This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Sudha Velan
Getting Inside a Running Container
When your container is already running, you can access its shell using:
docker exec -it <container_id> bash
If the container doesn’t have Bash installed, try:
docker exec -it <container_id> sh
This lets you debug, inspect logs, check files, or test configurations from inside the container.
When Your Container Isn’t Running (or Exits Immediately)
When a container won’t start, docker exec won’t work.
This is one of the most helpful debugging tricks I learned:
docker run -it --entrypoint=/bin/bash <image_id>
This forces the container to start with a shell, even if its actual entrypoint fails.
Tip:
If /bin/bash is missing, use /bin/sh instead.
Useful Docker Compose Commands
- Stop services and remove containers + volumes
docker compose -f <compose_file> down -v
The -v flag removes volumes as well.
Use this when you want a clean setup before starting fresh.
- Start services in detached (background) mode
docker compose -f <compose_file> up -d
The -d option keeps everything running in the background so you can continue working.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Sudha Velan