Docker Config Reference (docker cp)

Example 1

docker cp mycontainer:/app/config.ini .

This command copies the file "config.ini" from the "/app" directory inside the running container "mycontainer" to the current directory on the host machine, which is useful for extracting configuration files for review or backup.

Example 2

docker cp /host/path/data.txt mycontainer:/data/

This command transfers the file "data.txt" from the host's "/host/path" to the "/data/" directory within the container "mycontainer", enabling the injection of external data for processing inside the container.

Example 3

docker cp mycontainer:/logs/error.log ~/logs/

This command copies "error.log" from the container's "/logs" to the host's "~/logs/" directory, facilitating log analysis on the host system without entering the container.

Example 4

docker cp script.sh mycontainer:/usr/local/bin/

This command copies the local script "script.sh" to the container's "/usr/local/bin/" path, allowing the addition of custom executables for runtime modifications.

Example 5

docker cp mycontainer:/etc/hosts hosts_backup.txt

This command retrieves the "/etc/hosts" file from "mycontainer" and saves it as "hosts_backup.txt" on the host, supporting network configuration backups.

Example 6

docker cp -a mycontainer:/app/ ./app_backup/

This command copies the entire "/app/" directory from "mycontainer" to "./app_backup/" on the host with archive mode (-a), preserving permissions and ownership for complete directory replication.

Example 7

docker cp update.patch a1b2c3d4e5f6:/patches/

This command copies "update.patch" to the "/patches/" directory in a container identified by its partial ID "a1b2c3d4e5f6", useful when container names are unknown.

Example 8

docker cp mycontainer:/output/results.csv results.csv

This command extracts "results.csv" from the container's "/output" to the host as "results.csv", ideal for retrieving computational outputs from data processing containers.

Example 9

docker cp cert.pem mycontainer:/etc/ssl/certs/

This command transfers "cert.pem" to the container's "/etc/ssl/certs/" for SSL certificate updates, enhancing security in web service containers.

Example 10

docker cp mycontainer:/var/lib/db/data.db local_db.db

This command copies a database file "data.db" from the container to "local_db.db" on the host, enabling offline analysis or backups of persistent data.

Example 11

docker cp -L mycontainer:/symlink/file.txt .

This command copies the file referenced by "/symlink/file.txt" in "mycontainer" to the current directory, following symbolic links (-L) to retrieve the actual content.

Example 12

docker cp config.yml stoppedcontainer:/app/

This command copies "config.yml" to the "/app/" directory in a stopped container "stoppedcontainer", allowing modifications even when the container is not running.

Example 13

docker cp mycontainer:/tmp/tempfile.tmp /backup/

This command retrieves a temporary file "tempfile.tmp" from the container's "/tmp" to the host's "/backup/", useful for capturing transient data.

Example 14

docker cp assets/ mycontainer:/assets/

This command copies the entire local "assets/" directory to the container's "/assets/", supporting bulk asset transfers for media or static files.

Example 15

docker cp mycontainer:/proc/cpuinfo cpuinfo.txt

This command copies the "/proc/cpuinfo" system file from "mycontainer" to "cpuinfo.txt" on the host, for inspecting container hardware emulation.

Example 16

docker cp license.key licensedcont:/licenses/

This command injects "license.key" into "licensedcont"'s "/licenses/", enabling software licensing in restricted containers.

Example 17

docker cp mycontainer:/home/user/.ssh/id_rsa id_rsa_backup

This command extracts a private SSH key from the container to "id_rsa_backup" on the host, for key management or recovery.

Example 18

docker cp env-vars.env mycontainer:/env/

This command copies an environment file "env-vars.env" to the container's "/env/", for dynamic environment configuration.

Example 19

docker cp mycontainer:/var/www/html/index.html .

This command copies a web page "index.html" from the container to the current directory, allowing host-side editing of web content.

Example 20

docker cp -a /host/scripts/ scriptcont:/scripts/

This command archives and copies the "/host/scripts/" directory to "scriptcont"'s "/scripts/", preserving file attributes for executable scripts.

Example 21

docker cp mycontainer:/etc/nginx/nginx.conf nginx.conf

This command retrieves the Nginx configuration from the container to "nginx.conf" on the host, for external tuning.

Example 22

docker cp plugin.jar plugincont:/plugins/

This command transfers "plugin.jar" to "plugincont"'s "/plugins/", extending application functionality with plugins.

Example 23

docker cp mycontainer:/mnt/volume/data /host/volume_backup/

This command copies data from a mounted volume in "mycontainer" to the host, for volume backups.

Example 24

docker cp report.pdf reportcont:/reports/

This command copies "report.pdf" to "reportcont"'s "/reports/", injecting documents for processing or generation.

Example 25

docker cp mycontainer:/usr/bin/customtool customtool

This command extracts a custom binary "customtool" from the container to the host, for tool sharing or analysis.

Example 26

docker cp -L symlinkcont:/linked/file realfile.txt

This command follows a symlink in "symlinkcont" to copy the target "file" as "realfile.txt" on the host.

Example 27

docker cp init.sql dbcont:/init/

This command copies an SQL initialization script "init.sql" to "dbcont"'s "/init/", for database setup.

Example 28

docker cp mycontainer:/opt/app/logs/app.log /logs/

This command copies an application log from the container to the host's "/logs/", for centralized logging.

Example 29

docker cp template.html templatecont:/templates/

This command transfers "template.html" to "templatecont"'s "/templates/", for template-based rendering.

Example 30

docker cp -a mycontainer:/etc/ full_etc_backup/

This command archives and copies the entire "/etc/" directory from "mycontainer" to "full_etc_backup/" on the host, for system configuration backups.