Listing containers (docker ps, docker ps -a) - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What does the command docker ps do?

It lists all running Docker containers on your system, showing details like container ID, image, status, and ports.

beginner

What extra information does docker ps -a show compared to docker ps?

docker ps -a lists all containers, including those that are stopped, exited, or paused, not just the running ones.

beginner

How can you see the status of a container using Docker commands?

Use docker ps or docker ps -a. The status column shows if a container is running, exited, or paused.

intermediate

Why might you want to use docker ps -a instead of just docker ps?

To see all containers including those that have stopped or exited, which helps in troubleshooting or cleaning up unused containers.

beginner

What information is typically shown in the output of docker ps?

Container ID, image name, command run, creation time, status, ports, and container name.

Which command lists only running Docker containers?

A docker ps -a

B docker list

C docker ps

D docker containers

docker ps shows only running containers. docker ps -a shows all containers.

What does the -a option do in docker ps -a?

A Shows all containers including stopped ones

B Shows only active containers

C Shows containers with active ports

D Shows containers in alphabetical order

The -a option lists all containers, not just running ones.

If you want to check why a container stopped, which command helps you see its status?

A docker start

B docker ps -a

C docker run

D docker logs

docker ps -a shows the status of all containers including stopped ones.

Which column in docker ps output tells you the container's current state?

A PORTS

B IMAGE

C COMMAND

D STATUS

The STATUS column shows if a container is running, exited, or paused.

What command would you use to see all containers including those that exited hours ago?

A docker ps -a

B docker ps

C docker inspect

D docker rm

docker ps -a lists all containers regardless of their state.

Explain the difference between docker ps and docker ps -a.

Think about when you want to see containers that are not running.

Describe what information you get from the output of docker ps.

Look at the columns shown when you run the command.