Essential Commands

Docker Command Reference

Quick reference for the most commonly used Docker commands.

Image Commands

# Pull image
docker pull IMAGE[:TAG]
docker pull nginx:alpine

# List images
docker images
docker image ls

# Build image
docker build -t NAME:TAG .
docker build -t myapp:1.0 .

# Tag image
docker tag SOURCE TARGET
docker tag myapp:1.0 registry.com/myapp:1.0

# Push image
docker push IMAGE[:TAG]
docker push registry.com/myapp:1.0

# Remove image
docker rmi IMAGE
docker image rm nginx

# Remove dangling images
docker image prune

# Remove all unused images
docker image prune -a

# Image history/layers
docker history IMAGE

Container Commands

# Create and run
docker run [OPTIONS] IMAGE [COMMAND]
docker run -d -p 80:80 --name web nginx

# Common run options
-d                    # Detached mode
-p HOST:CONTAINER     # Port mapping
--name NAME           # Container name
-e KEY=VALUE          # Environment variable
-v HOST:CONTAINER     # Volume mount
--rm                  # Remove on exit
-it                   # Interactive terminal
--network NETWORK     # Connect to network
--restart POLICY      # Restart policy

# List containers
docker ps              # Running
docker ps -a           # All
docker ps -q           # IDs only

# Start/stop/restart
docker start CONTAINER
docker stop CONTAINER
docker restart CONTAINER

# Remove container
docker rm CONTAINER
docker rm -f CONTAINER  # Force

# Container shell
docker exec -it CONTAINER bash
docker exec -it CONTAINER sh

# Logs
docker logs CONTAINER
docker logs -f CONTAINER        # Follow
docker logs --tail 100 CONTAINER

# Stats
docker stats
docker top CONTAINER

System Commands

# Docker info
docker version
docker info

# Disk usage
docker system df
docker system df -v    # Verbose

# Clean up
docker system prune           # Remove unused data
docker system prune -a        # Include images
docker system prune --volumes # Include volumes

# Events
docker events
docker events --since '1h'

Network Commands

# List networks
docker network ls

# Create network
docker network create NETWORK
docker network create --driver bridge my-network

# Inspect network
docker network inspect NETWORK

# Connect container
docker network connect NETWORK CONTAINER

# Disconnect container
docker network disconnect NETWORK CONTAINER

# Remove network
docker network rm NETWORK

Volume Commands

# List volumes
docker volume ls

# Create volume
docker volume create VOLUME

# Inspect volume
docker volume inspect VOLUME

# Remove volume
docker volume rm VOLUME

# Prune unused
docker volume prune

Docker Compose Commands

# Start services
docker compose up
docker compose up -d          # Detached
docker compose up --build     # Rebuild images

# Stop services
docker compose down
docker compose down -v        # Remove volumes

# List services
docker compose ps

# Logs
docker compose logs
docker compose logs -f SERVICE

# Execute command
docker compose exec SERVICE COMMAND

# Build images
docker compose build

# Pull images
docker compose pull

# Scale service
docker compose up -d --scale SERVICE=N

Quick Reference Table