Key Docker Commands

Compilation of most used Docker commands.

• docker build . : Build a Dockerfile and create your own Image based on the file
  • -t NAME:TAG : Assign a NAME and a TAG to an image
    • docker build -t myapp:1.0 .
• docker run IMAGE_NAME : Create and start a new container based on image IMAGE_NAME
  • --name NAME : Assign a NAME to the container. The name can be used for stopping and removing etc.
  • -d : Run the container in detached mode – i.e. output printed by the container is not visible, the command prompt/terminal does NOT wait for the container to stop
  • -it : Run the container in “interactive” mode – the container/application is then prepared to receive input via the command prompt/terminal. You can stop the container with CTRL + C when using the -it flag.
  • --rm : Automatically remove the container when it’s stopped
• docker ps : List all running containers.
  • -a : List all containers including stopped ones.
• docker images : List all stored images
• docker rm CONTAINER : Remove a container with the name CONTAINER
• docker rmi IMAGE : Remove an IMAGE
• docker container prune : Remove all stopped containers
• docker image prune : Remove all untagged images
  • -a : Remove all locally stored images
• docker push IMAGE : Push an image to DockerHub (or another registry) – the image name/tag must include the repository name/ URL
  • docker push johnkevinlosito/myapp
• docker pull IMAGE : Pull (download) an image from DockerHub (or another registry) – this is done automatically if you just docker run IMAGE and the image wasn’t pulled before
• docker run -v /path/in/container IMAGE : Create an anonymous volume inside the container
• docker run -v some-name:/path/in/container IMAGE : Create a named volume (some-name) inside a Container
• docker run -v /path/on/your/host/machine:path/in/container IMAGE : Create a BindMount and connect a local path on your host machine to some path in the Container
• docker volume ls : List all currently active/stored volumes (by all Containers)
• docker volume rm VOL_NAME : Remove a volume by its name
• docker volume prune : Remove all unused volumes (i.e. not connected to a currently running or stopped container)
• docker network create NETWORK_NAME : Create a container network
• docker run -network NETWORK_NAME --name my-container my-image : Run a container on the network (network must be created first)
• docker-compose up: Start all containers/services mentioned in the Docker Compose file
  • -d: Start in detached mode
  • --build : Force Docker Compose to rebuild all images
• docker-compose down : Stop and remove all containers/services
  • -v : Remove all Volumes used for the Containers – otherwise, they stay around, even if the Containers are removed