Docker Cheat Sheet

docker pull <image>

docker images

docker rmi <image>

docker image prune -a

With -a, this includes unused tagged images, not only dangling images. Review before running; an image referenced by a container is kept.

docker build -t name:tag .

docker build --no-cache -t name .

docker tag src:latest user/src:1.0

docker push user/image:tag

docker history <image>

docker save -o backup.tar image

docker load -i backup.tar

docker run <image>

docker run -d --name web nginx

docker run -it ubuntu bash

docker run -p 8080:80 nginx

docker run -v /host:/container image

docker run --rm image

docker run -e KEY=value image

docker run --env-file .env image

docker ps

docker ps -a

docker stop <container>

docker start <container>

docker restart <container>

docker rm <container>

docker rm -f <container>

docker container prune

docker exec -it <container> bash

docker logs <container>

docker logs -f --tail 100 <container>

docker inspect <container>

docker stats

docker cp file container:/path

FROM node:24-alpine

Node.js 24 is an official supported LTS image line. Alpine uses musl libc; check compatibility if your dependencies include native modules.

WORKDIR /app

COPY . .

COPY package*.json ./

RUN npm install

When package-lock.json is committed, prefer npm ci for a clean install from the lockfile; keep package.json and the lockfile in sync.

ENV NODE_ENV=production

EXPOSE 3000

CMD ["node", "server.js"]

ENTRYPOINT ["/app/start.sh"]

This is exec form: docker run arguments are passed to the entrypoint. Shell form behaves differently, ignores CMD/run arguments, and can prevent the process receiving stop signals.

ARG VERSION=1.0

USER node

HEALTHCHECK CMD curl -f http://localhost/ || exit 1

Only works if curl exists in the image and the app serves this URL. Use a health endpoint and a probe available in your image.

docker compose up

docker compose up -d

docker compose down

docker compose down -v

This removes named volumes declared by the project and attached anonymous volumes, deleting their data. External volumes are kept. Check the Compose file and back up needed data first.

docker compose ps

docker compose logs -f service

docker compose build

docker compose exec service bash

docker compose restart service

docker network ls

docker network create mynet

docker run --network mynet image

docker volume ls

docker volume create mydata

docker volume prune

By default, removes unreferenced anonymous local volumes. Add -a to include named volumes; either can contain data you still need.

docker system prune -a

-a includes all unused images, not only dangling ones. This also removes stopped containers, unused networks and build cache. Volumes are not included unless --volumes is added (then unused anonymous volumes are pruned). Review before running.