What is the difference between docker run and docker exec?

docker run creates a NEW container from an image and starts it. docker exec runs a command in an EXISTING running container. Use run to start services, exec to debug or inspect running containers.

How do I persist data in Docker?

Use volumes (-v flag or docker volume create). Volumes persist data even when containers are removed. Bind mounts (-v ./host:/container) link to a specific host directory. Named volumes are managed by Docker and are the preferred approach.

What is the difference between docker stop and docker kill?

docker stop sends SIGTERM and waits (default 10s) for graceful shutdown, then sends SIGKILL. docker kill immediately sends SIGKILL. Always prefer stop for clean shutdown of applications.

Last updated: April 12, 2026

Docker Commands Cheatsheet

Quick Answer

This cheatsheet covers 35 essential Docker commands for managing containers, images, volumes, and networks. Includes Docker Compose commands for multi-container applications.

Containers

Command	Description
docker run <image>	Create and start a container from an image `docker run nginx`
docker run -d <image>	Run a container in detached (background) mode `docker run -d nginx`
docker run -p <host>:<container> <image>	Map a host port to a container port `docker run -p 8080:80 nginx`
docker run -v <host>:<container> <image>	Mount a host directory as a volume `docker run -v ./data:/app/data myapp`
docker run --name <name> <image>	Assign a name to the container `docker run --name web nginx`
docker run --rm <image>	Automatically remove the container when it exits
docker run -it <image> /bin/sh	Run a container with an interactive shell `docker run -it alpine /bin/sh`
docker ps	List running containers
docker ps -a	List all containers (including stopped)
docker stop <container>	Gracefully stop a running container `docker stop web`
docker start <container>	Start a stopped container `docker start web`
docker restart <container>	Restart a container
docker rm <container>	Remove a stopped container `docker rm web`
docker rm -f <container>	Force remove a running container
docker exec -it <container> /bin/sh	Open an interactive shell in a running container `docker exec -it web /bin/sh`
docker logs <container>	View container logs `docker logs web`
docker logs -f <container>	Follow (stream) container logs in real-time
docker inspect <container>	View detailed container configuration as JSON

Images

Command	Description
docker build -t <name> .	Build an image from a Dockerfile in the current directory `docker build -t myapp:latest .`
docker images	List all local images
docker pull <image>	Download an image from a registry `docker pull node:20-alpine`
docker push <image>	Push an image to a registry `docker push myrepo/myapp:latest`
docker rmi <image>	Remove a local image `docker rmi myapp:latest`
docker image prune	Remove unused (dangling) images

Volumes

Command	Description
docker volume create <name>	Create a named volume `docker volume create pgdata`
docker volume ls	List all volumes
docker volume rm <name>	Remove a volume

Networks

Command	Description
docker network create <name>	Create a user-defined network `docker network create app-net`
docker network ls	List all networks
docker network connect <network> <container>	Connect a container to a network

Compose

Command	Description
docker compose up	Start services defined in docker-compose.yml
docker compose up -d	Start services in detached mode
docker compose down	Stop and remove containers, networks defined in compose
docker compose logs -f	Follow logs for all compose services

Cleanup

Command	Description
docker system prune -a	Remove all unused containers, images, networks, and volumes

Frequently Asked Questions

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