Top 10 Useful Docker Commands

Docker has revolutionized the world of containerization, allowing developers to package, distribute, and run applications seamlessly across different environments. To harness the full power of Docker, it's essential to be familiar with some of the most useful commands that can streamline your workflow and enhance your Docker experience. In this article, we'll explore the top 10 Docker commands that every developer should know.

1. docker run:

The fundamental command for launching Docker containers. It creates and starts a container based on a specified image. For example:

docker run -it ubuntu:latest

This command runs an interactive Ubuntu container.

2. docker ps:

Lists all running containers along with essential information such as container ID, image, status, and ports. To see all containers (including stopped ones), use:

docker ps -a

This provides a comprehensive overview of your Docker environment.

3. docker build:

Builds a Docker image from a Dockerfile. This command is crucial for creating custom images tailored to your application. For instance:

docker build -t my-custom-image:latest .

This builds an image using the Dockerfile in the current directory.

4. docker pull:

Fetches a Docker image from a registry. If you need a specific image, you can use:

docker pull nginx:latest

This retrieves the latest Nginx image from Docker Hub.

5. docker exec:

Enables you to run commands inside a running container. For example:

docker exec -it my-container bash

This opens an interactive bash shell within the specified container.

6. docker stop and docker start:

These commands halt and restart containers, respectively. For instance:

docker stop my-container
docker start my-container

Useful when you want to pause or resume container execution.

7. docker logs:

Displays the logs generated by a container. This is handy for troubleshooting. For example:

docker logs my-container

This shows the logs produced by the specified container.

8. docker rm:

Removes one or more containers. To remove a stopped container, use:

docker rm my-container

This helps clean up unused containers and free up resources.

9. docker network:

Manages Docker networks, allowing containers to communicate with each other. Create a network with:

docker network create my-network

This establishes a custom network for your containers.

10. docker-compose:

While not a single command, Docker Compose deserves mention. It allows you to define and run multi-container Docker applications using a YAML file. For example:

docker-compose up -d

This starts all services defined in your docker-compose.yml file in detached mode.

So, mastering these Docker commands empowers you to efficiently manage containers, images, and networks, enhancing your overall development workflow. As you delve deeper into Docker, these commands will become invaluable tools in your toolkit.