Docker containers
Don't use the constructor directly. Instead use
from python_on_whales import docker
my_container = docker.container.inspect("my-container-name")
# for example:
if my_container.state.running:
my_container.kill()
For type hints, use this
from python_on_whales import Container
def print_dodo(container: Container):
print(container.execute(["echo", "dodo"]))
Attributes
It attributes are the same that you get with the command line:
docker container inspect ...
If you want to know the exact structure, you can go to the
docker container inspect reference page
and click on "200 no error".
An example is worth many lines of descriptions.
In [1]: from python_on_whales import docker
In [2]: container = docker.run("ubuntu", ["sleep", "infinity"], detach=True)
In [4]: def super_print(obj):
...: print(f"type={type(obj)}, value={obj}")
...:
In [4]: super_print(container.id)
type = <class 'str'>, value = 2567f0a112f6be6000cedc7d487c7af4c6489f0ceff78dd9f14e5a03a5f34877
In [5]: super_print(container.created)
type = <class 'datetime.datetime'>, value = 2025-07-14 17:09:00.088324+00:00
In [6]: super_print(container.path)
type = <class 'str'>, value = sleep
In [7]: super_print(container.args)
type = <class 'list'>, value = ['infinity']
In [8]: super_print(container.state.status)
type = <class 'str'>, value = running
In [9]: super_print(container.state.running)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = True
In [10]: super_print(container.state.paused)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False
In [11]: super_print(container.state.restarting)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False
In [12]: super_print(container.state.oom_killed)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False
In [13]: super_print(container.state.dead)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False
In [14]: super_print(container.state.pid)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 2993
In [15]: super_print(container.state.exit_code)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [16]: super_print(container.state.error)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [17]: super_print(container.state.started_at)
type = <class 'datetime.datetime'>, value = 2025-07-14 17:09:00.105014+00:00
In [18]: super_print(container.state.finished_at)
type = <class 'datetime.datetime'>, value = 0001-01-01 00:00:00+00:00
In [19]: super_print(container.state.health)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [20]: super_print(container.image)
type = <class 'str'>, value = sha256:f9248aac10f2f82e0970222e36cc7b71215b88e974e001282e5cd89797a82218
In [21]: super_print(container.resolv_conf_path)
type = <class 'str'>, value = /var/lib/docker/containers/2567f0a112f6be6000cedc7d487c7af4c6489f0ceff78dd9f14e5a03a5f34877/resolv.conf
In [22]: super_print(container.hostname_path)
type = <class 'pathlib.PosixPath'>, value = /var/lib/docker/containers/2567f0a112f6be6000cedc7d487c7af4c6489f0ceff78dd9f14e5a03a5f34877/hostname
In [23]: super_print(container.hosts_path)
type = <class 'pathlib.PosixPath'>, value = /var/lib/docker/containers/2567f0a112f6be6000cedc7d487c7af4c6489f0ceff78dd9f14e5a03a5f34877/hosts
In [24]: super_print(container.log_path)
type = <class 'pathlib.PosixPath'>, value = /var/lib/docker/containers/2567f0a112f6be6000cedc7d487c7af4c6489f0ceff78dd9f14e5a03a5f34877/2567f0a112f6be6000cedc7d487c7af4c6489f0ceff78dd9f14e5a03a5f34877-json.log
In [25]: super_print(container.node)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [26]: super_print(container.name)
type = <class 'str'>, value = zealous_wiles
In [27]: super_print(container.restart_count)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [28]: super_print(container.driver)
type = <class 'str'>, value = overlay2
In [29]: super_print(container.platform)
type = <class 'str'>, value = linux
In [30]: super_print(container.mount_label)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [31]: super_print(container.process_label)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [32]: super_print(container.app_armor_profile)
type = <class 'str'>, value = docker-default
In [33]: super_print(container.exec_ids)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [34]: super_print(container.host_config.cpu_shares)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [35]: super_print(container.host_config.memory)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [36]: super_print(container.host_config.cgroup_parent)
type = <class 'pathlib.PosixPath'>, value = .
In [37]: super_print(container.host_config.blkio_weight)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [38]: super_print(container.host_config.blkio_weight_device)
type = <class 'list'>, value = []
In [39]: super_print(container.host_config.blkio_device_read_bps)
type = <class 'list'>, value = []
In [40]: super_print(container.host_config.blkio_device_write_bps)
type = <class 'list'>, value = []
In [41]: super_print(container.host_config.blkio_device_read_iops)
type = <class 'list'>, value = []
In [42]: super_print(container.host_config.blkio_device_write_iops)
type = <class 'list'>, value = []
In [43]: super_print(container.host_config.cpu_period)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [44]: super_print(container.host_config.cpu_quota)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [45]: super_print(container.host_config.cpu_realtime_period)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [46]: super_print(container.host_config.cpu_realtime_runtime)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [47]: super_print(container.host_config.cpuset_cpus)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [48]: super_print(container.host_config.cpuset_mems)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [49]: super_print(container.host_config.devices)
type = <class 'list'>, value = []
In [50]: super_print(container.host_config.device_cgroup_rules)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [51]: super_print(container.host_config.device_requests)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [52]: super_print(container.host_config.kernel_memory)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [53]: super_print(container.host_config.kernel_memory_tcp)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [54]: super_print(container.host_config.memory_reservation)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [55]: super_print(container.host_config.memory_swap)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [56]: super_print(container.host_config.memory_swappiness)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [57]: super_print(container.host_config.nano_cpus)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [58]: super_print(container.host_config.oom_kill_disable)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [59]: super_print(container.host_config.init)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [60]: super_print(container.host_config.pids_limit)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [61]: super_print(container.host_config.ulimits)
type = <class 'list'>, value = []
In [62]: super_print(container.host_config.cpu_count)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [63]: super_print(container.host_config.cpu_percent)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [64]: super_print(container.host_config.binds)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [65]: super_print(container.host_config.container_id_file)
type = <class 'pathlib.PosixPath'>, value = .
In [66]: super_print(container.host_config.log_config.type)
type = <class 'str'>, value = json-file
In [67]: super_print(container.host_config.log_config.config)
type = <class 'dict'>, value = {}
In [68]: super_print(container.host_config.network_mode)
type = <class 'str'>, value = bridge
In [69]: super_print(container.host_config.port_bindings)
type = <class 'dict'>, value = {}
In [70]: super_print(container.host_config.restart_policy.name)
type = <class 'str'>, value = no
In [71]: super_print(container.host_config.restart_policy.maximum_retry_count)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [72]: super_print(container.host_config.auto_remove)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False
In [73]: super_print(container.host_config.volume_driver)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [74]: super_print(container.host_config.volumes_from)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [75]: super_print(container.host_config.mounts)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [76]: super_print(container.host_config.capabilities)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [77]: super_print(container.host_config.cap_add)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [78]: super_print(container.host_config.cap_drop)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [79]: super_print(container.host_config.dns)
type = <class 'list'>, value = []
In [80]: super_print(container.host_config.dns_options)
type = <class 'list'>, value = []
In [81]: super_print(container.host_config.dns_search)
type = <class 'list'>, value = []
In [82]: super_print(container.host_config.extra_hosts)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [83]: super_print(container.host_config.group_add)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [84]: super_print(container.host_config.ipc_mode)
type = <class 'str'>, value = private
In [85]: super_print(container.host_config.cgroup)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [86]: super_print(container.host_config.links)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [87]: super_print(container.host_config.oom_score_adj)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [88]: super_print(container.host_config.pid_mode)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [89]: super_print(container.host_config.privileged)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False
In [90]: super_print(container.host_config.publish_all_ports)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False
In [91]: super_print(container.host_config.readonly_rootfs)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False
In [92]: super_print(container.host_config.security_opt)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [93]: super_print(container.host_config.storage_opt)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [94]: super_print(container.host_config.tmpfs)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [95]: super_print(container.host_config.uts_mode)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [96]: super_print(container.host_config.userns_mode)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [97]: super_print(container.host_config.shm_size)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 67108864
In [98]: super_print(container.host_config.sysctls)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [99]: super_print(container.host_config.runtime)
type = <class 'str'>, value = runc
In [100]: super_print(container.host_config.console_size)
type = <class 'tuple'>, value = (0, 0)
In [101]: super_print(container.host_config.isolation)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [102]: super_print(container.host_config.masked_paths)
type = <class 'list'>, value = [PosixPath('/proc/asound'), PosixPath('/proc/acpi'), PosixPath('/proc/interrupts'), PosixPath('/proc/kcore'), PosixPath('/proc/keys'), PosixPath('/proc/latency_stats'), PosixPath('/proc/timer_list'), PosixPath('/proc/timer_stats'), PosixPath('/proc/sched_debug'), PosixPath('/proc/scsi'), PosixPath('/sys/firmware'), PosixPath('/sys/devices/virtual/powercap')]
In [103]: super_print(container.host_config.readonly_paths)
type = <class 'list'>, value = [PosixPath('/proc/bus'), PosixPath('/proc/fs'), PosixPath('/proc/irq'), PosixPath('/proc/sys'), PosixPath('/proc/sysrq-trigger')]
In [104]: super_print(container.graph_driver.name)
type = <class 'str'>, value = overlay2
In [105]: super_print(container.graph_driver.data)
type = <class 'dict'>, value = {'ID': '2567f0a112f6be6000cedc7d487c7af4c6489f0ceff78dd9f14e5a03a5f34877', 'LowerDir': '/var/lib/docker/overlay2/ff14a1e3bb2e4884ad5b71c0f4adfce013e3bd575b6cf095ece1f0eaa9502db3-init/diff:/var/lib/docker/overlay2/559d7fd4486388dd69517c0614b2af7e887a1da1aee6d441ef937399c4945b1d/diff', 'MergedDir': '/var/lib/docker/overlay2/ff14a1e3bb2e4884ad5b71c0f4adfce013e3bd575b6cf095ece1f0eaa9502db3/merged', 'UpperDir': '/var/lib/docker/overlay2/ff14a1e3bb2e4884ad5b71c0f4adfce013e3bd575b6cf095ece1f0eaa9502db3/diff', 'WorkDir': '/var/lib/docker/overlay2/ff14a1e3bb2e4884ad5b71c0f4adfce013e3bd575b6cf095ece1f0eaa9502db3/work'}
In [106]: super_print(container.size_rw)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [107]: super_print(container.size_root_fs)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [108]: super_print(container.mounts)
type = <class 'list'>, value = []
In [109]: super_print(container.config.hostname)
type = <class 'str'>, value = 2567f0a112f6
In [110]: super_print(container.config.domainname)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [111]: super_print(container.config.user)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [112]: super_print(container.config.attach_stdin)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False
In [113]: super_print(container.config.attach_stdout)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False
In [114]: super_print(container.config.attach_stderr)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False
In [115]: super_print(container.config.exposed_ports)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [116]: super_print(container.config.tty)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False
In [117]: super_print(container.config.open_stdin)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False
In [118]: super_print(container.config.stdin_once)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False
In [119]: super_print(container.config.env)
type = <class 'list'>, value = ['PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin']
In [120]: super_print(container.config.cmd)
type = <class 'list'>, value = ['sleep', 'infinity']
In [121]: super_print(container.config.healthcheck)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [122]: super_print(container.config.args_escaped)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [123]: super_print(container.config.image)
type = <class 'str'>, value = ubuntu
In [124]: super_print(container.config.volumes)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [125]: super_print(container.config.working_dir)
type = <class 'pathlib.PosixPath'>, value = .
In [126]: super_print(container.config.entrypoint)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [127]: super_print(container.config.network_disabled)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [128]: super_print(container.config.mac_address)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [129]: super_print(container.config.on_build)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [130]: super_print(container.config.labels)
type = <class 'dict'>, value = {'org.opencontainers.image.ref.name': 'ubuntu', 'org.opencontainers.image.version': '24.04'}
In [131]: super_print(container.config.stop_signal)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [132]: super_print(container.config.stop_timeout)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [133]: super_print(container.config.shell)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [134]: super_print(container.network_settings.bridge)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [135]: super_print(container.network_settings.sandbox_id)
type = <class 'str'>, value = 574fc392549604f2572be685f98e3d04aebc5f7c2e47e8f83334186b3cccb2b1
In [136]: super_print(container.network_settings.hairpin_mode)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False
In [137]: super_print(container.network_settings.link_local_ipv6_address)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [138]: super_print(container.network_settings.link_local_ipv6_prefix_length)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [139]: super_print(container.network_settings.ports)
type = <class 'dict'>, value = {}
In [140]: super_print(container.network_settings.sandbox_key)
type = <class 'pathlib.PosixPath'>, value = /var/run/docker/netns/574fc3925496
In [141]: super_print(container.network_settings.secondary_ip_addresses)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [142]: super_print(container.network_settings.secondary_ipv6_addresses)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None
In [143]: super_print(container.network_settings.endpoint_id)
type = <class 'str'>, value = 4043d6603279a6aa0ba1e7a6e94117d103a4af1b02a28b198dd155822380a498
In [144]: super_print(container.network_settings.gateway)
type = <class 'str'>, value = 172.17.0.1
In [145]: super_print(container.network_settings.global_ipv6_address)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [146]: super_print(container.network_settings.global_ipv6_prefix_length)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 0
In [147]: super_print(container.network_settings.ip_address)
type = <class 'str'>, value = 172.17.0.2
In [148]: super_print(container.network_settings.ip_prefix_length)
type = <class 'int'>, value = 16
In [149]: super_print(container.network_settings.ipv6_gateway)
type = <class 'str'>, value =
In [150]: super_print(container.network_settings.mac_address)
type = <class 'str'>, value = 1a:c0:58:8a:51:e8
In [151]: super_print(container.network_settings.networks)
type = <class 'dict'>, value = {'bridge': NetworkInspectResult(ipam_config=None, links=None, aliases=None, network_id='d70dfb8772f0c3df7c0c2ef7fd062a653a7113dbdeb7f8f157a484565002e9f7', endpoint_id='4043d6603279a6aa0ba1e7a6e94117d103a4af1b02a28b198dd155822380a498', gateway='172.17.0.1', ip_address='172.17.0.2', ip_prefix_length=16, ipv6_gateway='', global_ipv6_address='', global_ipv6_prefix_length=0, mac_address='1a:c0:58:8a:51:e8', driver_options=None)}
Methods
Container
attach
attach(detach_keys=None, stdin=True, sig_proxy=True)
Attach local standard input, output, and error streams to a running container.
Alias: docker.attach(...)
See the docker.container.attach command for
information about the arguments.
commit
commit(tag=None, author=None, message=None, pause=True)
Create a new image from the container's changes.
Alias: docker.commit(...)
See the docker.container.commit command for
information about the arguments.
diff
diff()
Returns the diff of this container filesystem.
See the docker.container.diff command for
information about the arguments.
execute
execute(command, detach=False, envs={}, env_files=(), interactive=False, privileged=False, tty=False, user=None, workdir=None, stream=False, detach_keys=None)
Execute a command in this container
See the docker.container.execute
command for information about the arguments.
exists
exists()
Returns True if the docker container exists and False if it doesn't exists.
If it doesn't exists, it most likely mean that it was removed.
See the docker.container.exists command for information about the arguments.
export
export(output)
Export this container filesystem.
See the docker.container.export command for
information about the arguments.
kill
kill(signal=None)
Kill this container
See the docker.container.kill command for
information about the arguments.
logs
logs(*, details=False, since=None, tail=None, timestamps=False, until=None)
Returns the logs of the container
See the docker.container.logs command for
information about the arguments.
pause
pause()
Pause this container.
See the docker.container.pause command for
information about the arguments.
remove
remove(force=False, volumes=False)
Remove this container.
See the docker.container.remove command for
information about the arguments.
rename
rename(new_name)
Rename this container
See the docker.container.rename command for
information about the arguments.
restart
restart(time=None)
Restarts this container.
See the docker.container.restart command for
information about the arguments.
start
start(attach=False, interactive=False, stream=False, detach_keys=None)
Starts this container.
See the docker.container.start command for
information about the arguments.
stop
stop(time=None)
Stops this container.
See the docker.container.stop command for
information about the arguments.
unpause
unpause()
Unpause the container
See the docker.container.unpause command for
information about the arguments.