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docker ps

Learn to list running containers with docker ps.

docker ps

docker ps lists the running containers; -a adds the stopped ones. Columns: ID, image, command, creation time, status, ports and name.

$ docker ps
CONTAINER ID   IMAGE   COMMAND                  CREATED         STATUS         PORTS    NAMES
7c2f4a9e1b3d   nginx   "/docker-entrypoint.…"   2 minutes ago   Up 2 minutes   80/tcp   web

Filtering and format

With --filter you can filter by status, name or image, and with --format choose the columns you want:

docker ps -a --filter status=exited
docker ps --filter ancestor=nginx
docker ps --format '{{.Names}}\t{{.Status}}'
docker stop $(docker ps -q)      # stop all running containers

Practice Filter the lists

Write two commands: list the running containers derived from the nginx image; then print only the names ({{.Names}}) of all containers.

Starter code

terminal
# buraya yaz

Sample solution

terminal
docker ps --filter ancestor=nginx
docker ps -a --format '{{.Names}}'

Expected output

CONTAINER ID   IMAGE   STATUS         NAMES
7c2f4a9e1b3d   nginx   Up 5 minutes   web
web
cache
jolly_tesla

Questions and answers

Review the lesson questions together with their answers. To test yourself, solve the lesson interactively.

1 Which flag lists only the container IDs?

  • -a
  • -l
  • -n
  • -q Correct answer

Explanation: -q (quiet) prints only the IDs; it is widely used in scripts.

2 Show only the stopped containers.

Question 
docker ps -a --filter status=____
Answer 
docker ps -a --filter status=exited

Explanation: A stopped container's status is exited.

3 Match the flags.

Term Meaning
-a All
-q Only IDs
--filter Filtering
--format Column selection

All lessons in Beginner

1 What is Docker?

  1. What is Docker?
  2. Containers and virtual machines
  3. Images and containers
  4. Docker architecture
  5. Use cases
  6. Summary - What is Docker

2 Installation and first commands

  1. Installing Docker
  2. docker version
  3. docker info
  4. The hello-world container
  5. Docker Desktop
  6. Summary - Installation

3 First container

  1. docker run basics
  2. Running in the background
  3. docker ps
  4. docker stop and rm
  5. docker logs
  6. Summary - First container

4 Dockerfile basics

  1. What is a Dockerfile?
  2. The FROM instruction
  3. The RUN instruction
  4. COPY and ADD
  5. CMD and ENTRYPOINT
  6. Summary - Dockerfile

5 Build and images

  1. docker build
  2. Tagging images
  3. Build context
  4. Layers and cache
  5. .dockerignore
  6. Summary - Build

6 docker run options

  1. Interactive mode
  2. Naming containers
  3. Restart policy
  4. Working directory
  5. Switching users
  6. Summary - docker run

7 Image management

  1. docker images
  2. docker rmi
  3. docker pull
  4. docker push
  5. docker tag
  6. Summary - Image management

8 Port mapping

  1. The port concept
  2. The -p flag
  3. Multiple ports
  4. Random ports
  5. IP binding
  6. Summary - Port mapping

9 Volumes and data

  1. Data persistence
  2. Named volumes
  3. The -v flag
  4. Bind mounts
  5. Volume management
  6. Summary - Volumes

10 Environment variables

  1. The -e flag
  2. The ENV instruction
  3. The ARG instruction
  4. env-file
  5. The WORKDIR instruction
  6. Summary - Environment

11 Project: docker-compose

  1. Compose design
  2. Service definition
  3. Database service
  4. Volume and network
  5. Putting it together - compose

12 Docker Hub and registry

  1. What is Docker Hub?
  2. docker login
  3. Searching images
  4. Official images
  5. Private registry
  6. Summary - Registry

13 Network basics

  1. Network drivers
  2. docker network ls
  3. Bridge network
  4. Container connectivity
  5. Publishing ports
  6. Summary - Network

14 Beginner final

  1. Challenge - Dockerfile
  2. Challenge - Build and run
  3. Challenge - Volume
  4. Challenge - Compose
  5. Challenge - Beginner project