🛳️ Docker Series: Episode 5 — Docker CLI Cheat Sheet: 15 Commands You’ll Actually Use

This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Yash Sonawane

“You’ve built your first Docker image — high five! Now it’s time to command Docker like a boss. No more googling basic commands. Here’s your go-to cheat sheet, packed with real examples.”

Why Learn Docker CLI?

GUI tools are fine, but the real power of Docker lies in the terminal. If you want to:

• Automate workflows
• Debug faster
• Build better CI/CD pipelines

Then mastering the Docker CLI is non-negotiable. Let’s dive into the commands that matter.

Image Commands

1. docker pull

Download an image from Docker Hub.

docker pull node:18

2. docker images

List all downloaded images.

docker images

3. docker rmi

Remove an image.

docker rmi node:18

Container Commands

4. docker run

Run a container from an image.

docker run -d -p 3000:3000 my-node-app

5. docker ps

List running containers.

docker ps

6. docker ps -a

List all containers (including stopped ones).

docker ps -a

7. docker stop

Stop a running container.

docker stop <container_id>

8. docker rm

Remove a container.

docker rm <container_id>

Debugging & Logs

9. docker logs

View logs from a container.

docker logs <container_id>

10. docker exec

Run a command inside a running container.

docker exec -it <container_id> bash

11. docker inspect

View detailed info (network, config, volumes, etc.).

docker inspect <container_id>

Image Building & Tagging

12. docker build

Build a Docker image from a Dockerfile.

docker build -t my-node-app .

13. docker tag

Tag an image for pushing to Docker Hub.

docker tag my-node-app yashsonawane/my-node-app:latest

14. docker push

Push an image to Docker Hub.

docker push yashsonawane/my-node-app:latest

Cleanup Commands

15. docker system prune

Remove all unused data — WARNING: this will free space aggressively.

docker system prune

Pro Tips

• Use -it for interactive terminals (bash, sh, etc.)
• Use container/image names instead of long IDs
• Keep a .dockerignore file to reduce image size

What’s Next?

In Episode 6, we’ll cover:

• Docker Volumes: Why data disappears when you stop containers
• How to persist data like a pro
• Real use cases (MySQL, logs, etc.)

Over to You

What’s your favorite Docker command?
What confused you the most when using the CLI for the first time?

Drop it in the comments — let’s learn from each other!

If this cheat sheet helped, give it a like, bookmark it, or share it with your fellow devs.

Next: “Docker Volumes — The Secret to Saving Your Data”

This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Yash Sonawane