---
title: "wait"
description: "The wait command description and usage"
keywords: "container, stop, wait"
---

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# wait

```markdown
Usage:  docker wait CONTAINER [CONTAINER...]

Block until one or more containers stop, then print their exit codes

Options:
      --help        Print usage
```

> **Note**: `docker wait` returns `0` when run against a container which had
> already exited before the `docker wait` command was run.

## Examples

Start a container in the background.

```bash
$ docker run -dit --name=my_container ubuntu bash
```

Run `docker wait`, which should block until the container exits.

```bash
$ docker wait my_container
```

In another terminal, stop the first container. The `docker wait` command above
returns the exit code.

```bash
$ docker stop my_container
```

This is the same `docker wait` command from above, but it now exits, returning
`0`.

```bash
$ docker wait my_container

0
```