DOCKER(1) Docker User Manuals DOCKER(1)
NAME
docker-container-commit - Create a new image from a container's changes
SYNOPSIS
docker container commit [OPTIONS] CONTAINER [REPOSITORY[:TAG]]
DESCRIPTION
Create a new image from an existing container specified by name or con-
tainer ID. The new image will contain the contents of the container
filesystem, excluding any data volumes. Refer to docker-tag(1) for more
information about valid image and tag names.
While the docker commit command is a convenient way of extending an ex-
isting image, you should prefer the use of a Dockerfile and docker
build for generating images that you intend to share with other people.
EXAMPLES
Creating a new image from an existing container
An existing Fedora based container has had Apache installed while run-
ning in interactive mode with the bash shell. Apache is also running.
To create a new image run docker ps to find the container's ID and then
run:
$ docker commit -m="Added Apache to Fedora base image" \
-a="A D Ministrator" 98bd7fc99854 fedora/fedora_httpd:20
Note that only a-z0-9-_. are allowed when naming images from an exist-
ing container.
Apply specified Dockerfile instructions while committing the image
If an existing container was created without the DEBUG environment
variable set to "true", you can create a new image based on that con-
tainer by first getting the container's ID with docker ps and then run-
ning:
$ docker container commit -c="ENV DEBUG=true" 98bd7fc99854 debug-image
OPTIONS
-a, --author="" Author (e.g., "John Hannibal Smith hannibal@a-
team.com ⟨mailto:hannibal@a-team.com⟩")
-c, --change= Apply Dockerfile instruction to the created image
-m, --message="" Commit message
--no-pause[=false] Disable pausing container during commit
SEE ALSO
docker-container(1)
Docker Community Apr 2026 DOCKER(1)
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