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Docker Commands

Docker cheat sheet with essential commands for containers, images, volumes, networks, Docker Compose, and orchestration examples.

10 min read
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Container Management

Running Containers

Start and run Docker containers with various options

bash
💡 Use -d for background containers
⚠️ Always name containers for easier management
📌 Use --rm for temporary containers
✅ Set resource limits in production

Container State Management

Control container lifecycle - start, stop, restart, and remove

bash
💡 docker ps -a shows stopped containers too
⚠️ Use -f flag carefully to force remove
📌 Container prune removes all stopped containers
✅ Always stop before removing unless using -f

Container Inspection & Logs

Debug and inspect running containers for troubleshooting

bash
💡 Use -f to follow logs in real-time
📌 docker exec -it for interactive sessions
⚡ Inspect with --format for specific fields
✅ Copy files without stopping container

Image Management

Building Images

Build Docker images from Dockerfiles with various options

bash
💡 Use .dockerignore to exclude files
⚡ BuildKit provides advanced features
📌 Multi-stage builds reduce image size
✅ Always tag images with versions

Image Operations

Manage Docker images - pull, push, tag, and remove

bash
💡 Use specific tags instead of latest
⚠️ Prune regularly to save disk space
📌 Save images for offline transfer
✅ Always login before pushing

Image Registry

Work with Docker registries and manage image distribution

bash
🔒 Always use HTTPS for production registries
💡 Tag images with registry URL
📌 Local registry useful for testing
✅ Implement authentication for private registries

Volumes & Networks

Volume Management

Create and manage Docker volumes for persistent data storage

bash
💡 Named volumes persist data between containers
📌 Bind mounts for development, volumes for production
⚠️ Prune removes all unused volumes
✅ Backup important volumes regularly

Network Management

Configure Docker networks for container communication

bash
💡 Containers on same network can communicate by name
🔒 Use internal networks for security
📌 Bridge is default, overlay for Swarm
✅ Custom networks provide better isolation

Docker Compose

Compose Basics

Essential Docker Compose commands for multi-container applications

bash
💡 Use -d for background operation
⚡ --scale for horizontal scaling
📌 -f to specify custom compose files
✅ Always use down -v to clean volumes

Compose Configuration

Docker Compose file configuration and advanced features

yaml
💡 Use depends_on for service dependencies
📌 Version 3.8 is recommended for most uses
⚡ Use extension fields to avoid repetition
✅ Always set resource limits in production

System & Cleanup

System Management

Monitor and manage Docker system resources and information

bash
💡 Regular pruning prevents disk issues
⚠️ Prune -a removes all unused images
📌 Use filters to control what gets pruned
✅ Monitor disk usage with system df

Debugging & Troubleshooting

Debug containers and resolve common Docker issues

bash
💡 nicolaka/netshoot has many network tools
🔍 Use --progress=plain for detailed build output
📌 Override entrypoint to debug failed containers
✅ Always check logs first when debugging