Docker containers are great for many reasons, but one of the biggest advantages is that they can be stopped and started at any time. This means that you can easily remove a container if it’s no longer needed or you want to upgrade or reconfigure your system. And because Docker containers are lightweight and run in their own isolated environment, there’s no need to worry about having too much overhead on your system.
So when it comes time to clean up after using Docker, it’s important to remove all of the containers first before starting the process of removing Docker itself. Otherwise, you may find yourself with a mess on your hands.
Stop & Remove All Docker Container’s
If you have multiple docker container running and you want to delete all. It can be time taking to stop all containers one by one and then delete them. The following commands will help you to stop all running contains in a single command and then delete them.
- Stop all containers:
docker stop $(docker ps -a -q) - Remove (delete) all containers:
docker rm $(docker ps -a -q)
Wrap Up
There are many reasons why you might want to remove all of your Docker containers: For example, you might want to remove all of your Docker containers if they are outdated or not performing as expected. There are several ways to determine whether a certain content needs to be removed:
By looking at the logs: If something is not working right, you can look in the logs and see if there is any indication that there is a problem in the container. You can also look at what version or image tag it belongs to and check if it has been updated recently.