How to use the command 'docker load' (with examples)

This article will illustrate various use cases of the docker load command. The docker load command is used to load Docker images from files or stdin. It is a useful command when you want to load existing Docker images into your Docker environment.

Use case 1: Load a Docker Image from stdin

Code:

docker load < path/to/image_file.tar

Motivation: This use case is useful when you have a Docker image stored as a TAR file and you want to load it into your Docker environment.

Explanation:

• docker load is the command to load Docker images.
• < path/to/image_file.tar specifies the path to the TAR file containing the Docker image.
• The < symbol is used to redirect the standard input to the docker load command.

Example output:

Loaded image: example-image:latest

Use case 2: Load a Docker Image from a Specific File

Code:

docker load --input path/to/image_file.tar

Motivation: In some scenarios, you may want to explicitly specify the input file from which to load the Docker image. This use case allows you to do exactly that.

Explanation:

• --input is an option used to specify the path to the TAR file containing the Docker image.

Example output:

Loaded image: example-image:latest

Use case 3: Load a Docker Image from a Specific File in Quiet Mode

Code:

docker load --quiet --input path/to/image_file.tar

Motivation: Quiet mode can be useful when you want to suppress the standard output and only see essential information. This use case enables you to load a Docker image from a specific file without any unnecessary output.

Explanation:

• --quiet is an option used to suppress non-essential output and display only essential information.
• --input is an option used to specify the path to the TAR file containing the Docker image.

Example output: (No output is displayed in quiet mode)

Conclusion:

In this article, we explored the various use cases of the docker load command. We learned how to load a Docker image from stdin, from a specific file, and from a specific file in quiet mode. These use cases provide flexibility and control when loading Docker images into your Docker environment.