CODEWITHSUNDEEP
docker
JT_T
JT_T

Reputation: 316

What is the meaning of "docker ps -a"?

Anyone who works with Docker regularly is familiar with the common commands docker ps and docker ps -a.

I know that docker ps lists all running containers in the Docker engine, but what does the "ps" actually mean?

I also know that docker ps -a has the effect of also listing containers that have stopped, but what does the -a actually mean?

Upvotes: 15

Views: 14957

Answers (4)

Turing85
Turing85

Reputation: 20185

The command docker ps was created based on unix's ps command. Here, ps is an abbreviation for "process status".

Translated to docker, docker ps lists containers. Executing docker ps lists all running containers, while executing docker ps -a (or docker ps --all) lists all containers.

Upvotes: 3

mrvol
mrvol

Reputation: 2963

docker ps = docker container list = docker container ls

All commands above are aliases.

The command docker ps is very useful. For example:

  • docker container kill $(docker ps -q) — Kill all running containers.

  • docker container rm $(docker ps -a -q) — Delete all not running containers.

Upvotes: 2

willingdev
willingdev

Reputation: 9596

ps means “Process Status”, so docker ps basically shows all of the Docker processes actively running.

docker ps lists all containers that are up and running.

-a means all (both stopped and running) containers.

Upvotes: 4

Gokul Garre
Gokul Garre

Reputation: 311

-a is short form for the --all. option This option will show all the containers both stopped and running.

ps is an abbreviation for "process status". Normally, docker ps only shows the running containers, but adding the -a option causes it to show all containers.

You can find more details in the Docker "ps" options documentation.

Upvotes: 19

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