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Docker CLI Volumes Cheat Sheet 2026

2 min read

Docker CLI — Volumes Cheat Sheet 2026

Docker CLI Volumes Cheat Sheet is the complete quick-reference of Docker CLI Volumes commands grouped by function. Copy any command with one click and find what you need with Ctrl+F in under 3 seconds.

Volumes

Action Command Useful flags
Create a volume 
docker volume create <volume_name>
Create a volume with a specific label 
docker volume create --label <label> <volume_name>
 --label
Create a `tmpfs` volume a size of 100 MiB and an uid of 1000 
docker volume create --opt <type>=<tmpfs> --opt <device>=<tmpfs> --opt <o>=<size=100m,uid=1000> <volume_name>
 --opt
List all volumes 
docker volume ls
Remove a volume 
docker volume rm <volume_name>
Display information about a volume 
docker volume inspect <volume_name>
Remove all unused local volumes 
docker volume prune
Display help for a subcommand 
docker volume <subcommand> --help
 --help

⚠️ Dangerous / Destructive Commands

These commands are irreversible. Verify your environment (dev/staging vs prod) before running them.

Action Command Warning
⚠️ Destroy ⚠️ 
terraform destroy -auto-approve
 Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Delete 
kubectl delete namespace production
 Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Prune ⚠️ 
docker system prune -af --volumes
 Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Delete 
pvesh delete /nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}
 Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Delete 
az group delete --name MyResourceGroup --yes
 Irreversible — verify the target before running

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Volumes and the other groups?

Each group in this Docker CLI cheat sheet covers a distinct area. Volumes focuses on its specific scope, while the other groups and the remaining groups cover networking, storage, security and diagnostics respectively.

How do I check the installed Docker CLI version?

Run the version command (usually docker version or docker --version). The output shows the client and, when applicable, the server version.

Why does Docker CLI return ‘permission denied’?

A ‘permission denied’ error in Docker CLI usually means the current user lacks sufficient privileges or credentials are not configured. Check: (1) assigned IAM/RBAC roles, (2) an active authentication context via the corresponding login command.

How do I filter Docker CLI output by status or name?

Use flags such as --filter, --selector or --query depending on the tool. You can also pipe into grep or jq to process JSON: 

docker list | grep RUNNING

What is the fastest way to debug a Docker CLI error?

Add the verbose flag (--verbose, -v or --debug) to the failing command. This reveals the underlying HTTP/API calls and the full error response body.

Official sources & references

Commands cross-checked against vendor documentation and high-authority repositories: