docs/reference/commandline/version.md - external/github.com/docker/cli - Git at Google

 # version

 <!---MARKER_GEN_START-->
 Show the Docker version information

 ### Options

 | Name                                   | Type     | Default | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
 |:---------------------------------------|:---------|:--------|:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 | [`-f`](#format), [`--format`](#format) | `string` |         | Format output using a custom template:<br>'json':             Print in JSON format<br>'TEMPLATE':         Print output using the given Go template.<br>Refer to https://docs.docker.com/go/formatting/ for more information about formatting output with templates |


 <!---MARKER_GEN_END-->

 ## Description

 The version command prints the current version number for all independently
 versioned Docker components. Use the [`--format`](#format) option to customize
 the output.

 The version command (`docker version`) outputs the version numbers of Docker
 components, while the `--version` flag (`docker --version`) outputs the version
 number of the Docker CLI you are using.

 ### Default output

 The default output renders all version information divided into two sections;
 the `Client` section contains information about the Docker CLI and client
 components, and the `Server` section contains information about the Docker
 Engine and components used by the Docker Engine, such as the containerd and runc
 OCI Runtimes.

 The information shown may differ depending on how you installed Docker and
 what components are in use. The following example shows the output on a macOS
 machine running Docker Desktop:

 ```console
 $ docker version

 Client: Docker Engine - Community
  Version:           28.5.1
  API version:       1.51
  Go version:        go1.24.8
  Git commit:        e180ab8
  Built:             Wed Oct  8 12:16:17 2025
  OS/Arch:           darwin/arm64
  Context:           remote-test-server

 Server: Docker Desktop 4.19.0 (12345)
  Engine:
   Version:          27.5.1
   API version:      1.47 (minimum version 1.24)
   Go version:       go1.22.11
   Git commit:       4c9b3b0
   Built:            Wed Jan 22 13:41:24 2025
   OS/Arch:          linux/amd64
   Experimental:     true
  containerd:
   Version:          v1.7.25
   GitCommit:        bcc810d6b9066471b0b6fa75f557a15a1cbf31bb
  runc:
   Version:          1.2.4
   GitCommit:        v1.2.4-0-g6c52b3f
  docker-init:
   Version:          0.19.0
   GitCommit:        de40ad0
 ```

 ### Client and server versions

 Docker uses a client/server architecture, which allows you to use the Docker CLI
 on your local machine to control a Docker Engine running on a remote machine,
 which can be (for example) a machine running in the cloud or inside a virtual machine.

 The following example switches the Docker CLI to use a [context](context.md)
 named `remote-test-server`, which runs an older version of the Docker Engine
 on a Linux server:

 ```console
 $ docker context use remote-test-server
 remote-test-server

 $ docker version

 Client: Docker Engine - Community
  Version:           28.5.1
  API version:       1.51
  Go version:        go1.24.8
  Git commit:        e180ab8
  Built:             Wed Oct  8 12:16:17 2025
  OS/Arch:           darwin/arm64
  Context:           remote-test-server

 Server: Docker Engine - Community
  Engine:
   Version:          27.5.1
   API version:      1.47 (minimum version 1.24)
   Go version:       go1.22.11
   Git commit:       4c9b3b0
   Built:            Wed Jan 22 13:41:24 2025
   OS/Arch:          linux/amd64
   Experimental:     true
  containerd:
   Version:          v1.7.25
   GitCommit:        bcc810d6b9066471b0b6fa75f557a15a1cbf31bb
  runc:
   Version:          1.2.4
   GitCommit:        v1.2.4-0-g6c52b3f
  docker-init:
   Version:          0.19.0
   GitCommit:        de40ad0
 ```

 ### API version and version negotiation

 The API version used by the client depends on the Docker Engine that the Docker
 CLI is connecting with. When connecting with the Docker Engine, the Docker CLI
 and Docker Engine perform API version negotiation, and select the highest API
 version that is supported by both the Docker CLI and the Docker Engine.

 For example, if the CLI is connecting with Docker Engine version 27.5, it downgrades
 to API version 1.47 (refer to the [API version matrix](https://docs.docker.com/reference/api/engine/#api-version-matrix)
 to learn about the supported API versions for Docker Engine):

 ```console
 $ docker version --format '{{.Client.APIVersion}}'

 1.47
 ```

 Be aware that API version can also be overridden using the `DOCKER_API_VERSION`
 environment variable, which can be useful for debugging purposes, and disables
 API version negotiation. The following example illustrates an environment where
 the `DOCKER_API_VERSION` environment variable is set. Unsetting the environment
 variable removes the override, and re-enables API version negotiation:

 ```console
 $ env | grep DOCKER_API_VERSION
 DOCKER_API_VERSION=1.50

 $ docker version --format '{{.Client.APIVersion}}'
 1.50

 $ unset DOCKER_API_VERSION
 $ docker version --format '{{.Client.APIVersion}}'
 1.51
 ```

 ## Examples

 ### <a name="format"></a> Format the output (--format)

 The formatting option (`--format`) pretty-prints the output using a Go template,
 which allows you to customize the output format, or to obtain specific information
 from the output. Refer to the [format command and log output](https://docs.docker.com/config/formatting/)
 page for details of the format.

 ### Get the server version

 ```console
 $ docker version --format '{{.Server.Version}}'

 28.5.1
 ```

 ### Get the client API version

 The following example prints the API version that is used by the client:

 ```console
 $ docker version --format '{{.Client.APIVersion}}'

 1.51
 ```

 The version shown is the API version that is negotiated between the client
 and the Docker Engine. Refer to [API version and version negotiation](#api-version-and-version-negotiation)
 above for more information.

 ### Dump raw JSON data

 ```console
 $ docker version --format '{{json .}}'

 {"Client":"Version":"28.5.1","ApiVersion":"1.51", ...}
 ```
	# version

	<!---MARKER_GEN_START-->
	Show the Docker version information

	### Options

	\| Name \| Type \| Default \| Description \|
	\|:---------------------------------------\|:---------\|:--------\|:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\|
	\| [`-f`](#format), [`--format`](#format) \| `string` \| \| Format output using a custom template:<br>'json': Print in JSON format<br>'TEMPLATE': Print output using the given Go template.<br>Refer to https://docs.docker.com/go/formatting/ for more information about formatting output with templates \|


	<!---MARKER_GEN_END-->

	## Description

	The version command prints the current version number for all independently
	versioned Docker components. Use the [`--format`](#format) option to customize
	the output.

	The version command (`docker version`) outputs the version numbers of Docker
	components, while the `--version` flag (`docker --version`) outputs the version
	number of the Docker CLI you are using.

	### Default output

	The default output renders all version information divided into two sections;
	the `Client` section contains information about the Docker CLI and client
	components, and the `Server` section contains information about the Docker
	Engine and components used by the Docker Engine, such as the containerd and runc
	OCI Runtimes.

	The information shown may differ depending on how you installed Docker and
	what components are in use. The following example shows the output on a macOS
	machine running Docker Desktop:

	```console
	$ docker version

	Client: Docker Engine - Community
	Version: 28.5.1
	API version: 1.51
	Go version: go1.24.8
	Git commit: e180ab8
	Built: Wed Oct 8 12:16:17 2025
	OS/Arch: darwin/arm64
	Context: remote-test-server

	Server: Docker Desktop 4.19.0 (12345)
	Engine:
	Version: 27.5.1
	API version: 1.47 (minimum version 1.24)
	Go version: go1.22.11
	Git commit: 4c9b3b0
	Built: Wed Jan 22 13:41:24 2025
	OS/Arch: linux/amd64
	Experimental: true
	containerd:
	Version: v1.7.25
	GitCommit: bcc810d6b9066471b0b6fa75f557a15a1cbf31bb
	runc:
	Version: 1.2.4
	GitCommit: v1.2.4-0-g6c52b3f
	docker-init:
	Version: 0.19.0
	GitCommit: de40ad0
	```

	### Client and server versions

	Docker uses a client/server architecture, which allows you to use the Docker CLI
	on your local machine to control a Docker Engine running on a remote machine,
	which can be (for example) a machine running in the cloud or inside a virtual machine.

	The following example switches the Docker CLI to use a [context](context.md)
	named `remote-test-server`, which runs an older version of the Docker Engine
	on a Linux server:

	```console
	$ docker context use remote-test-server
	remote-test-server

	$ docker version

	Client: Docker Engine - Community
	Version: 28.5.1
	API version: 1.51
	Go version: go1.24.8
	Git commit: e180ab8
	Built: Wed Oct 8 12:16:17 2025
	OS/Arch: darwin/arm64
	Context: remote-test-server

	Server: Docker Engine - Community
	Engine:
	Version: 27.5.1
	API version: 1.47 (minimum version 1.24)
	Go version: go1.22.11
	Git commit: 4c9b3b0
	Built: Wed Jan 22 13:41:24 2025
	OS/Arch: linux/amd64
	Experimental: true
	containerd:
	Version: v1.7.25
	GitCommit: bcc810d6b9066471b0b6fa75f557a15a1cbf31bb
	runc:
	Version: 1.2.4
	GitCommit: v1.2.4-0-g6c52b3f
	docker-init:
	Version: 0.19.0
	GitCommit: de40ad0
	```

	### API version and version negotiation

	The API version used by the client depends on the Docker Engine that the Docker
	CLI is connecting with. When connecting with the Docker Engine, the Docker CLI
	and Docker Engine perform API version negotiation, and select the highest API
	version that is supported by both the Docker CLI and the Docker Engine.

	For example, if the CLI is connecting with Docker Engine version 27.5, it downgrades
	to API version 1.47 (refer to the [API version matrix](https://docs.docker.com/reference/api/engine/#api-version-matrix)
	to learn about the supported API versions for Docker Engine):

	```console
	$ docker version --format '{{.Client.APIVersion}}'

	1.47
	```

	Be aware that API version can also be overridden using the `DOCKER_API_VERSION`
	environment variable, which can be useful for debugging purposes, and disables
	API version negotiation. The following example illustrates an environment where
	the `DOCKER_API_VERSION` environment variable is set. Unsetting the environment
	variable removes the override, and re-enables API version negotiation:

	```console
	$ env \| grep DOCKER_API_VERSION
	DOCKER_API_VERSION=1.50

	$ docker version --format '{{.Client.APIVersion}}'
	1.50

	$ unset DOCKER_API_VERSION
	$ docker version --format '{{.Client.APIVersion}}'
	1.51
	```

	## Examples

	### <a name="format"></a> Format the output (--format)

	The formatting option (`--format`) pretty-prints the output using a Go template,
	which allows you to customize the output format, or to obtain specific information
	from the output. Refer to the [format command and log output](https://docs.docker.com/config/formatting/)
	page for details of the format.

	### Get the server version

	```console
	$ docker version --format '{{.Server.Version}}'

	28.5.1
	```

	### Get the client API version

	The following example prints the API version that is used by the client:

	```console
	$ docker version --format '{{.Client.APIVersion}}'

	1.51
	```

	The version shown is the API version that is negotiated between the client
	and the Docker Engine. Refer to [API version and version negotiation](#api-version-and-version-negotiation)
	above for more information.

	### Dump raw JSON data

	```console
	$ docker version --format '{{json .}}'

	{"Client":"Version":"28.5.1","ApiVersion":"1.51", ...}
	```