Docker Commands Quick Reference: Container/Image/Network/Compose Practical Guide (2026 Edition)

Most Useful Commands

Command	Description	Example
1. docker	Query all available docker commands	docker
2. docker version	Display docker version	docker version
3. docker info	Display system information	docker info
4. docker pull	Download image from docker hub	docker pull hello-world:latest
5. docker build	Build docker image via Dockerfile	docker build .
6. docker run	Create a container from an image	docker run hello-world
7. docker commit	Save container changes to a container file or create a new image	docker commit <container>:<tag>
8. docker ps	Display all running containers	docker ps
9. docker start	Start a container	docker start <container>
10. docker stop	Stop a container	docker stop <container>
11. docker logs	Display container logs	docker logs <container>
12. docker rename	Rename a container	docker rename <old> <new>
13. docker rm	Remove a container (must stop first)	docker rm <container>

Docker Container Lifecycle Commands

Command	Description
docker create	Create a new container
docker ps	List running containers
docker run	Create a container from an image
docker start	Start a container
docker stop	Stop a container
docker restart	Restart a container
docker pause	Pause a container
docker unpause	Resume a paused container
docker attach	Attach terminal to a container
docker inspect	Display container information
docker wait	Block until one or more containers stop, then print their exit codes
docker rm	Remove a container (must stop first)
docker kill	Stop and remove a container
docker cp	Copy files between local system and container

Docker Image Commands

Command	Description
docker build	Build docker image via Dockerfile
docker pull	Download image from docker hub
docker tag	Add a tag to an image
docker images	Display all images
docker push	Push image to registry
docker history	View image history
docker inspect	Display image information in JSON format
docker save	Save to an image file
docker import	Import image from archive file
docker export	Export image to archive file
docker load	Load an image file
docker rmi	Remove an image file

Docker Volume Commands

Command	Description
docker volume create	Create a data volume
docker volume inspect	View data volume information
docker volume rm	Remove a data volume

Docker Networking Commands

Command	Description
docker network create	Create a docker network
docker network ls	List docker networks
docker network inspect	Display docker network details

Docker Logs and Monitoring Commands

Command	Description
docker ps -a	Display all running or stopped containers
docker logs	Display container logs
docker events	Get events from all containers
docker top	Display all processes in a container
docker stats	Check CPU, memory, and network I/O usage
docker port	Display all public ports of a container

Docker Prune Commands

Command	Description
docker system prune	Remove all dangling resources or resources not bound to containers
docker image prune	Remove dangling images
docker container prune	Remove dangling containers
docker volume prune	Remove dangling volumes
docker network prune	Remove dangling networks

Docker Compose Commands

Command	Description
docker-compose build	Build docker compose file
docker-compose up	Run docker compose file
docker-compose ls	Display images related to docker compose definitions
docker-compose start	Start all containers defined by docker compose
docker-compose run	Run one of the applications in docker compose
docker-compose rm	Remove containers from compose
docker-compose ps	Check container running status via compose

Docker Hub Commands

Command	Description
docker search	Search for docker images
docker pull	Download image from docker hub
docker login	Log in to docker hub
docker push	Push image or entire repository to docker hub
docker tag	Add a tag to an image
docker logout	Log out of docker hub