{"id":48432,"date":"2025-02-08T08:33:45","date_gmt":"2025-02-08T08:33:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/?p=48432"},"modified":"2025-07-12T05:38:42","modified_gmt":"2025-07-12T05:38:42","slug":"docker-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/docker-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Docker commands Guide – docker history with examples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Here\u2019s a complete tutorial<\/strong> on docker history<\/code>, covering what it does<\/strong>, examples<\/strong>, and use cases<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

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

docker history<\/code> is a Docker command used to show the history of an image<\/strong>. It provides information about each layer in the image, including the creation time, size, command used, and author<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Features:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Displays the layer-by-layer history<\/strong> of a Docker image.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Helps in troubleshooting, auditing, and optimizing<\/strong> image builds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Useful for identifying image size<\/strong> contributors and build steps<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n

    Basic Syntax<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
    docker<\/span> history<\/span> [OPTIONS]<\/span> IMAGE<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> CSS<\/span> (<\/span>css<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
    Options:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • --no-trunc<\/code>: Show the full output without truncating commands or IDs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • --quiet<\/code>, -q<\/code>: Show only image IDs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • --format<\/code>: Format the output using Go templates (e.g., {{.CreatedBy}}<\/code>).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      Examples of docker history<\/code><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      1. Show History of an Image<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker<\/span> history<\/span> nginx<\/span>:latest<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> CSS<\/span> (<\/span>css<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      Example Output:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n
      IMAGE          CREATED        CREATED BY                                      SIZE      COMMENT\ne21c333399e4   1 hour ago     \/bin\/sh -c apt-get update && apt-get install   45.2MB    Added dependencies\n<missing<\/span>><\/span>      1 day ago      \/bin\/sh -c #(nop) CMD [\"nginx\" \"-g\" \"daemon\u2026   0B\n<missing<\/span>><\/span>      1 day ago      \/bin\/sh -c #(nop) EXPOSE 80                   0B\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> HTML, XML<\/span> (<\/span>xml<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      2. Show Full Command Information (--no-trunc<\/code>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker<\/span> history<\/span> nginx<\/span>:latest<\/span> --no-trunc<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> CSS<\/span> (<\/span>css<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This displays the full command and image ID without truncation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      3. Show Only Image IDs (--quiet<\/code>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker<\/span> history<\/span> -q<\/span> nginx<\/span>:latest<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> CSS<\/span> (<\/span>css<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      Example Output:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n
      e21c333399e4\n<missing<\/span>><\/span>\n<missing<\/span>><\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> HTML, XML<\/span> (<\/span>xml<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      4. Use Custom Formatting<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker history --format \"Created: {{.CreatedSince}}, Size: {{.Size}}, Command: {{.CreatedBy}}\"<\/span> nginx:latest\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> JavaScript<\/span> (<\/span>javascript<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      Example Output:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n
      Created: 1<\/span> hour ago, Size<\/span>: 45.2<\/span>MB, Command<\/span>: \/bin\/<\/span>sh -c apt-get<\/span> update\nCreated: 1 day ago, Size: 0B, Command: \/bin\/sh -c #(nop) CMD [\"nginx\" \"-g\"\u2026\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> JavaScript<\/span> (<\/span>javascript<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      5. Show History for a Specific Image Tag<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker<\/span> history<\/span> my_app<\/span>:1.0<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> CSS<\/span> (<\/span>css<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This shows the history of my_app<\/code> with the 1.0<\/code> tag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      6. Compare History of Two Images<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker<\/span> history<\/span> my_app<\/span>:1.0<\/span>\ndocker<\/span> history<\/span> my_app<\/span>:2.0<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> CSS<\/span> (<\/span>css<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      This lets you compare layers to see what has changed between two versions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      7. Inspect Base Image Layers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      docker<\/span> history<\/span> python<\/span>:3.9<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> CSS<\/span> (<\/span>css<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      Check the history of the python:3.9<\/code> image to see how it was built.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      8. Use in a Script for Audit Logs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
      #!\/bin\/bash<\/span>\ndocker history my_image --format \"Layer: {{.ID}}, Size: {{.Size}}, Command: {{.CreatedBy}}\"<\/span> > history_log.txt\necho<\/span> \"Image history saved to history_log.txt\"<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      Use Cases for docker history<\/code><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      1. Auditing and Security<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      • Audit Docker images to see how they were built<\/strong> and identify suspicious layers<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Example: Detect if unnecessary or malicious commands were executed during image creation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
        2. Optimizing Docker Images<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • Identify large layers<\/strong> that contribute to the image size and optimize them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Example: Consolidate RUN<\/code> commands to reduce image layers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
          3. Debugging Build Issues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          • Check the history to trace build errors<\/strong> and understand how each layer was created.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Example: Find out which layer failed during the build and fix the corresponding step in the Dockerfile.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
            4. Comparing Image Versions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
              \n
            • Compare the history of different image tags to see what has changed<\/strong> between versions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Example: Ensure that production images do not contain development tools or debug layers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
              5. Understanding Base Images<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
                \n
              • Inspect the history of a base image to learn about its structure and configuration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Example: Check which packages are installed in an official alpine<\/code> or ubuntu<\/code> image.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                6. Automating Documentation and Audits<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
                  \n
                • Use docker history<\/code> in automation scripts to log and document image changes<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                  \n\n\n\n
                  List of Common docker history<\/code> Commands<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                  Command<\/strong><\/th>Description<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
                  docker history nginx:latest<\/code><\/td>Show the history of the nginx:latest<\/code> image<\/td><\/tr>
                  docker history my_app:1.0<\/code><\/td>Show history for a specific image tag<\/td><\/tr>
                  docker history --no-trunc my_app:1.0<\/code><\/td>Show full command and image IDs<\/td><\/tr>
                  docker history --format \"{{.CreatedBy}}\" my_app<\/code><\/td>Show only the commands used in each layer<\/td><\/tr>
                  docker history -q nginx:latest<\/code><\/td>Show only the image IDs for each layer<\/td><\/tr>
                  docker history python:3.9<\/code><\/td>Inspect the history of the python:3.9<\/code> base image<\/td><\/tr>
                  docker history --format \"Size: {{.Size}}\" my_app<\/code><\/td>Show only the size of each layer<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
                  \n\n\n\n
                  Best Practices for Using docker history<\/code>:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                    \n
                  1. Regularly audit image history<\/strong> for security and compliance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  2. Use custom formatting (--format<\/code>)<\/strong> to filter and display relevant information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  3. Optimize image size<\/strong> by identifying large layers and consolidating commands in your Dockerfile.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  4. Document image changes<\/strong> by saving the history to a file and including it in your CI\/CD pipelines.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  5. Compare different image versions<\/strong> to track changes over time.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
                    \n\n\n\n
                    Common Errors and Solutions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                      \n
                    1. “No such image”<\/strong>
                      \u2192 Ensure the image exists by running docker images<\/code> to list available images.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    2. “Output truncated”<\/strong>
                      \u2192 Use --no-trunc<\/code> to display the full output without truncation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    3. Large output size<\/strong>
                      \u2192 Use --format<\/code> to filter and customize the output for easier readability.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
                      \n\n\n\n
                      Combining docker history<\/code> with Other Commands<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                      Analyze Image Size and Optimize Layers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
                      docker history my_app:latest --format \"Layer: {{.ID}}, Size: {{.Size}}, Command: {{.CreatedBy}}\"<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> JavaScript<\/span> (<\/span>javascript<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
                      Save Image History for Documentation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
                      docker<\/span> history<\/span> my_app<\/span>:latest<\/span> > history_log<\/span>.txt<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> CSS<\/span> (<\/span>css<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
                      Identify Suspicious Commands in an Image<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
                      docker history my_app | grep \"curl\"<\/span> | grep \"wget\"<\/span>\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> JavaScript<\/span> (<\/span>javascript<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
                      \n\n\n\n
                      <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
                      Here\u2019s a complete tutorial on docker history, covering what it does, examples, and use cases. What is docker history? docker history is a Docker command used to show the history… <\/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-48432","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-docker"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48432","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=48432"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48432\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48434,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48432\/revisions\/48434"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48432"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48432"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48432"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}