events

Get real time events from the server

Aliases

docker system events, docker events

Options

NameTypeDefaultDescription
-f, --filterfilterFilter output based on conditions provided
--formatstringFormat output using a custom template:
‘json’: Print in JSON format
‘TEMPLATE’: Print output using the given Go template.
Refer to https://docs.docker.com/go/formatting/ for more information about formatting output with templates
--sincestringShow all events created since timestamp
--untilstringStream events until this timestamp

Description

Use docker events to get real-time events from the server. These events differ per Docker object type. Different event types have different scopes. Local scoped events are only seen on the node they take place on, and Swarm scoped events are seen on all managers.

Only the last 256 log events are returned. You can use filters to further limit the number of events returned.

Object types

Containers

Docker containers report the following events:

  • attach
  • commit
  • copy
  • create
  • destroy
  • detach
  • die
  • exec_create
  • exec_detach
  • exec_die
  • exec_start
  • export
  • health_status
  • kill
  • oom
  • pause
  • rename
  • resize
  • restart
  • start
  • stop
  • top
  • unpause
  • update

Images

Docker images report the following events:

  • delete
  • import
  • load
  • pull
  • push
  • save
  • tag
  • untag

Plugins

Docker plugins report the following events:

  • enable
  • disable
  • install
  • remove

Volumes

Docker volumes report the following events:

  • create
  • destroy
  • mount
  • unmount

Networks

Docker networks report the following events:

  • create
  • connect
  • destroy
  • disconnect
  • remove

Daemons

Docker daemons report the following events:

  • reload

Services

Docker services report the following events:

  • create
  • remove
  • update

Nodes

Docker nodes report the following events:

  • create
  • remove
  • update

Secrets

Docker secrets report the following events:

  • create
  • remove
  • update

Configs

Docker configs report the following events:

  • create
  • remove
  • update

Limiting, filtering, and formatting the output

Limit events by time (--since, --until)

The --since and --until parameters can be Unix timestamps, date formatted timestamps, or Go duration strings supported by ParseDuration (e.g. 10m, 1h30m) computed relative to the client machine’s time. If you do not provide the --since option, the command returns only new and/or live events. Supported formats for date formatted time stamps include RFC3339Nano, RFC3339, 2006-01-02T15:04:05, 2006-01-02T15:04:05.999999999, 2006-01-02T07:00, and 2006-01-02. The local timezone on the client will be used if you do not provide either a Z or a +-00:00 timezone offset at the end of the timestamp. When providing Unix timestamps enter seconds[.nanoseconds], where seconds is the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970 (midnight UTC/GMT), not counting leap seconds (aka Unix epoch or Unix time), and the optional .nanoseconds field is a fraction of a second no more than nine digits long.

Only the last 256 log events are returned. You can use filters to further limit the number of events returned.

Filtering (--filter)

The filtering flag (-f or --filter) format is of “key=value”. If you would like to use multiple filters, pass multiple flags (e.g., --filter "foo=bar" --filter "bif=baz")

Using the same filter multiple times is interpreted as a logical OR; for example, --filter container=588a23dac085 --filter container=a8f7720b8c22 displays events for container 588a23dac085 or container a8f7720b8c22.

Using multiple filters is interpreted as a logical AND; for example, --filter container=588a23dac085 --filter event=start displays events for container 588a23dac085 and where the event type is start.

The currently supported filters are:

  • config (config=<name or id>)
  • container (container=<name or id>)
  • daemon (daemon=<name or id>)
  • event (event=<event action>)
  • image (image=<repository or tag>)
  • label (label=<key> or label=<key>=<value>)
  • network (network=<name or id>)
  • node (node=<id>)
  • plugin (plugin=<name or id>)
  • scope (scope=<local or swarm>)
  • secret (secret=<name or id>)
  • service (service=<name or id>)
  • type (type=<container or image or volume or network or daemon or plugin or service or node or secret or config>)
  • volume (volume=<name>)

Format the output (--format)

If you specify a format (--format), the given template is executed instead of the default format. Go's text/template package describes all the details of the format.

If a format is set to {{json .}}, events are streamed in the JSON Lines format. For information about JSON Lines, see https://jsonlines.org/.

Examples

Basic example

You'll need two shells for this example.

Shell 1: Listening for events:

$ docker events

Shell 2: Start and Stop containers:

$ docker create --name test alpine:latest top
$ docker start test
$ docker stop test

Shell 1: (Again .. now showing events):

2017-01-05T00:35:58.859401177+08:00 container create 0fdb48addc82871eb34eb23a847cfd033dedd1a0a37bef2e6d9eb3870fc7ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:04.703631903+08:00 network connect e2e1f5ceda09d4300f3a846f0acfaa9a8bb0d89e775eb744c5acecd60e0529e2 (container=0fdb...ff37, name=bridge, type=bridge)
2017-01-05T00:36:04.795031609+08:00 container start 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.830268747+08:00 container kill 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test, signal=15)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.840186338+08:00 container die 0fdb...ff37 (exitCode=143, image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.880113663+08:00 network disconnect e2e...29e2 (container=0fdb...ff37, name=bridge, type=bridge)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.890214053+08:00 container stop 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)

To exit the docker events command, use CTRL+C.

Filter events by time

You can filter the output by an absolute timestamp or relative time on the host machine, using the following different time formats:

$ docker events --since 1483283804
2017-01-05T00:35:41.241772953+08:00 volume create testVol (driver=local)
2017-01-05T00:35:58.859401177+08:00 container create d9cd...4d70 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:04.703631903+08:00 network connect e2e1...29e2 (container=0fdb...ff37, name=bridge, type=bridge)
2017-01-05T00:36:04.795031609+08:00 container start 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.830268747+08:00 container kill 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test, signal=15)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.840186338+08:00 container die 0fdb...ff37 (exitCode=143, image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.880113663+08:00 network disconnect e2e...29e2 (container=0fdb...ff37, name=bridge, type=bridge)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.890214053+08:00 container stop 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)

$ docker events --since '2017-01-05'
2017-01-05T00:35:41.241772953+08:00 volume create testVol (driver=local)
2017-01-05T00:35:58.859401177+08:00 container create d9cd...4d70 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:04.703631903+08:00 network connect e2e1...29e2 (container=0fdb...ff37, name=bridge, type=bridge)
2017-01-05T00:36:04.795031609+08:00 container start 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.830268747+08:00 container kill 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test, signal=15)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.840186338+08:00 container die 0fdb...ff37 (exitCode=143, image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.880113663+08:00 network disconnect e2e...29e2 (container=0fdb...ff37, name=bridge, type=bridge)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.890214053+08:00 container stop 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)

$ docker events --since '2013-09-03T15:49:29'
2017-01-05T00:35:41.241772953+08:00 volume create testVol (driver=local)
2017-01-05T00:35:58.859401177+08:00 container create d9cd...4d70 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:04.703631903+08:00 network connect e2e1...29e2 (container=0fdb...ff37, name=bridge, type=bridge)
2017-01-05T00:36:04.795031609+08:00 container start 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.830268747+08:00 container kill 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test, signal=15)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.840186338+08:00 container die 0fdb...ff37 (exitCode=143, image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.880113663+08:00 network disconnect e2e...29e2 (container=0fdb...ff37, name=bridge, type=bridge)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.890214053+08:00 container stop 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)

$ docker events --since '10m'
2017-01-05T00:35:41.241772953+08:00 volume create testVol (driver=local)
2017-01-05T00:35:58.859401177+08:00 container create d9cd...4d70 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:04.703631903+08:00 network connect e2e1...29e2 (container=0fdb...ff37, name=bridge, type=bridge)
2017-01-05T00:36:04.795031609+08:00 container start 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.830268747+08:00 container kill 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test, signal=15)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.840186338+08:00 container die 0fdb...ff37 (exitCode=143, image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.880113663+08:00 network disconnect e2e...29e2 (container=0fdb...ff37, name=bridge, type=bridge)
2017-01-05T00:36:09.890214053+08:00 container stop 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)

$ docker events --since '2017-01-05T00:35:30' --until '2017-01-05T00:36:05'
2017-01-05T00:35:41.241772953+08:00 volume create testVol (driver=local)
2017-01-05T00:35:58.859401177+08:00 container create d9cd...4d70 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:36:04.703631903+08:00 network connect e2e1...29e2 (container=0fdb...ff37, name=bridge, type=bridge)
2017-01-05T00:36:04.795031609+08:00 container start 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)

Filter events by criteria

The following commands show several different ways to filter the docker event output.

$ docker events --filter 'event=stop'

2017-01-05T00:40:22.880175420+08:00 container stop 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:41:17.888104182+08:00 container stop 2a8f...4e78 (image=alpine, name=kickass_brattain)

$ docker events --filter 'image=alpine'

2017-01-05T00:41:55.784240236+08:00 container create d9cd...4d70 (image=alpine, name=happy_meitner)
2017-01-05T00:41:55.913156783+08:00 container start d9cd...4d70 (image=alpine, name=happy_meitner)
2017-01-05T00:42:01.106875249+08:00 container kill d9cd...4d70 (image=alpine, name=happy_meitner, signal=15)
2017-01-05T00:42:11.111934041+08:00 container kill d9cd...4d70 (image=alpine, name=happy_meitner, signal=9)
2017-01-05T00:42:11.119578204+08:00 container die d9cd...4d70 (exitCode=137, image=alpine, name=happy_meitner)
2017-01-05T00:42:11.173276611+08:00 container stop d9cd...4d70 (image=alpine, name=happy_meitner)

$ docker events --filter 'container=test'

2017-01-05T00:43:00.139719934+08:00 container start 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:43:09.259951086+08:00 container kill 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test, signal=15)
2017-01-05T00:43:09.270102715+08:00 container die 0fdb...ff37 (exitCode=143, image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:43:09.312556440+08:00 container stop 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)

$ docker events --filter 'container=test' --filter 'container=d9cdb1525ea8'

2017-01-05T00:44:11.517071981+08:00 container start 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:44:17.685870901+08:00 container start d9cd...4d70 (image=alpine, name=happy_meitner)
2017-01-05T00:44:29.757658470+08:00 container kill 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test, signal=9)
2017-01-05T00:44:29.767718510+08:00 container die 0fdb...ff37 (exitCode=137, image=alpine:latest, name=test)
2017-01-05T00:44:29.815798344+08:00 container destroy 0fdb...ff37 (image=alpine:latest, name=test)

$ docker events --filter 'container=test' --filter 'event=stop'

2017-01-05T00:46:13.664099505+08:00 container stop a9d1...e130 (image=alpine, name=test)

$ docker events --filter 'type=volume'

2015-12-23T21:05:28.136212689Z volume create test-event-volume-local (driver=local)
2015-12-23T21:05:28.383462717Z volume mount test-event-volume-local (read/write=true, container=562f...5025, destination=/foo, driver=local, propagation=rprivate)
2015-12-23T21:05:28.650314265Z volume unmount test-event-volume-local (container=562f...5025, driver=local)
2015-12-23T21:05:28.716218405Z volume destroy test-event-volume-local (driver=local)

$ docker events --filter 'type=network'

2015-12-23T21:38:24.705709133Z network create 8b11...2c5b (name=test-event-network-local, type=bridge)
2015-12-23T21:38:25.119625123Z network connect 8b11...2c5b (name=test-event-network-local, container=b4be...c54e, type=bridge)

$ docker events --filter 'container=container_1' --filter 'container=container_2'

2014-09-03T15:49:29.999999999Z07:00 container die 4386fb97867d (image=ubuntu:24.04)
2014-05-10T17:42:14.999999999Z07:00 container stop 4386fb97867d (image=ubuntu:24.04)
2014-05-10T17:42:14.999999999Z07:00 container die 7805c1d35632 (imager=redis:7.2)
2014-09-03T15:49:29.999999999Z07:00 container stop 7805c1d35632 (image=redis:7.2)

$ docker events --filter 'type=volume'

2015-12-23T21:05:28.136212689Z volume create test-event-volume-local (driver=local)
2015-12-23T21:05:28.383462717Z volume mount test-event-volume-local (read/write=true, container=562fe10671e9273da25eed36cdce26159085ac7ee6707105fd534866340a5025, destination=/foo, driver=local, propagation=rprivate)
2015-12-23T21:05:28.650314265Z volume unmount test-event-volume-local (container=562fe10671e9273da25eed36cdce26159085ac7ee6707105fd534866340a5025, driver=local)
2015-12-23T21:05:28.716218405Z volume destroy test-event-volume-local (driver=local)

$ docker events --filter 'type=network'

2015-12-23T21:38:24.705709133Z network create 8b111217944ba0ba844a65b13efcd57dc494932ee2527577758f939315ba2c5b (name=test-event-network-local, type=bridge)
2015-12-23T21:38:25.119625123Z network connect 8b111217944ba0ba844a65b13efcd57dc494932ee2527577758f939315ba2c5b (name=test-event-network-local, container=b4be644031a3d90b400f88ab3d4bdf4dc23adb250e696b6328b85441abe2c54e, type=bridge)

$ docker events --filter 'type=plugin'

2016-07-25T17:30:14.825557616Z plugin pull ec7b87f2ce84330fe076e666f17dfc049d2d7ae0b8190763de94e1f2d105993f (name=tiborvass/sample-volume-plugin:latest)
2016-07-25T17:30:14.888127370Z plugin enable ec7b87f2ce84330fe076e666f17dfc049d2d7ae0b8190763de94e1f2d105993f (name=tiborvass/sample-volume-plugin:latest)

$ docker events -f type=service

2017-07-12T06:34:07.999446625Z service create wj64st89fzgchxnhiqpn8p4oj (name=reverent_albattani)
2017-07-12T06:34:21.405496207Z service remove wj64st89fzgchxnhiqpn8p4oj (name=reverent_albattani)

$ docker events -f type=node

2017-07-12T06:21:51.951586759Z node update 3xyz5ttp1a253q74z1thwywk9 (name=ip-172-31-23-42, state.new=ready, state.old=unknown)

$ docker events -f type=secret

2017-07-12T06:32:13.915704367Z secret create s8o6tmlnndrgzbmdilyy5ymju (name=new_secret)
2017-07-12T06:32:37.052647783Z secret remove s8o6tmlnndrgzbmdilyy5ymju (name=new_secret)

$  docker events -f type=config
2017-07-12T06:44:13.349037127Z config create u96zlvzdfsyb9sg4mhyxfh3rl (name=abc)
2017-07-12T06:44:36.327694184Z config remove u96zlvzdfsyb9sg4mhyxfh3rl (name=abc)

$ docker events --filter 'scope=swarm'

2017-07-10T07:46:50.250024503Z service create m8qcxu8081woyof7w3jaax6gk (name=affectionate_wilson)
2017-07-10T07:47:31.093797134Z secret create 6g5pufzsv438p9tbvl9j94od4 (name=new_secret)

Format the output

$ docker events --filter 'type=container' --format 'Type={{.Type}}  Status={{.Status}}  ID={{.ID}}'

Type=container  Status=create  ID=2ee349dac409e97974ce8d01b70d250b85e0ba8189299c126a87812311951e26
Type=container  Status=attach  ID=2ee349dac409e97974ce8d01b70d250b85e0ba8189299c126a87812311951e26
Type=container  Status=start  ID=2ee349dac409e97974ce8d01b70d250b85e0ba8189299c126a87812311951e26
Type=container  Status=resize  ID=2ee349dac409e97974ce8d01b70d250b85e0ba8189299c126a87812311951e26
Type=container  Status=die  ID=2ee349dac409e97974ce8d01b70d250b85e0ba8189299c126a87812311951e26
Type=container  Status=destroy  ID=2ee349dac409e97974ce8d01b70d250b85e0ba8189299c126a87812311951e26

Format as JSON

To list events in JSON format, use the json directive, which is the same --format '{{ json . }}.

$ docker events --format json

{"status":"create","id":"196016a57679bf42424484918746a9474cd905dd993c4d0f4..
{"status":"attach","id":"196016a57679bf42424484918746a9474cd905dd993c4d0f4..
{"Type":"network","Action":"connect","Actor":{"ID":"1b50a5bf755f6021dfa78e..
{"status":"start","id":"196016a57679bf42424484918746a9474cd905dd993c4d0f42..
{"status":"resize","id":"196016a57679bf42424484918746a9474cd905dd993c4d0f4..