This table serves as a quick jump list for common docker commands.
Command Description Category
docker create creates a container but does not start it. Lifecycle
docker rename allows the container to be renamed. Lifecycle
docker run creates and starts a container in one operation. Lifecycle
docker rm deletes a container. Lifecycle
docker update updates a container’s resource limits. Lifecycle
docker start starts a container so it is running. State
docker stop stops a running container. State
docker restart stops and starts a container. State
docker pause pauses a running container, “freezing” it in place. State
docker unpause will unpause a running container. State
docker wait blocks until running container stops. State
docker kill sends a SIGKILL to a running container. State
docker attach will connect to a running container. State
docker ps shows running containers. Info
docker logs gets logs from container. (You can use a custom log driver, but logs is only available for json-file and journald in 1.10). Info
docker inspect looks at all the info on a container (including IP address). Info
docker events gets events from container. Info
docker port shows public facing port of container. Info
docker top shows running processes in container. Info
docker stats shows containers’ resource usage statistics. Info
docker diff shows changed files in the container’s FS. Info
docker cp copies files or folders between a container and the local filesystem. Import / Export
docker export turns container filesystem into tarball archive stream to STDOUT. Import / Export
docker exec to execute a command in container. Execution
docker images shows all images. Lifecycle
docker import creates an image from a tarball. Lifecycle
docker build creates image from Dockerfile. Lifecycle
docker commit creates image from a container, pausing it temporarily if it is running. Lifecycle
docker rmi removes an image. Lifecycle
docker load loads an image from a tar archive as STDIN, including images and tags (as of 0.7). Lifecycle
docker save saves an image to a tar archive stream to STDOUT with all parent layers, tags & versions (as of 0.7). Lifecycle
docker history shows history of image. Info
docker tag tags an image to a name (local or registry). Info

*** Information in this table is credited to Will Sargent

Tags: getting_started