove all containers (running and stopped)
docker rm -f $(docker ps -aq)
# Build image from Dockerfile
docker build -t myapp:latest .
# Build with specific Dockerfile
docker build -f Dockerfile.prod -t myapp:prod .
# Build with build arguments
docker build --build-arg ENV=production -t myapp:prod .
# Build without using cache
docker build --no-cache -t myapp:latest .
# Build with target stage (multi-stage)
docker build --target development -t myapp:dev .
# Build and tag multiple tags
docker build -t myapp:latest -t myapp:1.0 .
# Tag existing image
docker tag myapp:latest myapp:v1.0
docker tag myapp:latest registry.company.com/myapp:latest
# Tag with multiple tags
docker tag ubuntu:20.04 my-ubuntu:custom
docker tag ubuntu:20.04 my-ubuntu:latest
# Push image to registry
docker push myapp:latest
docker push registry.company.com/myapp:latest
# Login to registry
docker login
docker login registry.company.com
docker login -u username -p password registry.company.com
# Logout from registry
docker logout
docker logout registry.company.com
# Search images in Docker Hub
docker search nginx
docker search --limit 10 ubuntu
# Create volume
docker volume create my-volume
# List volumes
docker volume ls
# Inspect volume
docker volume inspect my-volume
# Remove volume
docker volume rm my-volume
# Remove all unused volumes
docker volume prune
# Remove volumes older than 24 hours
docker volume prune --filter "until=24h"
# Run container with named volume
docker run -v my-volume:/data -d myapp
# Run container with bind mount
docker run -v /host/path:/container/path -d myapp
# Run container with read-only volume
docker run -v my-volume:/data:ro -d myapp
# Run container with tmpfs mount
docker run --tmpfs /tmp -d myapp
# List networks
docker network ls
# Create network
docker network create my-network
docker network create --driver bridge my-bridge-network
# Inspect network
docker network inspect my-network
# Connect container to network
docker network connect my-network container-name
# Disconnect container from network
docker network disconnect my-network container-name
# Remove network
docker network rm my-network
# Remove all unused networks
docker network prune
# Run container with specific network
docker run --network=my-network -d myapp
# Run container with port publishing
docker run -p 8080:80 --network=my-network -d nginx
# Run container with hostname
docker run --hostname=myapp --network=my-network -d myapp
# Show Docker system information
docker system info
# Show disk usage
docker system df
# Show detailed disk usage
docker system df -v
# Monitor Docker events
docker events
# Monitor events for specific container
docker events --filter container=my-container
# Remove all unused data
docker system prune
# Remove all unused data including volumes
docker system prune --volumes
# Remove all unused data including images
docker system prune -a
# Force removal without confirmation
docker system prune -f
# Remove data older than specific time
docker system prune --filter "until=72h"
# Export container as tar archive
docker export container-name > container.tar
# Import tar archive as image
docker import container.tar my-image:latest
# Save image as tar archive
docker save myapp:latest > myapp.tar
# Load image from tar archive
docker load < myapp.tar
# Create image from container changes
docker commit container-name new-image:tag
# Create image with message and author
docker commit -m "Added new feature" -a "Your Name" container-name new-image:tag
# Create image without pausing container
docker commit --pause=false container-name new-image:tag
# Build for multiple platforms
docker buildx build --platform linux/amd64,linux/arm64 -t myapp:latest .
# Create builder instance
docker buildx create --name mybuilder --use
# Inspect builder
docker buildx inspect mybuilder
# Remove builder
docker buildx rm mybuilder
# Start services
docker-compose up
# Start services in background
docker-compose up -d
# Stop services
docker-compose down
# Stop and remove volumes
docker-compose down -v
# Build services
docker-compose build
# View service logs
docker-compose logs
# Follow logs
docker-compose logs -f
# Scale services
docker-compose up --scale web=3
# Execute command in service
docker-compose exec web /bin/bash
# Run one-off command
docker-compose run web python manage.py migrate
# Add to your ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
alias dps='docker ps'
alias dpsa='docker ps -a'
alias di='docker images'
alias dlog='docker logs'
alias dexec='docker exec -it'
alias dstop='docker stop $(docker ps -q)'
alias drm='docker rm $(docker ps -aq)'
alias drmi='docker rmi $(docker images -q)'
alias dprune='docker system prune -f'
# Stop all running containers
docker stop $(docker ps -q)
# Remove all containers
docker rm $(docker ps -aq)
# Remove all images
docker rmi $(docker images -q)
# Remove all dangling images
docker rmi $(docker images -f dangling=true -q)
# Remove all unused containers, networks, and images
docker system prune -a
# Get container IP address
docker inspect container-name | grep IPAddress
# Get container environment variables
docker inspect container-name | grep Env -A 20
# Monitor container resource usage
docker stats --no-stream
# Show container sizes
docker ps -s
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
docker run |
Create and start container |
docker start |
Start stopped container |
docker stop |
Stop running container |
docker restart |
Restart container |
docker pause |
Pause container |
docker unpause |
Unpause container |
docker rm |
Remove container |
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
docker pull |
Download image |
docker build |
Build image from Dockerfile |
docker push |
Upload image to registry |
docker tag |
Tag image |
docker rmi |
Remove image |
docker save |
Export image to tar |
docker load |
Import image from tar |
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
docker ps |
List containers |
docker images |
List images |
docker logs |
View container logs |
docker inspect |
Detailed object information |
docker stats |
Resource usage statistics |
docker top |
Running processes |
# Issue: Permission denied
# Solution: Add user to docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
# Then logout and login again
# Issue: Port already in use
# Solution: Use different port or stop service using the port
docker run -p 8081:80 nginx # Use different host port
sudo lsof -i :8080 # Find what's using port 8080
# Issue: No space left on device
# Solution: Clean up Docker data
docker system prune -a
docker volume prune
# Issue: Container exits immediately
# Solution: Check logs and run interactively
docker logs container-name
docker run -it image-name /bin/bash
# Issue: Cannot connect to Docker daemon
# Solution: Start Docker service
sudo systemctl start docker
# Run container with debug shell
docker run -it --entrypoint=/bin/bash image-name
# Check container filesystem changes
docker diff container-name
# View Docker daemon logs
journalctl -u docker.service
# Test Docker installation
docker run hello-world
# Check Docker configuration
docker info | grep -i root
# Run as non-root user
docker run -u 1000:1000 myapp
# Use read-only filesystem
docker run --read-only myapp
# Drop capabilities
docker run --cap-drop=ALL --cap-add=NET_BIND_SERVICE myapp
# Set resource limits
docker run --memory=256m --cpus=0.5 myapp
# Use secrets for sensitive data
docker run --env-file secrets.env myapp
# Use multi-stage builds
docker build --target production .
# Use .dockerignore file
echo "node_modules" > .dockerignore
echo "*.log" >> .dockerignore
# Clean up regularly
docker system prune --schedule="0 2 * * *" # Cron job
# Monitor resource usage
docker stats --format "table \t\t"
After mastering essential Docker commands:
Mastering these essential Docker commands is fundamental to working effectively with containers. Start with basic commands and gradually incorporate more advanced features as you become comfortable with Docker’s workflow.