docker run vs docker exec vs docker attach?

run starts a new container from an image. exec runs a command inside an already-running container (interactive shells use docker exec -it bash). attach connects to the main process of a running container — rarely what you want.

How do I free up disk space?

docker system prune removes unused images, containers, networks, and build cache. Add --volumes to also drop unused volumes. Add -a to remove ALL unused images, not just dangling ones. Saves gigabytes on a CI server quickly.

Compose v1 vs v2 — which syntax?

Compose v2 is the Go-based docker-compose-plugin (invoked as 'docker compose'). v1 was the Python tool ('docker-compose' with a dash). Syntax is nearly identical; v2 is the modern default. Most modern compose.yaml files work with both.

Is anything sent to a server?

No — this cheatsheet is static.

docker · cli · compose · cheatsheet · local

Docker CLI cheatsheet

Searchable reference of 67 Docker CLI and Compose commands. Click any command to copy.

Docker Cheatsheet

67 matches

Visible

all

Total

commands

Sections

groups

Status

ready

local

commands

Images

Containers

Volumes

Networks

Compose

System & maintenance

descriptions

Images

List local images

Download image from registry

docker pull nginx:alpine

Upload image to registry

Build image from Dockerfile

Build without cache

Tag an image with new name

Remove image

Show image layer history

Export image to tarball

Import image from tarball

Remove dangling images

Containers

Create + start container

Run detached

Interactive shell in container

Auto-remove on exit

Map host:container port

Mount current dir into container

Set environment variable

Name the container

List running containers

List all containers (incl. stopped)

Start a stopped container

Gracefully stop container

Restart container

Force-kill container

Remove stopped container

Force-remove running container

Open shell in running container

Tail container logs

Show container details (JSON)

Copy from container to host

Show container processes

Live resource-usage table

Volumes

List volumes

Create named volume

Show volume details

Remove volume

Remove unused volumes

Networks

List networks

Create user-defined network

Show network details

Attach container to network

Detach container from network

Remove network

Remove unused networks

Compose

Start services defined in compose file

Start services detached

Rebuild images before starting

Stop and remove containers + networks

Also remove named volumes

List compose-managed containers

Tail logs from all services

Shell into service

Restart specific service

Build/rebuild services

Pull latest service images

Validate and view merged config

System & maintenance

Display system-wide info

Show client / server versions

Show disk usage

Remove unused data

Aggressive cleanup

Remove stopped containers

Authenticate with a registry

Log out of registry

List Docker contexts

Switch active context

Quick Start

Find any Docker command

Common containers, images, volumes, networks, compose, and system maintenance commands — all searchable.

01
Search
Token, action, or example — all matched.
Inputs are treated as UTF-8 throughout the pipeline and validated client-side as you type — nothing dispatches until the value is well-formed.
searchinpututf-8client-sidevalidated
search · textbuild · set
```
docker build
```
loaded · parsedclient-side
02
Section browse
Group by container, image, volume, network, compose, system.
Each toggle re-computes through a memoised hook, so flipping options never resets your input and the UI stays snappy on large inputs.
scanoptionslivememoisedtoggles
section · memoisedimage · live
```
docker pull
```
options set · memoisedlive
03
Read description
Right panel shows what each command does.
Randomness — where used — comes from crypto.getRandomValues, never Math.random. Heavy work sits in useMemo.
readcomputeinstantlocaldeterministic
desc · instantwhat · computed
```
build context
```
computed · instantinstant
04
Copy
Click any command to copy.
Copy writes through navigator.clipboard and downloads use a Blob — zero network traffic. Same input plus same options always yield the same bytes.
copydownloadzero-networkreproducible
ok · copiedready · copied
```
Copied
```
shipped · ready to shipsuccess

Pro tips

Pro tips for everyday utilities

Reach for crypto.getRandomValues

Cryptographically random for IDs, tokens, salts. Math.random is for animation and games, not security.

Sort IDs lexicographically

UUID v4 has no time ordering. Use ULID or UUID v7 if you need sorted IDs.

Mock data with seeds

Faker-style libraries can be seeded so tests are reproducible. Embed the seed in the fixture file.

Reference cards beat memory

Cheatsheets for Vim, Git, Docker, Linux signals are faster than man pages when you’re mid-flow.

Browser APIs vary

Touch events, gamepads, and clipboard differ across vendors. Feature-detect before use.

Persist in the right place

localStorage for user preferences, sessionStorage for transient state, IndexedDB for structured data.

Use Cases

When to consult Docker docs

Daily ops, debugging, CI/CD.

Daily ops

Quick container inspect or restart. Random values come from crypto.getRandomValues — cryptographically secure for tokens, salts, and session IDs. Math.random is deterministic enough for animations but predictable enough to be a security bug.

CSPRNG-backed

Debug builds

Find the right flag for build context. Pair with hashids, ULID, or UUID v7 when you need both random and sortable — useful for primary keys, public-facing IDs, and event log ordering without a sequence column.

reproducible

Onboarding

Cheat sheet for new team members. Output is deterministic given the same seed, so fixtures and tests stay reproducible across CI runs and contributor machines. Embed the seed in the fixture file for full replay.

snappy

Compose recipes

Multi-container app commands. Heavy work runs through useMemo so the UI stays snappy on large inputs. Same input + same options yields identical bytes — the kind of stability snapshot tests rely on.

feature-detected

System cleanup

Prune unused images, volumes, networks. Storage tools persist to the right backend: localStorage for user preferences, sessionStorage for transient state, IndexedDB for structured data. Pick the right shelf and quota worries disappear.

deterministic

Registry workflows

Tag, push, pull across registries. Browser feature detection: clipboard, fullscreen, gamepad, and Web Bluetooth APIs gracefully fall back when unavailable. No surprise white screens on Safari or older Firefox.

production-ready

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Docker vs podman?

Most commands map directly — podman aliases docker for convenience.

What about Docker Desktop GUI?

This cheatsheet covers the CLI. The Desktop UI exposes most of the same actions.

Is compose v1 or v2?

We list both 'docker-compose' (v1) and 'docker compose' (v2) where syntax differs.

Can I add my own?

Open a PR — the SECTIONS array lives in this file.

Does it run locally?

Yes — bundled in JS. Nothing is sent to a server.

Suggest a tool

Something missing?

Tell us what you need. We ship the top requests every two weeks.

47 in queue·8 shipped this month

Request queued. Thanks!