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Mohammed Benguerine
Mohammed Benguerine

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51 docker commands that you'll ever need to get started with docker 🔥

1. Check Docker version installed.

docker --version
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2. Display system-wide information.

docker info
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3. List all commands or get help on a specific one.

docker help
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4. Download an image from Docker Hub.

docker pull <image>
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5. List all local images.

docker images
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6. Build image from a Dockerfile in current directory.

docker build -t <name> .
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7. Rename an image locally.

docker tag <image> <new-name>
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8. Remove an image.

docker rmi <image>
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9. Save an image to a .tar archive.

docker save -o <file>.tar <image>
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10. Load image from a .tar archive.

docker load -i <file>.tar
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11. Show layers of an image.

docker history <image>
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12. Run a container.

docker run <image>
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13. Run interactively with terminal access.

docker run -it <image> /bin/bash
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14. Run in detached (background) mode.

docker run -d <image>
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15. Map ports (host:container).

docker run -p 8080:80 <image>
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16. Give a name to the container.

docker run --name <name> <image>
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17. Start an existing container.

docker start <container>
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18. Stop a running container.

docker stop <container>
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19. Restart a container.

docker restart <container>
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20. Remove a container.

docker rm <container>
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21. List running containers.

docker ps
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22. List all containers (including stopped).

docker ps -a
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23. View logs of a container.

docker logs <container>
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24. Run commands inside a running container.

docker exec -it <container> /bin/bash
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25. Attach to a running container.

docker attach <container>
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26. Get detailed container info.

docker inspect <container>
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27. Show real-time usage (CPU, memory, etc...).

docker stats
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28. List volumes.

docker volume ls
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29. Create a volume.

docker volume create <name>
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30. Mount volume into container.

docker run -v <host_dir>:<container_dir> <image>
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** 31. Delete a volume.**

docker volume rm <name>
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32. Copy files from container to host.

docker cp <container>:<path> <host>
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33. Copy files to container.

docker cp <host> <container>:<path>
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34. Set base image.

FROM <base_image>
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35. Execute command during build.

RUN <command>
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36. Copy files into image.

COPY <src> <dest>
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37. Like COPY, but with more features (e.g., URL support).

ADD <src> <dest>
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38. Set working directory.

WORKDIR /app
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39. Default command when container runs.

CMD ["command", "arg"]
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40. Document the port the container listens on.

EXPOSE <port>
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41. Set environment variables.

ENV <key>=<value>
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42.List all networks.

docker network ls
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43. Create a custom network.

docker network create <name>
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44. View network details.

docker network inspect <name>
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45. Connect container to network.

docker network connect <net> <container>
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46. Disconnect from a network.

docker network disconnect <net> <container>
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47. Start services defined in docker-compose.yml.

docker-compose up
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48. Stop and remove containers/networks/volumes.

docker-compose down
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49. Build services.

docker-compose build
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50. List running containers.

docker-compose ps
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51. Tail logs for services.

docker-compose logs -f
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