Docker Container
Docker containers are lightweight, standalone, and executable packages that include everything needed to run a piece of software, including the code, runtime, system tools, libraries, and settings. In this chapter, we’ll explore how to work with Docker containers effectively.
Running Your First Container
Let's start by running a simple container
docker run hello-world
This command does the following
1. Checks for the hello-world image locally
2. If not found, pulls the image from Docker Hub
3. Creates a container from the image
4. Runs the container, which prints a hello message
5. Exits the container
Basic Docker Commands
Here are some essential Docker commands for working with containers
Listing Containers
To see all running containers
docker ps
To see all containers (including stopped ones)
docker ps -a
Starting and Stopping Containers
To stop a running container
docker stop <container_id or name>
To start a stopped container:
docker start <container_id_or_name>
To restart a container
docker restart <container_id_or_name>
Removing Containers
To remove a stopped container
docker rm <container_id_or_name>
To force remove a running container
docker rm -f <container_id_or_name>
Running Containers in Different Modes
Detached Mode
Run a container in the background
docker run -d <image_name>
Interactive Mode
Run a container and interact with it
docker run -it <image_name> /bin/bash
Port Mapping
To map a container's port to the host
docker run -p <host_port>:<container_port> <image_name>
Example:
docker run -d -p 80:80 nginx
Working with Container Logs
View container logs:
docker logs -f <container_id_or_name>
Executing Commands in Running Containers
To execute a command in a running container:
To execute a command in a running container:
docker exec -it <container_id_or_name> <command>
Example:
docker exec -it my_container /bin/bash
Remember, containers are designed to be ephemeral. Always store important data in volumes or use appropriate persistence mechanisms for your applications.
