Docker is a tool that almost every developer encounters at some point. However, unless you use it daily, its commands can become hazy over time. It's easy to forget all but a few frequently used commands.

I often find myself looking up official documentation or searching online whenever this happens. To streamline that repetitive process, I've compiled this cheatsheet of frequently used Docker commands, organized simply and clearly.

It's designed to be a quick reference, containing only the essentials, ready whenever you need it. 😊


Cyberpunk realistic image of a Docker whale

Command Description
docker build -t <name>:<tag> . Build an image from a Dockerfile in the current directory
docker images List local images
docker rmi <imageID> Delete an image
docker pull <image> Pull an image from a remote repository
docker push <image> Push an image to a repository (requires login)
Command Description
docker run -d --name <name> -p 8000:8000 <image> Run a container in the background
docker ps List currently running containers
docker ps -a List all containers, including stopped ones
docker exec -it <container_name> /bin/bash Access a running container's shell
docker logs -f <container_name> View real-time logs
docker stop <container_name> Stop a container
docker rm <container_name> Delete a stopped container
docker restart <container_name> Restart a container

3. Volumes and Networks

Command Description
docker volume ls List volumes
docker volume prune Remove unused volumes
docker network ls List networks
docker network inspect <network_name> Inspect network details

4. Docker Compose

Command Description
docker-compose up -d Run services in the background
docker-compose down Stop and remove all services
docker-compose ps List running services
docker-compose logs -f View real-time logs
docker-compose restart <service_name> Restart a service

5. Docker Swarm

Command Description
docker swarm init Initialize Swarm mode
docker stack deploy -c docker-compose.yml <stack_name> Deploy a stack
docker stack rm <stack_name> Stop and remove a stack
docker service ls List services
docker service ps <service_name> View service status
docker service update --force <service_name> Restart a service (applies new settings)

6. Other Useful Commands

Command Description
docker system df Check disk usage
docker system prune Remove unused images/containers/volumes
docker stats Monitor real-time container resource usage
docker inspect <container_name or image_name> Inspect detailed information of an object (container or image)
docker info Display current Docker environment information
journalctl -u docker.service Check logs for systemd-based Docker service
sudo systemctl status docker Check the status of the Docker daemon
sudo systemctl restart docker Restart the Docker daemon
sudo less /var/log/syslog Search for Docker-related messages in system-wide logs (Ubuntu)


I hope this cheatsheet proves helpful to many developers.

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