docker-top

Display the running processes of a container

TLDR

Show running processes in container

$ docker top [container]

Show with BSD-style ps options (full info)

$ docker top [container] aux

Show with specific columns

$ docker top [container] -o pid,user,comm

Use container ID instead of name

$ docker top [container_id]

SYNOPSIS

docker top CONTAINER [ps OPTIONS]

docker top displays the processes running inside a container by querying the host's process list and filtering for that container's namespace. It is conceptually the same as docker container top and accepts arbitrary ps(1) options to control the output format.The container must be running; stopped containers cannot be inspected with this command. Output reflects the host's view of the processes (host PIDs), not the in-container PIDs.

PARAMETERS

CONTAINER

Name or ID of a running container.

ps OPTIONS

Optional ps(1) flags forwarded to the host's ps to format output (e.g., `aux`, `-eo pid,comm`).

INSTALL

sudo apt install docker-cli

sudo dnf install docker-cli

sudo pacman -S docker

sudo apk add docker-cli

sudo zypper install docker

brew install docker

nix profile install nixpkgs#docker

CAVEATS

Process IDs shown are the host's PIDs, not the PIDs as seen from inside the container. The available ps options depend on the host's ps implementation (procps on Linux). Does not work on Windows containers in the same way.