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

Mohammed Benguerine — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 17:48:25 +0000

1. Check Docker version installed.

docker --version

2. Display system-wide information.

docker info

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

docker help

4. Download an image from Docker Hub.

docker pull <image>

5. List all local images.

docker images

6. Build image from a Dockerfile in current directory.

docker build -t <name> .

7. Rename an image locally.

docker tag <image> <new-name>

8. Remove an image.

docker rmi <image>

9. Save an image to a .tar archive.

docker save -o <file>.tar <image>

10. Load image from a .tar archive.

docker load -i <file>.tar

11. Show layers of an image.

docker history <image>

12. Run a container.

docker run <image>

13. Run interactively with terminal access.

docker run -it <image> /bin/bash

14. Run in detached (background) mode.

docker run -d <image>

15. Map ports (host:container).

docker run -p 8080:80 <image>

16. Give a name to the container.

docker run --name <name> <image>

17. Start an existing container.

docker start <container>

18. Stop a running container.

docker stop <container>

19. Restart a container.

docker restart <container>

20. Remove a container.

docker rm <container>

21. List running containers.

docker ps

22. List all containers (including stopped).

docker ps -a

23. View logs of a container.

docker logs <container>

24. Run commands inside a running container.

docker exec -it <container> /bin/bash

25. Attach to a running container.

docker attach <container>

26. Get detailed container info.

docker inspect <container>

27. Show real-time usage (CPU, memory, etc...).

docker stats

28. List volumes.

docker volume ls

29. Create a volume.

docker volume create <name>

30. Mount volume into container.

docker run -v <host_dir>:<container_dir> <image>

** 31. Delete a volume.**

docker volume rm <name>

32. Copy files from container to host.

docker cp <container>:<path> <host>

33. Copy files to container.

docker cp <host> <container>:<path>

34. Set base image.

FROM <base_image>

35. Execute command during build.

RUN <command>

36. Copy files into image.

COPY <src> <dest>

37. Like COPY, but with more features (e.g., URL support).

ADD <src> <dest>

38. Set working directory.

WORKDIR /app

39. Default command when container runs.

CMD ["command", "arg"]

40. Document the port the container listens on.

EXPOSE <port>

41. Set environment variables.

ENV <key>=<value>

42.List all networks.

docker network ls

43. Create a custom network.

docker network create <name>

44. View network details.

docker network inspect <name>

45. Connect container to network.

docker network connect <net> <container>

46. Disconnect from a network.

docker network disconnect <net> <container>

47. Start services defined in docker-compose.yml.

docker-compose up

48. Stop and remove containers/networks/volumes.

docker-compose down

49. Build services.

docker-compose build

50. List running containers.

docker-compose ps

51. Tail logs for services.

docker-compose logs -f

Forem: Mohammed Benguerine

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