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Docker Compose CLI

Docker Compose is a tool for defining and running multi-container applications.

Docker Compose configuration is defined in a YAML file. By default, docker-compose.yaml.

By default, docker compose commands must be run in the directory where the configuration file is located.

How to run services?​

docker compose run -d --name MY_CONTAINER -p 80:8080 -p 443:8443 -e ASPNETCORE_URLS="http://+:5080;https://+:5443"
  • -d, --detach - background mode;
  • -e, --env - set environment variables;
  • -p, --publish - forward container port(s) on host (host_port:container_port);
  • --name - assign container name;

How to start/restart/stop services?​

The easiest way is to use the up and down commands:

docker compose up -d
  • -d, --detach - background mode;
  • --no-build - don't build an image;
  • --no-recreate - don't recreate container if it already exists;
  • --no-start - don't start the services after creating them;
  • -w, --watch - automatically restart containers when configuration changes;
docker compose down
  • --rmi - remove images used by services (all|local).

It is also possible to use the standard commands: start, restart, and stop:

docker compose restart

How to get a list of containers?​

docker compose ls
  • -a, --all - include stopped containers;
  • --format - table (default) or json;

The ps command is also available:

docker compose ps --all --no-trunc

How to remove service containers?​

docker compose rm
  • -f, --force - remove without confirmation;
  • -s, --stop - stop before removing;