---
title: "Helpful Docker Service Commands"
slug: "helpful-docker-service-commands"
updated: 2025-12-23T15:05:04Z
published: 2025-12-23T15:05:04Z
canonical: "docs.swxtch.io/helpful-docker-service-commands"
stale: true
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.swxtch.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Helpful Docker Service Commands

> [!NOTE]
> WHAT TO EXPECT
> 
> In this section, users will find helpful Docker commands used during cloudSwXtch, swXtchBridge, and Licensing Server installations and upgrades.

## List containers

`docker ps`

This command will list all the Docker containers currently running on your machine.

```shell
docker ps
```

****Example Output****

```shell
$ docker ps
CONTAINER ID   IMAGE               COMMAND                  CREATED       STATUS        PORTS                                               NAMES
eb75bf825142   swx-swxtch:latest   "./entrypoint.sh"        10 days ago   Up 30 hours                                                       swx-swxtch
bd29e86862f0   registry:2          "/entrypoint.sh /etc…"   10 days ago   Up 30 hours   0.0.0.0:443->443/tcp, [::]:443->443/tcp, 5000/tcp   registry
```

> [!TIP]
> Container ID
> 
> Using `docker ps` will list all the container IDs found on your machine. You will use these for other commands in this article.

## Show logs

`docker logs`

This command will list the logs related to a container. For example, use the `follow` command and give the last 10 lines:

```shell
docker logs <container> -f -n 10
```

****Example Output****

```shell
$ docker logs swx-swxtch -f -n 10
swx-repl: USER1: RX: mempool_avail 223738
swx-repl: USER1: CTRL: mempool_avail 65531
info: launcher.go:39: swx-repl: USER1: TX: Total:258483929  Rate:16801-pps
swx-repl: USER1: RX: Load[21%  1%]  Total:258497634  Rate:16800-pps
swx-repl: USER1: RX: mempool_avail 223708
swx-repl: USER1: CTRL: mempool_avail 65531
info: launcher.go:39: swx-repl: USER1: TX: Total:258567918  Rate:16796-pps
swx-repl: USER1: RX: Load[21%  1%]  Total:258581681  Rate:16807-pps
swx-repl: USER1: RX: mempool_avail 223669
swx-repl: USER1: CTRL: mempool_avail 65531
```

> [!NOTE]
> **PLEASE NOTE**
> 
> There are othe ways to check the logs. Please read the [How to View cloudSwXtch and swXtchBridge Logs using shell](/v2/docs/how-to-view-cloudswxtch-logs-troubleshooting) page.

## Stop a container

`docker stop`

This command stops a Docker container on the VM.

```shell
docker stop <container>
```

****Example Output****

```shell
$ docker stop swx-swxtch
swx-swxtch
```

## Start a container

`docker start`

This command starts the Docker container on the VM.

```shell
$ docker start <container>
```

```shell
$ docker start swx-swxtch
swx-swxtch
```

## Remove a container

`docker remove`

This command will remove the Docker container from the VM.

```shell
$ docker rm <container>
```

****Example Output****

```shell
$ docker rm swx-swxtch
swx-swxtch
```

> [!NOTE]
> **PLEASE NOTE**
> 
> Removing a container will not remove the image used to create it. Images are rmoved using `docker rmi &lt;image&gt;`