Docker Compose Commands
In this tutorial we will discuss about most common Docker Compose commands that we can use with docker compose files.
1. docker-compose
Every docker compose command starts with this command. You can also use docker-compose <command> --help to provide additional information about arguments and implementation details.
$ docker-compose --help
Define and run multi-container applications with Docker.
Usage:
docker-compose [-f <arg>...] [options] [--] [COMMAND] [ARGS...]
docker-compose -h|--help
Options:
-f, --file FILE Specify an alternate compose file
(default: docker-compose.yml)
-p, --project-name NAME Specify an alternate project name
(default: directory name)
-c, --context NAME Specify a context name
--verbose Show more output
--log-level LEVEL Set log level (DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR, CRITICAL)
--no-ansi Do not print ANSI control characters
-v, --version Print version and exit
-H, --host HOST Daemon socket to connect to
--tls Use TLS; implied by --tlsverify
--tlscacert CA_PATH Trust certs signed only by this CA
--tlscert CLIENT_CERT_PATH Path to TLS certificate file
--tlskey TLS_KEY_PATH Path to TLS key file
--tlsverify Use TLS and verify the remote
--skip-hostname-check Don't check the daemon's hostname against the
name specified in the client certificate
--project-directory PATH Specify an alternate working directory
(default: the path of the Compose file)
--compatibility If set, Compose will attempt to convert keys
in v3 files to their non-Swarm equivalent (DEPRECATED)
--env-file PATH Specify an alternate environment file
Commands:
build Build or rebuild services
config Validate and view the Compose file
create Create services
down Stop and remove containers, networks, images, and volumes
events Receive real time events from containers
exec Execute a command in a running container
help Get help on a command
images List images
kill Kill containers
logs View output from containers
pause Pause services
port Print the public port for a port binding
ps List containers
pull Pull service images
push Push service images
restart Restart services
rm Remove stopped containers
run Run a one-off command
scale Set number of containers for a service
start Start services
stop Stop services
top Display the running processes
unpause Unpause services
up Create and start containers
version Show version information and quit2. docker-compose build
This command builds images in the docker-compose.yml file. The job of the build command is to get the images ready to create containers, so if a service is using the prebuilt image, it will skip this service.
$ docker-compose build database uses an image, skipping Building web Step 1/11 : FROM python:3.9-rc-buster ---> 2e0edf7d3a8a Step 2/11 : RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y docker.io ---> 9a03df6dl63a Step 3/11 : COPY app.config /opt/app ---> 43805ed30c71
3. docker-compose images
This command is used to list the images you have built using your current docker-compose file.
$ docker-compose images Container Repository Tag Image Id Size -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- docker_database_1 mysql/mysql-server 5.8 2a6c84ecfcb2 333.9 MB docker_web_1 <none> <none> d986d824dae4 730 MB
4. docker-compose stop
This command is used to stop the running containers of specified services.
$ docker-compose stop Stopping docker_web_1 ... done Stopping docker_database_1 ... done
5. docker-compose run
This command is similar to the docker run command. It will create containers from images built for the services mentioned in the compose file.
$ docker-compose run web Starting 7001788f31a9_docker_database_1 ... done * Serving Flask app "app.py" (lazy loading) * Environment: development * Debug mode: on * Running on http://0.0.0.0:8080/ (Press CTRL+C to quit) * Restarting with stat * Debugger is active!
6. docker-compose up
This command does the work of the docker-compose build and docker-compose run commands.
It builds the images if they are not located locally and starts the containers. If images are already built, it will fork the container directly.
$ docker-compose up Creating docker_database_1 ... done Creating docker_web_1 ... done Attaching to docker_database_1, docker_web_1
7. docker-compose ps
This command is used to list all the containers in the current docker-compose file. They can then either be running or stopped.
$ docker-compose ps
Name Command State Ports
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
docker_database_1 /entrypoint.sh mysqld Up (healthy) 3306/tcp, 33060/tcp
docker_web_1 flask run Up 0.0.0.0:8080->8080/tcp8. docker-compose down
This command is similar to the docker system prune command. However, in Compose, it stops all the services and cleans up the containers, networks, and images.
$ docker-compose down Removing docker_web_1 ... done Removing docker_database_1 ... done Removing network docker_default $ docker-compose images Container Repository Tag Image Id Size ---------------------------------------------- $ docker-compose ps Name Command State Ports ------------------------------
9. docker-compose pause
This command is used to pause the running containers of a service. They can be unpaused with docker-compose unpause
$ docker-compose pause
10. docker-compose unpause
This command is used to unpause paused containers of a service.
$ docker-compose unpause
11. docker-compose logs
This command is used to displays log output from services.
$ docker-compose logs <name-of-service>
12. docker-compose start
This command is used to start the containers, but it doesn’t build images or create containers. So it only starts containers if they have been created before.
$ docker-compose start
For more information about docker compose commands you can refer docker official website.