💾Thananjhayan
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Docker CLI Commands Cheatsheet

July 10, 2025

The commands I reach for most. All lowercase docker, and long flags use --.

Images

docker pull imageName:tagName      # download an image
docker images                      # list all images
docker rmi imageName               # remove an image
docker build -t app:tagName ./dir  # build an image from a Dockerfile in ./dir

Containers

docker ps                          # running containers
docker ps -a                       # all containers (incl. stopped)
docker ps -a | grep someName       # search containers by name

# start a new container
docker run --name myContainer -d -p hostPort:containerPort \
  --network networkName imageName:tag

docker stop containerId            # stop a container
docker start containerId           # resume a stopped container
docker rm containerId              # remove a container

Flags used with docker run:

  • --name — name for the container
  • -d — detached (run in the background)
  • -p hostPort:containerPort — publish a port (HOST:CONTAINER)
  • --network — attach to a named network

Logs

docker logs containerId | tail     # show the last part of the logs
docker logs containerId -f         # stream (follow) the logs live

Networks

docker network create networkName  # create a network
docker network ls                  # list all networks

Containers on the same network reach each other by container/service name. See also [[docker-compose]] and [[dockerfile-instructions]].

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