📘 All Docker Commands – The Complete Reference Guide for Beginners & Pros

Docker is a powerful containerization platform that helps developers build, ship, and run applications efficiently. To make the most of Docker, it’s crucial to understand its vast set of command-line tools.

This comprehensive guide breaks down all Docker commands into functional categories — each with syntax, examples, and practical use cases.

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🧱 1. Docker Installation & Version Commands

Command	Description
docker --version	Show Docker CLI version
docker version	Show both CLI and server versions
docker info	Display system-wide information

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🐳 2. Docker Image Commands

Command	Description	Example
docker pull	Download image from registry	docker pull nginx
docker build	Build image from Dockerfile	docker build -t myapp .
docker images	List all local images	docker images
docker rmi	Remove one or more images	docker rmi nginx
docker tag	Add new tag to an image	docker tag nginx mynginx:v1
docker history	Show image layer history	docker history nginx
docker save	Save image to tar archive	docker save -o nginx.tar nginx
docker load	Load image from archive	docker load -i nginx.tar
docker import	Create image from tarball	docker import nginx.tar nginx:custom
docker export	Export container’s filesystem	docker export mycontainer > mycontainer.tar

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📦 3. Docker Container Commands

Command	Description	Example
docker create	Create container without starting	docker create nginx
docker run	Create and start container	docker run -it ubuntu
docker ps	List running containers	docker ps
docker ps -a	List all containers	docker ps -a
docker start	Start a stopped container	docker start mycontainer
docker stop	Gracefully stop container	docker stop mycontainer
docker kill	Force stop container	docker kill mycontainer
docker restart	Restart container	docker restart mycontainer
docker rm	Remove container(s)	docker rm mycontainer
docker logs	View container logs	docker logs mycontainer
docker inspect	Detailed object info	docker inspect mycontainer
docker exec	Run command inside container	docker exec -it mycontainer bash
docker attach	Attach to container terminal	docker attach mycontainer
docker cp	Copy files to/from container	docker cp mycontainer:/app .
docker diff	Show filesystem changes	docker diff mycontainer
docker rename	Rename container	docker rename old new
docker pause	Pause container processes	docker pause mycontainer
docker unpause	Resume paused container	docker unpause mycontainer
docker stats	Real-time usage stats	docker stats
docker top	Show container processes	docker top mycontainer
docker wait	Block until container stops	docker wait mycontainer

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🌐 4. Docker Network Commands

Command	Description	Example
docker network ls	List all networks	docker network ls
docker network inspect	Inspect a network	docker network inspect bridge
docker network create	Create a custom network	docker network create mynet
docker network connect	Connect container to network	docker network connect mynet container
docker network disconnect	Disconnect container from network	docker network disconnect mynet container
docker network rm	Remove a network	docker network rm mynet

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📂 5. Docker Volume Commands

Command	Description	Example
docker volume ls	List all volumes	docker volume ls
docker volume create	Create new volume	docker volume create myvol
docker volume inspect	Inspect a volume	docker volume inspect myvol
docker volume rm	Remove a volume	docker volume rm myvol
docker volume prune	Remove all unused volumes	docker volume prune

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⚙️ 6. Docker System Commands

Command	Description	Example
docker system df	Show disk usage	docker system df
docker system prune	Remove unused data	docker system prune -a
docker info	Show detailed system info	docker info

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🔢 7. Docker Compose (Bonus)

Command	Description	Example
docker-compose up	Start all services	docker-compose up
docker-compose down	Stop and remove services	docker-compose down
docker-compose ps	List running services	docker-compose ps
docker-compose logs	View logs for services	docker-compose logs
docker-compose build	Build or rebuild services	docker-compose build

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📌 Summary – Docker Commands

Docker’s CLI provides powerful tools to manage images, containers, volumes, and networks. With the above command reference, you can handle nearly any Docker task directly from your terminal.

• 🧱 Use run, start, stop, rm for container management
• 🐳 Use pull, build, rmi, images for image operations
• 🌐 Use -p, network commands for container connectivity
• 📂 Manage persistent data with volumes
• ⚙️ Clean your environment using system commands

Mastering Docker commands enables developers and system admins to maintain efficient, reproducible, and secure environments across platforms.

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Docker Commands

How do I list all Docker containers?

✅ Use docker ps -a to view both running and stopped containers.

How do I remove all stopped containers?

✅ Use docker container prune or docker rm $(docker ps -aq).

What’s the difference between docker run and docker create?

✅ docker run creates and starts the container, while docker create only creates it without starting.

How can I get real-time stats of containers?

✅ Use docker stats to monitor CPU, memory, and network usage.

Can I clean all unused Docker resources?

✅ Yes, docker system prune -a will remove all unused containers, networks, images, and volumes.

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