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Quick summary of this article

Docker's command-line interface (CLI) provides essential tools for managing containers, images, networks, and volumes. Mastering these commands helps you run and maintain containerized applications efficiently, from starting and stopping containers to cleaning up unused resources.

Use docker run to start a new container, docker ps to list running containers, and docker ps -a to see all containers including stopped ones.
Access a container's shell with docker exec -it <container_name> bash and view its logs with docker logs <container_name>.
Manage images by pulling with docker pull, building from a Dockerfile with docker build -t, and removing with docker rmi.
Create, list, inspect, and remove volumes and networks using dedicated commands like docker volume create and docker network ls.
Clean up unused containers, images, and networks with docker system prune, and check resource usage with docker stats.

Docker – Commands

Docker provides a powerful CLI (Command Line Interface) to manage containers, images, networks, and volumes. Knowing essential Docker commands helps you efficiently run and maintain containerized applications.

Container Commands

docker run – Run a new container from an image.
docker ps – List running containers.
docker ps -a – List all containers including stopped ones.
docker stop <container_name> – Stop a running container.
docker start <container_name> – Start a stopped container.
docker restart <container_name> – Restart a container.
docker exec -it <container_name> bash – Access container shell.
docker logs <container_name> – View container logs.

Image Commands

docker images – List all Docker images.
docker pull <image_name> – Download an image from a registry.
docker build -t <image_name> . – Build an image from Dockerfile.
docker rmi <image_name> – Remove a Docker image.

Volume Commands

docker volume create <volume_name> – Create a new volume.
docker volume ls – List all volumes.
docker volume inspect <volume_name> – Inspect volume details.
docker volume rm <volume_name> – Remove a volume.

Network Commands

docker network ls – List all networks.
docker network create <network_name> – Create a new network.
docker network inspect <network_name> – Inspect network details.
docker network rm <network_name> – Remove a network.

Other Useful Commands

docker system prune – Clean up unused containers, images, and networks.
docker stats – Display running container resource usage.
docker info – Show Docker system information.
docker version – Show Docker client and server version.

Best Practices for Docker Commands

Always check running containers before stopping or removing them.
Use descriptive names for containers and volumes for easy management.
Prune unused resources regularly to save disk space.
Combine commands with scripts for automation and CI/CD pipelines.
Use Docker Compose for managing multiple containers efficiently.

Conclusion

Mastering Docker commands allows you to efficiently manage containers, images, networks, and volumes. Using best practices and proper CLI knowledge ensures smooth development and production workflows.

26. Docker Commands | Essential Docker CLI Commands