docker commands

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TL;DR

Use docker ps to see running containers and docker logs <container> to debug them.

Use docker exec -it <container> <cmd> for an interactive shell or one-off commands.

Use docker compose up/down to start and stop multi-service stacks.

Essential Docker CLI commands for managing containers, images, and services.

Item	Description
`docker run <image>`	Create and start a container from an image. Use `-d` for detached mode, `-p` for port mapping, `--rm` to auto-remove on exit.
`docker build -t <name> .`	Build an image from a Dockerfile in the current directory and tag it with a name.
`docker ps`	List running containers. Add `-a` to show all containers including stopped ones.
`docker stop <container>`	Gracefully stop a running container by sending SIGTERM, then SIGKILL after timeout.
`docker start <container>`	Start a stopped container without creating a new one.
`docker rm <container>`	Remove a stopped container. Use `-f` to force remove a running container.
`docker images`	List all locally stored images with their tags and sizes.
`docker rmi <image>`	Remove an image from local storage. Fails if containers are using it.
`docker pull <image>`	Download an image from a registry (Docker Hub by default).
`docker push <image>`	Upload a tagged image to a registry. Requires `docker login` first.
`docker tag <source> <target>`	Create a new tag for an image, useful for preparing images for registry push.
`docker exec -it <container> <cmd>`	Run a command inside a running container. Use `-it` for interactive terminal access.
`docker logs <container>`	View the stdout/stderr output of a container. Add `-f` to follow live output.
`docker compose up`	Start all services defined in `compose.yaml`. Add `-d` for detached mode.
`docker compose down`	Stop and remove all containers and networks defined in the Compose file. Add `--volumes` to also remove named volumes.
`docker login`	Authenticate with a container registry to enable push/pull of private images.