Docker Operations#

This skill provides comprehensive Docker operations using the docker CLI. Ensure Docker is installed and configured on your system:

bash

docker --version

When to Use#

• Creating, running, stopping, and managing containers
• Building and pulling/pushing Docker images
• Inspecting containers, images, and Docker objects
• Copying files between containers and host
• Managing Docker registries and image tags
• Viewing logs and real-time container stats
• Cleaning up unused Docker resources

When NOT to Use#

• Docker Swarm orchestration (use dedicated swarm tooling)
• Kubernetes container management
• Building Docker images with complex buildx bake files (see references/buildx.md)
• Docker Compose multi-container applications (see references/compose.md)

Command Reference#

Container Lifecycle#

Create, start, stop, pause, and remove containers.

CommandDescriptionReferencedocker createCreate container without startingreferences/container-lifecycle.mddocker startStart a containerreferences/container-lifecycle.mddocker runCreate and start a containerreferences/container-lifecycle.mddocker stopStop a running containerreferences/container-lifecycle.mddocker restartRestart a containerreferences/container-lifecycle.mddocker pausePause container processesreferences/container-lifecycle.mddocker unpauseResume paused processesreferences/container-lifecycle.mddocker rmRemove a containerreferences/container-lifecycle.md

Container Interaction#

Execute commands, view logs, copy files, and monitor containers.

CommandDescriptionReferencedocker execExecute command in containerreferences/container-interaction.mddocker attachAttach to running containerreferences/container-interaction.mddocker logsView container logsreferences/container-interaction.mddocker topShow running processesreferences/container-interaction.mddocker statsDisplay resource usagereferences/container-interaction.mddocker cpCopy files between host and containerreferences/container-interaction.mddocker diffShow filesystem changesreferences/container-interaction.md

Container Listing#

List and filter Docker containers.

CommandDescriptionReferencedocker psList running containersreferences/container-listing.mddocker ps -aList all containersreferences/container-listing.md

Image Operations#

Pull, push, build, tag, save, load, and manage images.

CommandDescriptionReferencedocker imagesList local imagesreferences/image-operations.mddocker pullPull image from registryreferences/image-operations.mddocker pushPush image to registryreferences/image-operations.mddocker buildBuild image from Dockerfilereferences/image-operations.mddocker tagTag an imagereferences/image-operations.mddocker saveSave image to tarreferences/image-operations.mddocker loadLoad image from tarreferences/image-operations.mddocker exportExport container filesystemreferences/image-operations.mddocker importImport tarball to imagereferences/image-operations.mddocker historyShow image historyreferences/image-operations.mddocker rmiRemove an imagereferences/image-operations.md

Image Inspection#

Inspect Docker objects (containers, images, volumes, networks).

CommandDescriptionReferencedocker inspectReturn low-level info on containers, images, volumes, networksreferences/image-inspection.md

Registry Operations#

Login, logout, and search Docker registries.

CommandDescriptionReferencedocker loginLogin to registryreferences/registry.mddocker logoutLogout from registryreferences/registry.mddocker searchSearch Docker Hubreferences/registry.md

System Information#

Get Docker version, system info, and real-time events.

CommandDescriptionReferencedocker versionShow Docker versionreferences/system-info.mddocker infoDisplay system inforeferences/system-info.mddocker eventsGet real-time eventsreferences/system-info.md

Cleanup Commands#

Remove unused Docker resources.

CommandDescriptionReferencedocker container pruneRemove stopped containersreferences/cleanup.mddocker image pruneRemove unused imagesreferences/cleanup.mddocker volume pruneRemove unused volumesreferences/cleanup.mddocker network pruneRemove unused networksreferences/cleanup.mddocker system pruneFull system cleanupreferences/cleanup.md

Advanced Topics#

For complex multi-platform builds and bake files, see references/buildx.md.

For Docker Compose operations and multi-container orchestration, see references/compose.md.

Advanced Image Operations#

Extract image contents, analyze layers, and manipulate image filesystems.

OperationDescriptionReferenceExtract image to directoryExport image filesystem to local directoryreferences/advanced-image-operations.mdLayer analysisInspect and extract specific image layersreferences/advanced-image-operations.mdImage filesystem comparisonCompare image contents between versionsreferences/advanced-image-operations.md