Docker commands cheatsheet

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🔹 Container Lifecycle

Command	Description	Where to Run
docker run IMAGE	Run a container from an image (foreground).	Host terminal
docker run -d IMAGE	Run a container in the background.	Host terminal
docker run --name NAME IMAGE	Run and assign a name.	Host terminal
docker start CONTAINER	Start a stopped container.	Host terminal
docker stop CONTAINER	Gracefully stop a running container.	Host terminal
docker restart CONTAINER	Restart a container.	Host terminal
docker kill CONTAINER	Force stop (SIGKILL) a container.	Host terminal
docker rm CONTAINER	Remove a stopped container.	Host terminal
docker ps	List running containers.	Host terminal
docker ps -a	List all containers.	Host terminal

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🔹 Images

Command	Description	Where to Run
docker images	List all images.	Host terminal
docker pull IMAGE[:TAG]	Download/pull image.	Host terminal
docker push IMAGE[:TAG]	Upload/push image to a registry.	Host terminal
docker rmi IMAGE	Remove image.	Host terminal
docker build -t NAME:TAG .	Build from Dockerfile.	Host terminal, inside folder with Dockerfile

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🔹 Volumes & Storage

Command	Description	Where to Run
docker volume ls	List volumes.	Host terminal
docker volume create NAME	Create a volume.	Host terminal
docker volume inspect NAME	Inspect volume details.	Host terminal
docker volume rm NAME	Remove volume.	Host terminal
docker system df	Show Docker disk usage.	Host terminal

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🔹 Networks

Command	Description	Where to Run
docker network ls	List networks.	Host terminal
docker network create NAME	Create a network.	Host terminal
docker network inspect NAME	Inspect network details.	Host terminal
docker network rm NAME	Remove a network.	Host terminal
docker run --network=NAME IMAGE	Run container in specific network.	Host terminal

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🔹 Exec & Logs

Command	Description	Where to Run
docker exec -it CONTAINER bash	Open an interactive shell in container.	Host terminal → opens a shell inside container
docker logs CONTAINER	Show logs.	Host terminal
docker logs -f CONTAINER	Follow logs (stream).	Host terminal
docker top CONTAINER	Show processes inside container.	Host terminal
docker inspect CONTAINER	Show full container configuration/metadata.	Host terminal

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🔹 System Cleanup

Command	Description	Where to Run
docker system prune	Remove unused data (containers, networks, dangling images).	Host terminal
docker system prune -a	Also remove unused images.	Host terminal
docker builder prune	Clean build cache.	Host terminal
docker volume prune	Remove unused volumes.	Host terminal

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🔹 Docker Compose

Command	Description	Where to Run
docker compose up	Start project (foreground).	Host terminal, inside project folder with docker-compose.yml
docker compose up -d	Start project in background (detached).	Host terminal, inside project folder
docker compose down	Stop and remove containers/networks.	Host terminal, inside project folder
docker compose down -v	Also remove named/anonymous volumes.	Host terminal, inside project folder
docker compose stop	Stop containers (keep them).	Host terminal, inside project folder
docker compose start	Start previously stopped containers.	Host terminal, inside project folder
docker compose restart	Restart containers.	Host terminal, inside project folder
docker compose ps	List project containers.	Host terminal, inside project folder
docker compose logs -f	Follow logs of all services.	Host terminal, inside project folder
docker compose logs -f SERVICE	Follow logs for a single service.	Host terminal, inside project folder
docker compose exec SERVICE bash	Open shell in a service container.	Host terminal, inside project folder

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🔹 Useful One-Liners

Danger zone

These commands can wipe large parts of your Docker setup if you’re not careful.
Double-check before running, and never do this on a host you care about without backups.

All of these run in the host terminal:

• Stop all running containers:

  docker ps -q | xargs docker stop

- Remove all containers:
    
    ```bash
    docker ps -aq | xargs docker rm -f
    ```
    
- Remove all images:
    
    ```bash
    docker images -q | xargs docker rmi -f
    ```
    
- Remove all volumes:
    
    ```bash
    docker volume ls -q | xargs docker volume rm
    ```
    

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⚠️ **Rule of thumb**

- If it starts with `docker …` → run it in your **host terminal** (outside containers).
    
- If it’s `docker exec -it CONTAINER bash` → you’ll land **inside the container** and then run Linux commands there.
    
- If it’s `docker compose …` → run it in the **folder that has your `docker-compose.yml`** (unless you pass `-f` to another file).
    
- Add `sudo` at the start if your Docker setup requires root.