Docker Commands Explained: Build, Run, Stop, Exec, Logs, Inspect and Prune

Docker Commands Explained#

This practical Docker commands guide explains how to build images, run containers, check logs, execute commands inside containers, inspect resources, clean up unused objects, and troubleshoot common issues.

Basic command flow#

docker pull nginx docker run -d --name web -p 8080:80 nginx docker ps docker logs web docker stop web docker rm web

Version and help#

docker --version docker version docker info docker help

Image commands#

docker images docker pull nginx:latest docker build -t myapp:1.0 . docker tag myapp:1.0 myregistry/myapp:1.0 docker push myregistry/myapp:1.0 docker rmi myapp:1.0

Container commands#

docker run -d --name web -p 8080:80 nginx docker ps docker ps -a docker stop web docker start web docker restart web docker rm web

Run command examples#

docker run nginx docker run -d nginx docker run --name web nginx docker run -p 8080:80 nginx docker run --rm alpine echo hello

Exec into a running container#

docker exec -it web sh docker exec -it web bash docker exec web nginx -v

Use exec when you need to run a command inside an already running container.

Logs and inspect#

docker logs web docker logs -f web docker inspect web docker inspect nginx:latest

Copy files#

docker cp web:/etc/nginx/nginx.conf ./nginx.conf docker cp ./index.html web:/usr/share/nginx/html/index.html

Resource usage#

docker stats docker system df

Cleanup commands#

docker container prune docker image prune docker volume prune docker network prune docker system prune

Common mistakes#

• Forgetting container names and relying only on container IDs.
• Using docker run repeatedly and creating many stopped containers.
• Removing volumes without checking stored data.
• Publishing ports incorrectly.
• Confusing image removal with container removal.

Best practices#

• Name important containers.
• Use --rm for temporary test containers.
• Use versioned image tags.
• Check logs before restarting blindly.
• Use Compose for multi-container apps.

Related Melochip guides#

• Docker Learning Path
• Install Docker
• What is Docker?

Official references#

• Docker CLI reference