Cleanup & Maintenance
Docker unused image layers, stopped containers, and orphaned volumes can quickly consume 50GB+ of host disk space over time.
1. Analyzing Docker Disk Space Usage (`docker system df`)
docker system df
2. Selective Cleanup Commands
| Command | Target Cleared |
|---|---|
docker container prune | Removes all stopped containers |
docker image prune -a | Removes all unused images not referenced by any container |
docker volume prune | Removes all anonymous orphaned volumes not connected to containers |
docker network prune | Removes all unused custom bridge networks |
3. Master System Prune (Nuclear Option)
Reclaim all unused containers, networks, images, and build cache in a single command:
# Remove all unused items (Add --volumes flag to include orphaned volumes) docker system prune -a --volumes -f
Next Up
Explore Docker vs Kubernetes: container orchestration overview, Swarm, and when to scale up to Kubernetes.
Next Lesson: Docker vs Kubernetes →
