Docker Commands: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you looking for a comprehensive guide on Docker commands? You’ve come to the right place! Docker is an open-source platform that allows developers to create, deploy, and run applications in containers. Docker commands are a set of tools that help you manage Docker containers, images, networks, and volumes. In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about Docker commands, including basic and advanced commands, FAQs, and best practices, you can also checkout the Docker Cheat Sheet.

Introduction

Docker is an innovative technology that has revolutionized the way developers build, test, and deploy applications. Docker containers are lightweight, portable, and efficient, making them an ideal choice for deploying microservices and cloud-native applications. Docker commands provide a set of tools that simplify the process of managing containers, images, networks, and volumes. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced developer, mastering Docker commands is essential to building and deploying Docker applications.

Basic Docker Commands

Docker Run

Docker run is the most basic and essential Docker command. It allows you to create and start a Docker container based on a Docker image. Here’s how to use the Docker run command:

docker run [OPTIONS] IMAGE [COMMAND] [ARG...]

• OPTIONS: Optional parameters such as -d for running the container in detached mode.
• IMAGE: The name of the Docker image to use.
• COMMAND: The command to run inside the container (e.g., /bin/bash).
• ARG: Arguments to pass to the command.

Docker PS

Docker PS command is used to list all running containers on your Docker host. This command is useful when you need to check the status of your containers or find the container ID to stop or remove a container. Here’s how to use the Docker PS command:

docker ps [OPTIONS]

• OPTIONS: Optional parameters such as -a for showing all containers (including stopped containers) and -q for showing only the container ID.

Docker Images

Docker images are the building blocks of Docker containers. The Docker images command is used to list all the Docker images available on your Docker host. Here’s how to use the Docker images command:

docker images [OPTIONS] [REPOSITORY[:TAG]]

• OPTIONS: Optional parameters such as -a for showing all images (including intermediate images), -q for showing only the image ID, and --digests for showing the image digest.
• REPOSITORY: The name of the Docker image repository (e.g., ubuntu).
• TAG: The tag of the Docker image (e.g., 20.04).

Advanced Docker Commands

Docker Compose

Docker Compose is a tool for defining and running multi-container Docker applications. It allows you to define your application’s services, networks, and volumes in a single YAML file, making it easy to deploy and manage complex Docker applications. Here’s how to use Docker Compose:

docker-compose [OPTIONS] [COMMAND] [ARGS...]

• OPTIONS: Optional parameters such as -f for specifying the Docker Compose file and -p for specifying the project name.
• COMMAND: The Docker Compose command to run (e.g., up to start the containers).
• ARGS: Arguments to pass to the Docker Compose command.

Docker Build

Docker build is a command used to build a Docker image from a Docker file. The Dockerfile is a text file that contains instructions for building the image. Here’s how to use the Docker build command:

docker build [OPTIONS] PATH | URL | -

• OPTIONS: Optional parameters such as -t for specifying the image tag.

Docker Network

Docker Network command is used to create and manage Docker networks. Docker networks are used to connect containers to each other, allowing them to communicate with each other securely. Here’s how to use the Docker Network command:

docker network [OPTIONS] COMMAND

• OPTIONS: Optional parameters such as --driver for specifying the network driver and --subnet for specifying the subnet.
• COMMAND: The Docker Network command to run (e.g., create to create a new network).

Docker Exec

Docker Exec command is used to run a command inside a running container. This command is useful when you need to access a container’s shell or run a command inside a container for debugging purposes. Here’s how to use the Docker Exec command:

docker exec [OPTIONS] CONTAINER COMMAND

• OPTIONS: Optional parameters such as -it for running the command interactively and --user for specifying the user to run the command as.
• CONTAINER: The name or ID of the running container.
• COMMAND: The command to run inside the container (e.g., ls).

Docker Volume

Docker Volume command is used to create and manage Docker volumes. Docker volumes are used to store data outside of the container’s filesystem, allowing the data to persist even if the container is removed. Here’s how to use the Docker Volume command:

docker volume [OPTIONS] COMMAND

• OPTIONS: Optional parameters such as --driver for specifying the volume driver and --name for specifying the volume name.
• COMMAND: The Docker Volume command to run (e.g., create to create a new volume).

Docker Commands FAQs

Q1: How do I remove a Docker container?

To remove a Docker container, you can use the Docker rm command followed by the container ID or name. Here’s an example:

docker rm my-container

Q2: How do I stop a running Docker container?

To stop a running Docker container, you can use the Docker stop command followed by the container ID or name. Here’s an example:

docker stop my-container

Q3: How do I start a stopped Docker container?

To start a stopped Docker container, you can use the Docker start command followed by the container ID or name. Here’s an example:

docker start my-container

Q4: How do I remove a Docker image?

To remove a Docker image, you can use the Docker rmi command followed by the image ID or name. Here’s an example:

docker rmi my-image

Q5: How do I create a Docker network?

To create a Docker network, you can use the Docker network create command followed by the network name. Here’s an example:

docker network create my-network

Q6: How do I run a command inside a Docker container?

To run a command inside a Docker container, you can use the Docker exec command followed by the container ID or name and the command to run. Here’s an example:

docker exec -it my-container bash

Conclusion

Docker commands are essential tools for managing Docker containers, images, networks, and volumes. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced developer, mastering Docker commands is essential to building and deploying Docker applications. In this article, we covered basic and advanced Docker commands, as well as FAQs and best practices. By following these guidelines, you can create, deploy, and manage Docker applications with ease.