Docker Commands Cheat Sheet | Code Boost
Description: If you use Docker long enough, you eventually hit the same wall: Containers are running… but nothing works Logs are empty or useless You forget the exact command to “just get insid...

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# Docker Commands Cheat Sheet

By Matt · Dec 26, 2025

If you use Docker long enough, you eventually hit the same wall:

- Containers are running… but nothing works

- Logs are empty or useless

- You forget the exact command to “just get inside the thing”

- Disk space mysteriously vanishes

This Docker cheat sheet isn’t a full reference manual.
It’s the 90% of Docker commands you’ll actually use, written in plain English, so you can move fast when something breaks. This has the most common Docker Compose ports if you need them.

Bookmark it. You’ll be back.

## Docker Mental Model (30-Second Primer)

Before commands, anchor these concepts:

- Image → A blueprint (read-only)

- Container → A running (or stopped) instance of an image

- Volume → Persistent data outside container lifecycle

- Network → How containers talk to each other

- Dockerfile → Instructions to build an image

- Docker Compose → Runs multi-container apps

If this mental model clicks, Docker becomes predictable instead of frustrating.

## Container Lifecycle Commands

### `docker run`

Create and start a new container.

Most-used flags:

- `-d` → run in background

- `-p 8080:80` → map ports

- `--name myapp` → name container

- `-v host:container` → mount volume

- `--env KEY=value` → environment variable

Example:

### `docker start`

Start an existing container.

### `docker stop`

Gracefully stop a container.

### `docker restart`

Quick reset (stop + start).

### `docker rm`

Delete a container (must be stopped).

Force remove:

## Inspecting & Debugging Containers

### `docker ps`

List running containers.

Include stopped containers:

### `docker logs`

View container output.

Follow logs:

### `docker exec`

Run a command inside a running container.

If `bash` doesn’t exist (Alpine images):

This is your “open the sealed box” command.

### `docker inspect`

View detailed container configuration.

Common uses:

- Find container IP

- Check mounted volumes

- Confirm environment variables

- Debug port bindings

## Image Commands

### `docker images`

List local images.

### `docker pull`

Download an image.

### `docker build`

Build an image from a Dockerfile.

### `docker rmi`

Remove an image.

Force:

## Volumes & Persistent Data

### `docker volume ls`

List volumes.

### `docker volume inspect`

See where data lives on disk.

### `docker volume rm`

Delete a volume.

⚠️ This deletes data permanently.

## Networking Commands

### `docker network ls`

List networks.

### `docker network inspect`

See connected containers.

### `docker network create`

Create a custom network.

Custom networks = cleaner container-to-container communication.

## Docker Cleanup Commands

### `docker system df`

Check disk usage.

### `docker system prune`

Remove unused containers, images, and networks.

Aggressive cleanup:

If Docker is eating your disk space, this is usually the fix.

## Docker Compose Cheat Sheet

### `docker compose up`

Start all services.

Detached:

### `docker compose down`

Stop and remove everything.

Remove volumes too:

### `docker compose ps`

List running services.

### `docker compose logs`

View service logs.

### `docker compose exec`

Run a command inside a service.

## Docker Debugging Shortcuts (Memorize These)

- Container won’t start? → `docker logs`

- Need shell access? → `docker exec -it`

- Port not working? → `docker inspect`

- Disk full? → `docker system prune`

- Data missing? → check volumes

- Multiple containers? → Docker Compose

## Final Thought

Docker isn’t hard.

It’s just unforgiving when you don’t know which command unlocks which door.

This cheat sheet covers the commands that matter—the ones you’ll actually use under pressure.