Here is a list of command examples for working with containerd using ctr:
List all images:
$ ctr image ls
Pull an image:
$ ctr image pull docker.io/library/nginx:latest
Run a container:
$ ctr run docker.io/library/nginx:latest
Attach a shell to a running container:
$ ctr exec -it my-container sh
Stop a running container:
$ ctr stop my-container
Remove a container:
$ ctr rm my-container
Remove an image:
$ ctr image rm docker.io/library/nginx:latest
Here are some more advanced command examples:
Inspect an image:
$ ctr image inspect docker.io/library/nginx:latest
Create a snapshot of a container:
$ ctr snapshot create my-container my-snapshot
Restore a container from a snapshot:
$ ctr snapshot restore my-snapshot my-new-container
Export an image to a file:
$ ctr image export docker.io/library/nginx:latest my-image.tar
Import an image from a file:
$ ctr image import my-image.tar
Start a container with a specific network:
$ ctr run --network bridge docker.io/library/nginx:latest
Start a container with a specific volume mount:
$ ctr run --mount type=bind,source=/host/path,target=/container/path docker.io/library/nginx:latest
You can also use ctr to work with namespaces. For example, you can list all namespaces using the following command:
$ ctr namespace ls
And you can create a new namespace using the following command:
$ ctr namespace create my-namespace
Once you have created a namespace, you can start containers in that namespace using the -n flag. For example, the following command will start a container in the my-namespace namespace:
$ ctr run -n my-namespace docker.io/library/nginx:latestCode language: JavaScript (javascript)I’m Rajesh Kumar, a DevOps, SRE, DevSecOps, Cloud, and Platform Engineering expert passionate about sharing practical knowledge, real-world experiences, and industry best practices. I have worked at Cotocus and regularly write about technology, travel, investing, health, product reviews, and digital marketing through my various platforms.
I publish technical articles at DevOps School, travel stories at Holiday Landmark, stock market insights at Stocks Mantra, health and fitness guidance at My Medic Plus, product reviews at TrueReviewNow, and SEO and digital marketing strategies at Wizbrand.
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This blog gives a clear and practical list of commands for working with containerd using
ctr. I like how it explains each command with examples in a simple way, making it easy for beginners to follow. Itโs a helpful resource for anyone learning containerd commandโline operations.