Docker Container Management Commands: Creation, Inspection, Interaction, and Deletion

The article introduces the essential Docker commands for managing containers, offering step‑by‑step examples and explanations for each operation.

Creating containers : Use docker run with optional flags (e.g., -d, -p, --name) to launch a new container and run a command inside it. The default entrypoint can be overridden as needed.

Inspecting containers : docker ps lists running containers, while docker inspect returns detailed JSON information such as IDs, creation time, image, ports, and custom labels.

Viewing container details : Additional commands like docker stats show real‑time resource usage (CPU, memory, network I/O). Flags such as -a include stopped containers in the output.

Interacting with a running container : docker exec starts a new process inside an existing container, allowing you to run shells, scripts, or commands with optional user and privilege settings.

Starting, stopping, and restarting : Manage container lifecycle with docker start, docker stop (optionally with a timeout), and docker restart. These commands accept container names or IDs and can be combined with flags for graceful shutdown.

Removing containers : After stopping a container, docker rm permanently deletes it. The -f flag forces removal of running containers, but it is recommended to stop them first to avoid data loss.

Throughout the guide, notes highlight common pitfalls, such as the need to specify the correct container name when overriding the default command, and the importance of using appropriate flags for privileged execution or network binding.