> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://notes.kodekloud.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Demo Docker Container Operations
> This tutorial covers essential Docker container lifecycle commands using the Docker CLI for creating, starting, listing, interacting with, monitoring, and cleaning up containers.
In this tutorial, we’ll cover essential Docker container lifecycle commands using the Docker CLI. You’ll learn how to create, start, list, interact with, monitor, and clean up containers.
## 1. Creating and Starting a Container
1. **Create a container** from the official `httpd` image.\
If the image isn’t available locally, Docker pulls it from Docker Hub.
```bash theme={null}
docker container create httpd
```
2. **List containers** (none are running yet):
```bash theme={null}
docker container ls
```
3. **Include stopped containers** with `-a`:
```bash theme={null}
docker container ls -a
```
4. **Start the container** by its CONTAINER ID:
```bash theme={null}
docker container start d52fad69ea76
```
5. **Verify it’s running**:
```bash theme={null}
docker container ls
```
### Table: `docker container ls` Field Descriptions
| Field | Description |
| ------------ | ------------------------------- |
| CONTAINER ID | Short 12-character container ID |
| IMAGE | Name of the image |
| COMMAND | Entrypoint command |
| CREATED | Timestamp when created |
| STATUS | Current state and uptime |
| PORTS | Exposed ports |
| NAMES | Auto-generated container name |
## 2. Listing Options
Use different flags with `docker container ls` to customize output:
| Flag | Description |
| ---- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| -a | Show all containers (running and stopped) |
| -l | Show the latest created container |
| -q | Only display numeric IDs of running containers |
| -aq | Display numeric IDs of all containers (all states) |
Example—list only IDs of running containers:
```bash theme={null}
docker container ls -q
```
## 3. Running Containers Interactively
Combine create and start with `run`:
```bash theme={null}
docker container run -it ubuntu
```
If `ubuntu:latest` isn’t local, you’ll see the pull progress, then a shell prompt:
```bash theme={null}
root@0afdaf794887:/# ps -ef
UID PID PPID C STIME TTY TIME CMD
root 1 0 0 06:47 pts/0 00:00:00 /bin/bash
root 9 1 0 06:48 pts/0 00:00:00 ps -ef
root@0afdaf794887:/# exit
```
Exiting the shell stops the container:
```bash theme={null}
docker container ls -l
```
### Detaching Without Stopping
To leave a container running and return to the host shell, press `Ctrl+P` then `Ctrl+Q`:
```bash theme={null}
docker container run -it ubuntu
# Press Ctrl+P, Ctrl+Q
docker container ls
```
Detaching this way leaves the container running in the background.
## 4. Executing Commands in Running Containers
Run additional commands inside an active container using `exec`:
```bash theme={null}
docker container exec -it 9fe83b47dc1f /bin/bash
root@9fe83b47dc1f:/# ps -ef
```
You can even use partial container IDs:
```bash theme={null}
docker container exec -it 65 cat /etc/lsb-release
```
## 5. Attaching to a Container
Use `attach` to connect to the primary process of a running container:
```bash theme={null}
docker container attach
# then:
exit # This will stop the container
```
Exiting an attached session (`exit`) will terminate the container’s main process.
## 6. Stopping and Removing Containers
* **Stop** a running container:
```bash theme={null}
docker container stop 14fc5c1661f9
```
* **Remove** a stopped container:
```bash theme={null}
docker container rm 14fc5c1661f9
```
* **Prune** all stopped containers:
```bash theme={null}
docker container prune
```
`docker container prune` removes *all* stopped containers. Use with caution.
Or combine stop and remove for *all* containers:
```bash theme={null}
docker container stop $(docker container ls -q)
docker container rm $(docker container ls -aq)
```
## 7. Detached Mode and Naming
Run in detached mode (`-d`) and assign a custom name:
```bash theme={null}
docker container run -itd --name=kodekloud ubuntu
```
Rename an existing container:
```bash theme={null}
docker container rename kodekloud yogish-codecloud
```
## 8. Inspecting Container Details
Retrieve full metadata with `inspect`:
```bash theme={null}
docker container inspect yogish-codecloud
```
Sample output:
```json theme={null}
[
{
"Id": "5c2b2b5fc32f...",
"Created": "2020-05-04T07:04:13.230760175Z",
"Path": "/bin/bash",
"Args": [],
"State": {
"Status": "running",
"Running": true,
"Paused": false,
"Restarting": false,
"OOMKilled": false,
"Dead": false,
"Pid": 14776,
"ExitCode": 0,
"StartedAt": "2020-05-04T07:04:13.598111123Z",
"FinishedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z"
},
"Image": "sha256:1d622ef86b1...",
"Name": "/yogish-codecloud",
"Driver": "overlay2"
}
]
```
## 9. Monitoring Containers
### 9.1 Resource Usage
Display real-time stats:
```bash theme={null}
docker container stats
```
### 9.2 Process List
Show host PIDs inside a container:
```bash theme={null}
docker container top reverent_hopper
```
### 9.3 Logs
View past logs:
```bash theme={null}
docker container logs d52fad69ea76
```
Follow logs live:
```bash theme={null}
docker container logs -f d52fad69ea76
```
## Conclusion
You’ve now mastered:
* Creating, starting, and listing containers
* Interactive sessions with `run`, `exec`, and `attach`
* Naming, renaming, and inspecting container details
* Monitoring resource usage and logs
* Cleaning up with `stop`, `rm`, and `prune`
For more commands, see the [Docker CLI reference](https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/commandline/).