---
title: Examples using the Docker Engine SDKs and Docker API
linkTitle: Examples
description: Examples on how to perform a given Docker operation using the Go and
  Python SDKs and the HTTP API using curl.
keywords: developing, api, sdk, developers, rest, curl, python, go
aliases:
  - /engine/api/getting-started/
  - /engine/api/client-libraries/
  - /engine/reference/api/remote_api_client_libraries/
  - /reference/api/remote_api_client_libraries/
  - /develop/sdk/examples/
  - /engine/api/sdk/examples/
---

After you
[install Docker](/get-started/get-docker.md), you can
[install the Go or Python SDK](index.md#install-the-sdks) and
also try out the Docker Engine API.

Each of these examples show how to perform a given Docker operation using the Go
and Python SDKs and the HTTP API using `curl`.

## Run a container

This first example shows how to run a container using the Docker API. On the
command line, you would use the `docker run` command, but this is just as easy
to do from your own apps too.

This is the equivalent of typing `docker run alpine echo hello world` at the
command prompt:

{{< tabs group="lang" >}}
{{< tab name="Go" >}}

```go
package main

import (
	"context"
	"io"
	"log"
	"os"

	"github.com/moby/moby/api/pkg/stdcopy"
	"github.com/moby/moby/api/types/container"
	"github.com/moby/moby/client"
)

func main() {
	ctx := context.Background()
	apiClient, err := client.New(client.FromEnv, client.WithUserAgent("my-application/1.0.0"))
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}
	defer apiClient.Close()

	reader, err := apiClient.ImagePull(ctx, "docker.io/library/alpine", client.ImagePullOptions{})
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	defer reader.Close()
	// cli.ImagePull is asynchronous.
	// The reader needs to be read completely for the pull operation to complete.
	// If stdout is not required, consider using io.Discard instead of os.Stdout.
	io.Copy(os.Stdout, reader)

	resp, err := apiClient.ContainerCreate(ctx, client.ContainerCreateOptions{
		Config: &container.Config{
			Cmd: []string{"echo", "hello world"},
			Tty: false,
		},
		Image: "alpine",
	})
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	if _, err := apiClient.ContainerStart(ctx, resp.ID, client.ContainerStartOptions{}); err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	wait := apiClient.ContainerWait(ctx, resp.ID, client.ContainerWaitOptions{})
	select {
	case err := <-wait.Error:
		if err != nil {
			log.Fatal(err)
		}
	case <-wait.Result:
	}

	out, err := apiClient.ContainerLogs(ctx, resp.ID, client.ContainerLogsOptions{ShowStdout: true})
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	stdcopy.StdCopy(os.Stdout, os.Stderr, out)
}
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="Python" >}}

```python
import docker
client = docker.from_env()
print(client.containers.run("alpine", ["echo", "hello", "world"]))
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="HTTP" >}}

```console
$ curl --unix-socket /var/run/docker.sock -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"Image": "alpine", "Cmd": ["echo", "hello world"]}' \
  -X POST http://localhost/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/containers/create
{"Id":"1c6594faf5","Warnings":null}

$ curl --unix-socket /var/run/docker.sock -X POST http://localhost/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/containers/1c6594faf5/start

$ curl --unix-socket /var/run/docker.sock -X POST http://localhost/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/containers/1c6594faf5/wait
{"StatusCode":0}

$ curl --unix-socket /var/run/docker.sock "http://localhost/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/containers/1c6594faf5/logs?stdout=1"
hello world
```

When using cURL to connect over a Unix socket, the hostname isn't important. The
previous examples use `localhost`, but any hostname would work.

> [!IMPORTANT]
>
> The previous examples assume you're using cURL 7.50.0 or above. Older versions of
> cURL used a [non-standard URL notation](https://github.com/moby/moby/issues/17960)
> when using a socket connection.
>
> If you're' using an older version of cURL, use `http:/<API version>/` instead,
> for example: `http:/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/containers/1c6594faf5/start`.

{{< /tab >}}
{{< /tabs >}}

## Run a container in the background

You can also run containers in the background, the equivalent of typing
`docker run -d bfirsh/reticulate-splines`:

{{< tabs group="lang" >}}
{{< tab name="Go" >}}

```go
package main

import (
	"context"
	"fmt"
	"io"
	"log"
	"os"

	"github.com/moby/moby/client"
)

func main() {
	ctx := context.Background()
	apiClient, err := client.New(client.FromEnv, client.WithUserAgent("my-application/1.0.0"))
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}
	defer apiClient.Close()

	imageName := "bfirsh/reticulate-splines"

	out, err := apiClient.ImagePull(ctx, imageName, client.ImagePullOptions{})
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}
	defer out.Close()

	io.Copy(os.Stdout, out)

	resp, err := apiClient.ContainerCreate(ctx, client.ContainerCreateOptions{
		Image: imageName,
	})
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	if _, err := apiClient.ContainerStart(ctx, resp.ID, client.ContainerStartOptions{}); err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	fmt.Println(resp.ID)
}
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="Python" >}}

```python
import docker
client = docker.from_env()
container = client.containers.run("bfirsh/reticulate-splines", detach=True)
print(container.id)
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="HTTP" >}}

```console
$ curl --unix-socket /var/run/docker.sock -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"Image": "bfirsh/reticulate-splines"}' \
  -X POST http://localhost/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/containers/create
{"Id":"1c6594faf5","Warnings":null}

$ curl --unix-socket /var/run/docker.sock -X POST http://localhost/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/containers/1c6594faf5/start
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< /tabs >}}

## List and manage containers

You can use the API to list containers that are running, just like using
`docker ps`:

{{< tabs group="lang" >}}
{{< tab name="Go" >}}

```go
package main

import (
	"context"
	"fmt"
	"log"

	"github.com/moby/moby/client"
)

func main() {
	ctx := context.Background()
	apiClient, err := client.New(client.FromEnv, client.WithUserAgent("my-application/1.0.0"))
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}
	defer apiClient.Close()

	containers, err := apiClient.ContainerList(ctx, client.ContainerListOptions{})
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	for _, container := range containers.Items {
		fmt.Println(container.ID)
	}
}
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="Python" >}}

```python
import docker
client = docker.from_env()
for container in client.containers.list():
  print(container.id)
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="HTTP" >}}

```console
$ curl --unix-socket /var/run/docker.sock http://localhost/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/containers/json
[{
  "Id":"ae63e8b89a26f01f6b4b2c9a7817c31a1b6196acf560f66586fbc8809ffcd772",
  "Names":["/tender_wing"],
  "Image":"bfirsh/reticulate-splines",
  ...
}]
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< /tabs >}}

## Stop all running containers

Now that you know what containers exist, you can perform operations on them.
This example stops all running containers.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Don't run this on a production server. Also, if you're' using swarm
> services, the containers stop, but Docker creates new ones to keep
> the service running in its configured state.

{{< tabs group="lang" >}}
{{< tab name="Go" >}}

```go
package main

import (
	"context"
	"fmt"
	"log"

	"github.com/moby/moby/client"
)

func main() {
	ctx := context.Background()
	apiClient, err := client.New(client.FromEnv, client.WithUserAgent("my-application/1.0.0"))
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}
	defer apiClient.Close()

	containers, err := apiClient.ContainerList(ctx, client.ContainerListOptions{})
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	for _, container := range containers.Items {
		fmt.Print("Stopping container ", container.ID[:10], "... ")
		noWaitTimeout := 0 // to not wait for the container to exit gracefully
		if _, err := apiClient.ContainerStop(ctx, container.ID, client.ContainerStopOptions{Timeout: &noWaitTimeout}); err != nil {
			log.Fatal(err)
		}
		fmt.Println("Success")
	}
}
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="Python" >}}

```python
import docker
client = docker.from_env()
for container in client.containers.list():
  container.stop()
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="HTTP" >}}

```console
$ curl --unix-socket /var/run/docker.sock http://localhost/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/containers/json
[{
  "Id":"ae63e8b89a26f01f6b4b2c9a7817c31a1b6196acf560f66586fbc8809ffcd772",
  "Names":["/tender_wing"],
  "Image":"bfirsh/reticulate-splines",
  ...
}]

$ curl --unix-socket /var/run/docker.sock \
  -X POST http://localhost/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/containers/ae63e8b89a26/stop
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< /tabs >}}

## Print the logs of a specific container

You can also perform actions on individual containers. This example prints the
logs of a container given its ID. You need to modify the code before running it
to change the hard-coded ID of the container to print the logs for.

{{< tabs group="lang" >}}
{{< tab name="Go" >}}

```go
package main

import (
	"context"
	"io"
	"log"
	"os"

	"github.com/moby/moby/client"
)

func main() {
	ctx := context.Background()
	apiClient, err := client.New(client.FromEnv, client.WithUserAgent("my-application/1.0.0"))
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}
	defer apiClient.Close()

	options := client.ContainerLogsOptions{ShowStdout: true}
	// Replace this ID with a container that really exists
	out, err := apiClient.ContainerLogs(ctx, "f1064a8a4c82", options)
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	io.Copy(os.Stdout, out)
}
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="Python" >}}

```python
import docker
client = docker.from_env()
container = client.containers.get('f1064a8a4c82')
print(container.logs())
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="HTTP" >}}

```console
$ curl --unix-socket /var/run/docker.sock "http://localhost/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/containers/ca5f55cdb/logs?stdout=1"
Reticulating spline 1...
Reticulating spline 2...
Reticulating spline 3...
Reticulating spline 4...
Reticulating spline 5...
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< /tabs >}}

## List all images

List the images on your Engine, similar to `docker image ls`:

{{< tabs group="lang" >}}
{{< tab name="Go" >}}

```go
package main

import (
	"context"
	"fmt"
	"log"

	"github.com/moby/moby/client"
)

func main() {
	ctx := context.Background()
	apiClient, err := client.New(client.FromEnv, client.WithUserAgent("my-application/1.0.0"))
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}
	defer apiClient.Close()

	images, err := apiClient.ImageList(ctx, client.ImageListOptions{})
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	for _, image := range images.Items {
		fmt.Println(image.ID)
	}
}
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="Python" >}}

```python
import docker
client = docker.from_env()
for image in client.images.list():
  print(image.id)
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="HTTP" >}}

```console
$ curl --unix-socket /var/run/docker.sock http://localhost/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/images/json
[{
  "Id":"sha256:31d9a31e1dd803470c5a151b8919ef1988ac3efd44281ac59d43ad623f275dcd",
  "ParentId":"sha256:ee4603260daafe1a8c2f3b78fd760922918ab2441cbb2853ed5c439e59c52f96",
  ...
}]
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< /tabs >}}

## Pull an image

Pull an image, like `docker pull`:

{{< tabs group="lang" >}}
{{< tab name="Go" >}}

```go
package main

import (
	"context"
	"io"
	"log"
	"os"

	"github.com/moby/moby/client"
)

func main() {
	ctx := context.Background()
	apiClient, err := client.New(client.FromEnv, client.WithUserAgent("my-application/1.0.0"))
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}
	defer apiClient.Close()

	out, err := apiClient.ImagePull(ctx, "alpine", client.ImagePullOptions{})
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}
	defer out.Close()

	io.Copy(os.Stdout, out)
}
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="Python" >}}

```python
import docker
client = docker.from_env()
image = client.images.pull("alpine")
print(image.id)
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="HTTP" >}}

```console
$ curl --unix-socket /var/run/docker.sock \
  -X POST "http://localhost/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/images/create?fromImage=alpine"
{"status":"Pulling from library/alpine","id":"3.1"}
{"status":"Pulling fs layer","progressDetail":{},"id":"8f13703509f7"}
{"status":"Downloading","progressDetail":{"current":32768,"total":2244027},"progress":"[\u003e                                                  ] 32.77 kB/2.244 MB","id":"8f13703509f7"}
...
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< /tabs >}}

## Pull an image with authentication

Pull an image, like `docker pull`, with authentication:

> [!NOTE]
>
> Credentials are sent in the clear. Docker's official registries use
> HTTPS. Private registries should also be configured to use HTTPS.

{{< tabs group="lang" >}}
{{< tab name="Go" >}}

```go
package main

import (
	"context"
	"io"
	"log"
	"os"

	"github.com/moby/moby/api/pkg/authconfig"
	"github.com/moby/moby/api/types/registry"
	"github.com/moby/moby/client"
)

func main() {
	ctx := context.Background()
	apiClient, err := client.New(client.FromEnv, client.WithUserAgent("my-application/1.0.0"))
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}
	defer apiClient.Close()

	authStr, err := authconfig.Encode(registry.AuthConfig{
		Username: "username",
		Password: "password",
	})
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	out, err := apiClient.ImagePull(ctx, "alpine", client.ImagePullOptions{RegistryAuth: authStr})
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}
	defer out.Close()

	io.Copy(os.Stdout, out)
}
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="Python" >}}

The Python SDK retrieves authentication information from the [credentials
store](/reference/cli/docker/login/#credential-stores) file and
integrates with [credential
helpers](https://github.com/docker/docker-credential-helpers). It's possible to override these credentials, but that's out of
scope for this example guide. After using `docker login`, the Python SDK
uses these credentials automatically.

```python
import docker
client = docker.from_env()
image = client.images.pull("alpine")
print(image.id)
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="HTTP" >}}

This example leaves the credentials in your shell's history, so consider
this a naive implementation. The credentials are passed as a Base-64-encoded
JSON structure.

```console
$ JSON=$(echo '{"username": "string", "password": "string", "serveraddress": "string"}' | base64)

$ curl --unix-socket /var/run/docker.sock \
  -H "Content-Type: application/tar"
  -X POST "http://localhost/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/images/create?fromImage=alpine"
  -H "X-Registry-Auth"
  -d "$JSON"
{"status":"Pulling from library/alpine","id":"3.1"}
{"status":"Pulling fs layer","progressDetail":{},"id":"8f13703509f7"}
{"status":"Downloading","progressDetail":{"current":32768,"total":2244027},"progress":"[\u003e                                                  ] 32.77 kB/2.244 MB","id":"8f13703509f7"}
...
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< /tabs >}}

## Commit a container

Commit a container to create an image from its contents:

{{< tabs group="lang" >}}
{{< tab name="Go" >}}

```go
package main

import (
	"context"
	"fmt"
	"log"

	"github.com/moby/moby/api/types/container"
	"github.com/moby/moby/client"
)

func main() {
	ctx := context.Background()
	apiClient, err := client.New(client.FromEnv, client.WithUserAgent("my-application/1.0.0"))
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}
	defer apiClient.Close()

	createResp, err := apiClient.ContainerCreate(ctx, client.ContainerCreateOptions{
		Config: &container.Config{
			Cmd: []string{"touch", "/helloworld"},
		},
		Image: "alpine",
	})
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	if _, err := apiClient.ContainerStart(ctx, createResp.ID, client.ContainerStartOptions{}); err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	wait := apiClient.ContainerWait(ctx, createResp.ID, client.ContainerWaitOptions{})
	select {
	case err := <-wait.Error:
		if err != nil {
			log.Fatal(err)
		}
	case <-wait.Result:
	}

	commitResp, err := apiClient.ContainerCommit(ctx, createResp.ID, client.ContainerCommitOptions{Reference: "helloworld"})
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	fmt.Println(commitResp.ID)
}
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="Python" >}}

```python
import docker
client = docker.from_env()
container = client.containers.run("alpine", ["touch", "/helloworld"], detach=True)
container.wait()
image = container.commit("helloworld")
print(image.id)
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="HTTP" >}}

```console
$ docker run -d alpine touch /helloworld
0888269a9d584f0fa8fc96b3c0d8d57969ceea3a64acf47cd34eebb4744dbc52
$ curl --unix-socket /var/run/docker.sock\
  -X POST "http://localhost/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/commit?container=0888269a9d&repo=helloworld"
{"Id":"sha256:6c86a5cd4b87f2771648ce619e319f3e508394b5bfc2cdbd2d60f59d52acda6c"}
```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< /tabs >}}
