How can you display the run command of a Docker container?

To show the run command of a Docker container, we can use the docker inspect command with the container ID or name. This command gets detailed info about the container. It includes the command that was used to start it. We can also get just the run command by using a query option. This makes it simple to see what ran when the container started.

In this article, we will talk about different ways to show the run command of a Docker container. You will learn how to see the command used to start a Docker container. We will look at how to check the container for its setup and how to use the docker inspect command properly. We will also show how to get the run command of a running Docker container and how to show it right from the command line. Here is what we will cover:

  • How to show the run command of a Docker container
  • How to see the command used to start a Docker container
  • How to inspect a Docker container to find its run command
  • How to use Docker inspect to show the run command
  • How to get the run command of a running Docker container
  • How to show the run command of a Docker container from the command line
  • Frequently Asked Questions

For more information about Docker and what it can do, check out what is Docker and why should you use it and the benefits of using Docker in development.

How can you view the command used to run a Docker container

To see the command that runs a Docker container, we can use the docker ps command with some options or the docker inspect command to get more information about the container.

Using docker ps

The docker ps command shows a list of running containers and their commands. To see the command, we can run this:

docker ps --format "table {{.ID}}\t{{.Image}}\t{{.Command}}"

This command will display the container ID, image, and the command that started the container.

Using docker inspect

If we need more details, like the exact command and any extra options, we can use the docker inspect command:

docker inspect <container_id> --format '{{.Config.Cmd}}'

Just replace <container_id> with the real ID or name of the container. It will show the command used to run the container.

Example

For example, if we have a container named my_container, we can get its run command by typing:

docker inspect my_container --format '{{.Config.Cmd}}'

This will show the command array that was used to start the container.

By using these commands, we can easily see and find the command used to run any Docker container. For more learning on Docker commands, check this article.

How can we inspect a Docker container to find its run command

To inspect a Docker container and find its run command, we can use the docker inspect command. This command gives us detailed info about a container’s setup and how it runs. It includes the command that started the container.

Using Docker Inspect

  1. Find the Container ID or Name: First, we need to find the container’s ID or name. We can list all running containers with:

    docker ps

  2. Inspect the Container: Now, we use this command to inspect the container:

    docker inspect <container_id_or_name>

  3. Get the Run Command: The output from the docker inspect command comes in JSON format. To get the run command, we look for the "Cmd" part:

    [
    {
        ...
        "Config": {
            ...
            "Cmd": [
                "your-command",
                "arg1",
                "arg2"
            ],
            ...
        },
        ...
    }
]

We can also use a tool like jq to filter the output easily:

docker inspect <container_id_or_name> | jq '.[0].Config.Cmd'

Example

If we have a container named my_container, we would run:

docker inspect my_container | jq '.[0].Config.Cmd'

This will show the command that started the container and any arguments that went with it.

The docker inspect command is great for getting detailed info about Docker containers, including the run command. For more details about Docker commands and how to use them, we can check resources like What is a Docker container and how does it operate?.

How can you use Docker inspect to display the run command

We can use the docker inspect command to show the run command of a Docker container. Just add the container name or ID after the command. This command gets detailed info about the container in JSON format. It includes the command we used to run it.

Command Syntax

docker inspect <container_name_or_id>

Example

If we want to see the run command for a container named my_container, we can run:

docker inspect my_container

The result will have many details. If we want just the command used to run the container, we can use this command with --format:

docker inspect --format='{{.Config.Cmd}}' my_container

This command shows the command that was run when the container started.

Extracting EntryPoint and Cmd

Sometimes, we may want to check the Entrypoint too, not just the Cmd. To do this, we can run:

docker inspect --format='{{.Config.Entrypoint}} {{.Config.Cmd}}' my_container

JSON Output

If we want to see the whole JSON output, we can run:

docker inspect my_container

We should look for the Config section to find both Cmd and Entrypoint properties.

Filtering Output

We can filter the output more using tools like jq to make it easier to read:

docker inspect my_container | jq '.[0].Config'

This gives us a cleaner view of the settings, including the run command.

Using docker inspect is a good way to display the run command of a Docker container. It helps us understand how it was set up and started. For more details on Docker commands, we can check this article.

How can you retrieve the run command of a running Docker container

To get the run command of a running Docker container, we can use the docker inspect command. This command gives us a lot of information about the container. It also shows the command that we used to start it.

Here are the steps we can follow:

  1. Get the Container ID or Name: We can use docker ps to see all running containers. This helps us find the one we want to check.

    docker ps

  2. Inspect the Container: Next, we use docker inspect with the container ID or name. This will show us the details.

    docker inspect <container_id_or_name>

  3. Extract the Run Command: We need to look for the Path and Args fields in the output. These fields tell us the command and its arguments used to run the container.

    If we want just the command that started the container, we can run this command:

    docker inspect --format='{{.Config.Cmd}}' <container_id_or_name>

    If we want both the command and its arguments, we can use this command:

    docker inspect --format='{{.Path}} {{range .Args}} {{.}} {{end}}' <container_id_or_name>

By using these commands, we can easily get the run command of any running Docker container. For more details on Docker commands and how to use them, we can check this article.

How can we display the run command of a Docker container from the command line

To show the run command used to start a Docker container from the command line, we can use the docker inspect command. This command gives us details about the container’s setup and state. It also shows the command that was run when we started the container.

Using Docker Inspect

We can get the run command of a specific container by running this command:

docker inspect --format='{{.Config.Cmd}}' <container_name_or_id>

This command will show us the command that was used to run the container. It is in the .Config.Cmd field.

Example

If we have a container named my_container, we run:

docker inspect --format='{{.Config.Cmd}}' my_container

Viewing the Full Command

If we want to see the full command with the entry point, we can use this command:

docker inspect --format='{{.Config.Entrypoint}} {{.Config.Cmd}}' <container_name_or_id>

Retrieving the Command of All Running Containers

To show the run command of all containers that are running now, we can use this command:

docker ps -q | xargs docker inspect --format='{{.Name}}: {{.Config.Entrypoint}} {{.Config.Cmd}}'

This command lists names of all running containers with their commands.

Additional Information

  • Change <container_name_or_id> to the real name or ID of your container.
  • Make sure we have the right permissions to run Docker commands in our setup.

For more details about Docker commands and features, we can check these links: What is Docker and Why Should You Use It, How to List and Inspect Docker Images, and How to Create a Docker Container from an Image.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do we find the run command of a Docker container?

To find the run command of a Docker container, we can use the docker inspect command. We type this command followed by the container name or ID. This command gives us detailed info about the container. It shows the command that was used to start it. We can use this command:

docker inspect <container_name_or_id>

We need to look for the Config.Cmd part in the output. This will show us the run command.

Can we view the command used to run a stopped Docker container?

Yes, we can see the command used to run a stopped Docker container by using the docker inspect command. This command gives us details about the container. It includes the command that was run when the container started. We can run:

docker inspect <container_name_or_id>

We should search for the Config.Cmd section in the output. This will help us find the run command.

How do we retrieve the run command for a running Docker container?

To get the run command for a running Docker container, we can run the docker inspect command. This command lets us access many details about the container. It includes the command that started it. We just need to use:

docker inspect <container_name_or_id>

We check the Config.Cmd field for the specific command that was used.

What is the difference between CMD and ENTRYPOINT in a Dockerfile?

In a Dockerfile, both CMD and ENTRYPOINT say what commands run when a container starts. The main difference is that ENTRYPOINT sets the main command. This command does not change with arguments passed to docker run. On the other hand, CMD gives defaults that we can change. For more details, we can check our article on the key differences between CMD and ENTRYPOINT.

How can we troubleshoot Docker container exit issues?

If a Docker container exits without warning, we can troubleshoot it by checking the logs. We also need to inspect the container’s setup. We can use the docker logs <container_name_or_id> command to see log output. This can give us clues about errors. Additionally, we can run docker inspect <container_name_or_id> to look at the container’s command and environment variables. This can help us find issues. For more tips on troubleshooting, we can look at our guide on troubleshooting Docker containers and images.