25 Basic Docker Commands for Beginners

 

Introduction

Docker has revolutionized the way developers build, ship, and run applications. It simplifies the process by encapsulating applications and their dependencies into containers. For beginners, mastering Docker commands is crucial for efficient container management. In this blog post, we’ll dive into 25 basic Docker commands that every beginner should know. These commands will help you get started with Docker and manage your containers effectively.

Prerequisites

Before diving into Docker commands, ensure you have the following:

Docker Installed: Docker must be installed on your system. You can download and install Docker from the official Docker website. Basic Command Line Knowledge: Familiarity with command line operations will help you understand and execute Docker commands smoothly. Docker Hub Account: For pulling and pushing images, having an account on Docker Hub is recommended.

With these prerequisites in place, you are ready to explore the fundamental Docker commands.

25 Basic Docker Commands

1. Docker Version

To verify your Docker installation, use the docker version command. This command displays detailed information about the Docker client and server versions.

docker --version

2. Docker Info

Get a comprehensive overview of your Docker installation with the docker info command. It provides details about the Docker installation, including the number of containers, images, and the storage driver.

docker info

3. Pull an Image

To download an image from Docker Hub, use the docker pull command. For instance, to pull the latest Ubuntu image, run:

docker pull ubuntu:latest

4. List Images

You can list all the images stored on your machine with the docker images command. This helps you keep track of available images.

docker images

5. Remove an Image

To delete an image from your local machine, use the docker rmi command followed by the image ID or name.

docker rmi ubuntu:latest

6. Create a Container

Use the docker create command to create a new container from an image. This does not start the container immediately.

docker create --name mycontainer ubuntu

7. Start a Container

To start a created container, use the docker start command followed by the container ID or name.

docker start mycontainer

8. Run a Container

The docker run command creates and starts a container in one step. It is widely used for running containers.

docker run -it ubuntu

9. Stop a Container

If you need to stop a running container, use the docker stop command followed by the container ID or name.

docker stop mycontainer

10. Remove a Container

To delete a stopped container, use the docker rm command.

docker stop mycontainer

11. List Containers

You can list all running containers with the docker ps command. To include stopped containers, add the -a flag.

docker ps
docker ps -a

12. Inspect a Container

To get detailed information about a container, use the docker inspect command followed by the container ID or name.

docker inspect mycontainer

Photo by admingeek from Infotechys

13. View Container Logs

Access the logs of a running container with the docker logs command. This is helpful for debugging purposes.

docker logs mycontainer

14. Execute Commands in a Running Container

Use the docker exec command to run a command inside an active container.

docker exec -it mycontainer /bin/bash

15. Copy Files from a Container

To copy files from a container to your local machine, use the docker cp command.

docker exec -it mycontainer /bin/bash

16. Commit a Container

Create a new image from a container’s changes with the docker commit command.

docker commit mycontainer mynewimage

17. Tag an Image

Use the docker tag command to tag an image with a new name or tag.

docker tag mynewimage myrepository/mynewimage:latest

18. Push an Image

To upload an image to a Docker registry, use the docker push command.

docker push myrepository/mynewimage:latest

19. Login to Docker Hub

Before pushing images, you need to log in to Docker Hub using the docker login command.

docker login

20. Logout from Docker Hub

To log out from Docker Hub, use the docker logout command.

docker logout

21. Build an Image

Create a new image from a Dockerfile using the docker build command.

docker build -t mynewimage .

22. Save an Image to a Tar Archive

Use the docker save command to save an image to a tar archive.

docker save -o myimage.tar mynewimage

23. Load an Image from a Tar Archive

To load an image from a tar archive, use the docker load command.

docker load -i myimage.tar

24. Network List

To list all networks, use the docker network ls command.

docker network ls

25. Prune Docker System

Clean up unused containers, networks, images, and build cache with the docker system prune command.

docker system prune

Summary Table of Commands Command Description docker version Display Docker version information docker info Display system-wide information docker pull Pull an image from a registry docker images List images docker rmi Remove an image docker create Create a new container docker start Start a container docker run Run a new container docker stop Stop a running container docker rm Remove a container docker ps List containers docker inspect Display detailed information about a container docker logs Fetch the logs of a container docker exec Run a command in a running container docker cp Copy files from a container docker commit Create a new image from a container’s changes docker tag Tag an image docker push Push an image to a registry docker login Log in to a Docker registry docker logout Log out from a Docker registry docker build Build an image from a Dockerfile docker save Save an image to a tar archive docker load Load an image from a tar archive docker network ls List all networks docker system prune Remove unused data