{"id":48388,"date":"2025-02-08T08:20:09","date_gmt":"2025-02-08T08:20:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/?p=48388"},"modified":"2025-07-12T05:38:45","modified_gmt":"2025-07-12T05:38:45","slug":"docker-run","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/docker-run\/","title":{"rendered":"Docker commands Guide – docker run with examples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Here\u2019s a complete tutorial<\/strong> on the docker run<\/code> command, explaining what it does<\/strong>, how to use it, a comprehensive list of examples<\/strong>, and use cases<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

What is docker run<\/code>?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

docker run<\/code> is the most fundamental Docker command. It creates and starts a new container<\/strong> from a Docker image. You can customize how the container runs by passing options like port mapping, volume binding, environment variables<\/strong>, and network configurations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Features:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Creates and starts<\/strong> a container in one command.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Can run interactive shells<\/strong>, background services<\/strong>, or one-off commands<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Supports options for networking, resource limits, and volumes<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Allows configuration of entry commands and arguments<\/strong> for the container.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n

    Basic Syntax<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
    docker<\/span> run<\/span> [OPTIONS]<\/span> IMAGE<\/span> [COMMAND]<\/span> [ARG...]<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> CSS<\/span> (<\/span>css<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
    Common Options:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • -d<\/code>: Run the container in detached<\/strong> mode (background).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • -it<\/code>: Run the container in interactive<\/strong> mode with a TTY<\/strong> (for shells).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • --name<\/code>: Assign a custom name<\/strong> to the container.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • -p<\/code>: Map host ports<\/strong> to container ports<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • -v<\/code>: Mount volumes<\/strong> for persistent storage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • -e<\/code>: Set environment variables<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • --rm<\/code>: Automatically remove the container after it stops.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • --network<\/code>: Connect the container to a custom network<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      Examples of docker run<\/code><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      1. Run a Simple Container (Foreground Mode)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker run ubuntu echo<\/span> \"Hello, Docker!\"<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This runs a container using the ubuntu<\/code> image and executes the echo<\/code> command. The container stops immediately after printing the message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      2. Run a Container in Interactive Mode (Shell Access)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker run -it ubuntu bash\n<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This runs the ubuntu<\/code> container and opens an interactive bash<\/code> shell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      3. Run a Detached Container (Background Mode)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker<\/span> run<\/span> -d<\/span> --name<\/span> my_nginx<\/span> -p<\/span> 8080:80<\/span> nginx<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> CSS<\/span> (<\/span>css<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This runs an nginx<\/code> web server in the background, mapping port 8080 on the host<\/strong> to port 80 in the container<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      4. Assign a Custom Name to the Container<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker run --name my_custom_name ubuntu sleep 100\n<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This runs a container named my_custom_name<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      5. Automatically Remove the Container After It Stops<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker run --rm ubuntu echo<\/span> \"Temporary container\"<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      The container is removed automatically once the command finishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      6. Run a Container with Environment Variables<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker run -e ENV_VAR1=value1 -e ENV_VAR2=value2 ubuntu printenv\n<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This sets and prints the environment variables inside the container.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      7. Bind a Host Directory as a Volume<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker run -v \/host\/data:\/container\/<\/span>data ubuntu ls \/container\/data\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> JavaScript<\/span> (<\/span>javascript<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This mounts the \/host\/data<\/code> directory on the host to \/container\/data<\/code> in the container.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      8. Run a Container with Limited Resources (CPU and Memory)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker run --memory=\"512m\"<\/span> --cpus=\"1.0\"<\/span> ubuntu stress --vm 1<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> JavaScript<\/span> (<\/span>javascript<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This limits the container to 512MB of RAM<\/strong> and 1 CPU core<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      9. Connect a Container to a Custom Network<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker network create my_network\ndocker run --network my_network nginx\n<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This connects the nginx<\/code> container to my_network<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      10. Run a Database with Persistent Storage<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker run -d --name my_mysql -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=my-secret-pw -v mysql_data:\/var\/<\/span>lib\/mysql mysql\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> JavaScript<\/span> (<\/span>javascript<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This runs a MySQL container with a persistent volume (mysql_data<\/code>) to store the database files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      11. Run a Container with Multiple Port Mappings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker<\/span> run<\/span> -d<\/span> -p<\/span> 8080:80<\/span> -p<\/span> 8443:443<\/span> nginx<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> CSS<\/span> (<\/span>css<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This maps port 8080<\/strong> and 8443<\/strong> on the host to port 80<\/strong> and 443<\/strong> in the container.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      12. Run a Container with Custom DNS<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker run --dns=8.8.8.8 ubuntu ping google.com\n<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This specifies 8.8.8.8<\/code> as the DNS server for the container.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      13. Run a Container with an Alternate Command<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker run ubuntu ls \/usr\n<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This overrides the default command for the ubuntu<\/code> image and runs ls \/usr<\/code> instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      14. Restart Policy: Always Restart the Container<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker run --restart always nginx\n<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This ensures the container restarts automatically if it stops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      15. Run a Container in Read-Only Mode<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker run --read-only ubuntu touch \/tmp\/test\n<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This prevents the container from modifying the filesystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      16. Run a GUI Application in a Container (Linux)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker run -e DISPLAY=$DISPLAY -v \/tmp\/.X11-unix:\/tmp\/<\/span>.X11-unix my-gui-app\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> JavaScript<\/span> (<\/span>javascript<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This runs a graphical application using the host\u2019s display.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      17. Debug a Failing Container<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker run -it --entrypoint \/bin\/sh my_app\n<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This overrides the container\u2019s entrypoint to open an interactive shell for debugging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      Use Cases for docker run<\/code><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      1. Web Servers and Microservices<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      • Deploy web servers like NGINX<\/strong>, Apache<\/strong>, or Node.js<\/strong> in isolated containers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Run microservices with separate containers for different components (database, caching, messaging).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
        2. Development Environments<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • Use containers as isolated development environments with all dependencies pre-installed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Share development environments using Docker images.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
          3. Databases and Data Persistence<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          • Run databases like MySQL<\/strong>, PostgreSQL<\/strong>, or MongoDB<\/strong> in containers with persistent storage volumes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
            4. CI\/CD Pipelines<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
              \n
            • Automate testing and deployments by running applications in Docker containers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Use docker run<\/code> to execute tests in isolated environments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
              5. Debugging and Troubleshooting<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
                \n
              • Open interactive shells in containers for on-the-fly debugging.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Run one-off commands to inspect the container\u2019s state.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                6. Batch Processing and Background Jobs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
                  \n
                • Run data processing jobs, background tasks, or cron jobs in containers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Example: Data extraction, transformation, and load (ETL) tasks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                  7. Network Simulation and Custom Networking<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
                    \n
                  • Simulate network conditions using multiple Docker networks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • Connect containers to custom networks for secure communication.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                    \n\n\n\n
                    List of Common docker run<\/code> Commands<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                    Command<\/strong><\/th>Description<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
                    docker run ubuntu echo \"Hello\"<\/code><\/td>Run a one-off command in an Ubuntu container<\/td><\/tr>
                    docker run -it ubuntu bash<\/code><\/td>Run an interactive bash shell<\/td><\/tr>
                    docker run -d --name my_nginx -p 8080:80 nginx<\/code><\/td>Run an NGINX web server in detached mode<\/td><\/tr>
                    docker run --rm ubuntu ls<\/code><\/td>Automatically remove the container after it stops<\/td><\/tr>
                    docker run -e VAR=value ubuntu printenv<\/code><\/td>Run with environment variables<\/td><\/tr>
                    docker run -v \/host\/data:\/container\/data ubuntu<\/code><\/td>Bind a host directory as a volume<\/td><\/tr>
                    docker run --cpus=1.0 --memory=512m ubuntu<\/code><\/td>Limit CPU and memory usage<\/td><\/tr>
                    docker run --network=my_network nginx<\/code><\/td>Connect to a custom network<\/td><\/tr>
                    docker run --restart always nginx<\/code><\/td>Set a restart policy<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
                    \n\n\n\n
                    Best Practices for Using docker run<\/code>:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                      \n
                    1. Use --rm<\/code> for one-off tasks<\/strong> to avoid accumulating stopped containers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    2. Map ports carefully<\/strong> to avoid conflicts on the host machine.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    3. Use environment variables (-e<\/code>)<\/strong> for configuration instead of hardcoding values.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    4. Limit resources (--cpus<\/code> and --memory<\/code>)<\/strong> to prevent containers from consuming excessive resources.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    5. Mount volumes (-v<\/code>)<\/strong> for persistent storage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    6. Combine with docker-compose<\/code><\/strong> for managing multi-container applications.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
                      \n\n\n\n
                      Common Errors and Solutions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                        \n
                      1. “Image not found”<\/strong>
                        \u2192 Ensure the image exists or pull it from Docker Hub: docker pull ubuntu<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      2. “Port already in use”<\/strong>
                        \u2192 Use a different port for the container (-p 8081:80<\/code>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      3. “Permission denied”<\/strong>
                        \u2192 Ensure you have the necessary permissions or run with sudo<\/code>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      4. “Container cannot connect to the internet”<\/strong>
                        \u2192 Check the container\u2019s network settings with docker network inspect<\/code>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
                        \n\n\n\n
                        <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
                        Here\u2019s a complete tutorial on the docker run command, explaining what it does, how to use it, a comprehensive list of examples, and use cases. What is docker run? docker… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[4862],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-docker"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48388","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48388"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48388\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48390,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48388\/revisions\/48390"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48388"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48388"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48388"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}