Essential Docker Commands Cheat Sheet

Container lifecycle management

docker run

– Create and start a new container. docker start / docker stop / docker restart – Start, stop, or restart existing containers. docker kill – Immediately terminate one or more running containers. docker rm – Remove one or more stopped containers. docker pause / docker unpause – Pause and resume all processes inside a container. docker create – Create a new container without starting it. docker exec – Execute a new command inside a running container. docker rename – Rename a container.

Container operations

docker ps

– List Docker containers. docker inspect – Show detailed information about Docker objects (containers, images, volumes, networks, etc.). docker top – Display processes running inside a specified container. docker attach – Attach to a running container for interactive use. docker events – Retrieve events generated by the Docker daemon. docker logs – Fetch and view a container’s log output. docker wait – Wait for a container to stop and retrieve its exit code. docker export – Export a container’s filesystem as a tar archive. docker port – Show port‑mapping information for a container. docker stats – Real‑time display of a container’s resource usage. docker update – Update resource limits (memory, CPU, etc.) of a container. docker commit – Save the current state of a container as a new Docker image. docker cp – Copy files or directories between a container and the host. docker diff – Show filesystem changes in a container.

Image repository commands

docker login

/ docker logout – Manage authentication with Docker registries. docker pull – Download an image from a registry (e.g., Docker Hub) to the local host. docker push – Upload a locally built image to a registry (Docker Hub or private registry). docker search – Search for images on Docker Hub or other registries.

Local image management

docker images

– List local Docker images. docker rmi – Remove images that are no longer needed. docker tag – Create an alias (tag) for a local image. docker build – Build a Docker image from a Dockerfile. docker history – View the layer history of a specific image. docker save – Save one or more images to a tar archive. docker load – Load images from a tar archive created by docker save. docker import – Import a container snapshot from a tar file or URL to create a new image. docker info – Display system‑wide information, including the number of images and containers. docker version – Show client and server version details.

Docker Compose commands

docker compose run

– Start a new container and run a specific application. docker compose rm – Remove containers created by a Compose file. docker compose ps – List the status of containers managed by Compose. docker compose build – Build images defined in a Compose file. docker compose up – Run services defined in a Compose file. docker compose ls – List Compose projects. docker compose start – Start containers created by a Compose file. docker compose restart – Restart containers created by a Compose file.

Network commands

docker network ls

– List all networks. docker network create <network> – Create a new network. docker network rm <network> – Delete a specified network. docker network connect <network> <container> – Connect a container to a network. docker network disconnect <network> <container> – Disconnect a container from a network.

Volume commands

docker volume ls

– List all volumes. docker volume create <volume> – Create a new volume. docker volume rm <volume> – Delete a specified volume. docker volume inspect <volume> – Show detailed information about a volume.