remove docker images

Removing Docker images from your system can be an easy task when you need to free up disk space. The following step by step guide will walk you through how to make this happen.

Understanding Docker Images

Docker images are a portable and lightweight software package that includes everything needed to run an application. They’re an essential part of working with containers in Docker, but they take up disk space. Removing unused or unnecessary Docker images helps in managing resources efficiently.

Steps to Remove Docker Images

1. List All Docker Images

Before you can remove a Docker image, you need to know what images you have on your system. Run the following command in your terminal:

docker images

This command will show you a list of all Docker images on your system, along with their ID, repository, and size.

2. Identify the Docker Image to be Removed

After running the “docker images” command, you’re now equipped with the required data to delete Docker images. The Docker Image ID is important as it’s needed to identify the image you want to remove.

3. Removing Docker Images

To delete a Docker image, you use the “docker rmi” command followed by the image ID. The command is as follows:

docker rmi [image_id]

For example, if the Docker image ID is “abcd1234”, you would run:

docker rmi abcd1234

After running this command, the Docker image with the specified ID will be removed from your system.

4. Removing All Docker Images

If you need to remove all Docker images at once, use the following command:

docker rmi $(docker images -q)

This command will list all image IDs (“-q” stands for quiet, which translates to concise output), and delete them.

Conclusion

Managing Docker images by removing unnecessary or unused ones is crucial in efficient resource utilization. By listing out the Docker images in your system and identifying the correct Docker Image IDs, you can easily delete them as needed either individually or all at once.