How to List Containers in Docker

TLDR

Use docker ps to list running containers, and docker ps -a to see all containers, including those that have exited. Add filters or formatting for more targeted results.

Prerequisites

• Docker installed (any recent version)
• Terminal access

Listing Running Containers

To see all containers currently running on your system, use:

# List running containers
docker ps

This shows container IDs, names, images, and status. It's helpful for quickly checking what's active.

Listing All Containers (Including Stopped)

If you want to see containers that have exited or stopped, add the -a flag:

# List all containers, including stopped ones
docker ps -a

This is useful for troubleshooting or cleaning up old containers.

Filtering and Formatting Output

You can filter containers by status or name, and format the output for scripts or reports.

# Show only exited containers
docker ps -a --filter status=exited

# Show containers with a specific name
docker ps -a --filter "name=webapp"

# Custom columns for easier reading
docker ps --format "table {{.ID}}\t{{.Names}}\t{{.Status}}"

Next Steps

Try combining these commands with docker stop, docker start, or docker rm to manage your containers more efficiently.

Good luck with your project!

Related Resources

• Docker Run vs Docker Start: container lifecycle commands
• Remove Old Docker Containers: clean up stopped containers
• Docker Name Already in Use: resolve naming conflicts
• Introduction to Docker Guide: Docker fundamentals
• Docker Quiz: test your knowledge