Docker Compose Cheat Sheet

Docker Compose is a tool that allows developers to define and run multi-container Docker applications. It simplifies the process of managing multiple containers by providing a way to define and configure them in a single file.

With Docker Compose, developers can define the services that make up their application, including their dependencies, and then run them all together with a single command. This makes it easy to test and deploy applications in a consistent and repeatable way.

This cheat sheet provides an extensive list of Docker Compose commands and their descriptions.

Table of Contents

• General Commands
• Service Configuration
• Environment Variables
• Volumes
• Networking
• Scaling
• Deployment
• References

General Commands

Command	Description
docker-compose up	Builds, (re)creates, starts, and attaches to containers for a service.
docker-compose down	Stops and removes containers, networks, images, and volumes.
docker-compose build	Builds or rebuilds services.
docker-compose start	Starts existing containers for a service.
docker-compose stop	Stops running containers without removing them.
docker-compose restart	Restarts containers.
docker-compose pause	Pauses running containers of a service.
docker-compose unpause	Unpauses paused containers of a service.
docker-compose ps	Lists containers.
docker-compose logs	Shows logs for a service.
docker-compose exec	Runs a command in a running container.
docker-compose run	Runs a one-time command against a service.

Service Configuration

Command	Description
docker-compose config	Validates and displays the Compose file.
docker-compose version	Shows the Docker Compose version.
docker-compose images	Lists images used by the Compose file.
docker-compose top	Shows the running processes of a container.
docker-compose events	Streams real-time events from containers.
docker-compose kill	Forces running containers to stop.
docker-compose rm	Removes stopped containers.
docker-compose pull	Pulls images for services.
docker-compose push	Pushes images for services.

Environment Variables

Command	Description
docker-compose config --env	Displays the environment variables used in the Compose file.
docker-compose up -e	Sets environment variables.
docker-compose up --env-file	Loads environment variables from a file.

Volumes

Command	Description
docker-compose volume ls	Lists volumes.
docker-compose volume create	Creates a volume.
docker-compose volume rm	Removes a volume.
docker-compose volume inspect	Displays detailed information about a volume.

Networking

Command	Description
docker-compose network ls	Lists networks.
docker-compose network create	Creates a network.
docker-compose network rm	Removes a network.
docker-compose network inspect	Displays detailed information about a network.

Scaling

Command	Description
docker-compose up --scale	Scales a service to a specified number of containers.
docker-compose scale	Scales a service to a specified number of containers.

Deployment

Command	Description
docker-compose config --services	Lists services in the Compose file.
docker-compose config --volumes	Lists volumes in the Compose file.
docker-compose config --networks	Lists networks in the Compose file.
docker-compose config --hash	Displays the hash of the Compose file.
docker-compose config --quiet	Displays only the hash of the Compose file.

References

• Docker Compose documentation