The Tool Desk
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What lazydocker does
The lazydocker project describes its goal this way: “Memorising docker commands is hard. Memorising aliases is slightly less hard. Keeping track of your containers across multiple terminal windows is near impossible.” Its README calls lazydocker “A simple terminal UI for both docker and docker-compose, written in Go with the gocui library.” The project README presents it as a control interface for an existing Docker environment—not a replacement for Docker Engine or Compose.
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From the terminal UI, you can see environment status, inspect logs for containers or services, view configurable ASCII metric graphs, attach to a running container or service, and perform actions such as restarting, removing, or rebuilding. It can also show image ancestor layers and prune containers, images, or volumes. Keyboard navigation is central, and mouse events are supported too.
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Check prerequisites before installing
Docker Compose is optional if you only need Docker workflows. The project README currently lists “Docker >= 29.0.0 (API >= 1.24)” and “Docker-Compose >= 1.23.2 (optional).” The pairing of the Docker engine version and API number is potentially confusing; verify compatibility against the current project guidance and your installed Docker environment rather than assuming the numbers explain one another.
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Installation routes listed by the README include package managers, release binaries, Go, and a Docker image. It lists Go 1.19 or later for installation with go install. Package-manager commands include brew install jesseduffield/lazydocker/lazydocker or brew install lazydocker; the README also documents Scoop, Chocolatey, asdf, and Arch AUR. For manually downloaded archives, choose the release asset matching your operating system and architecture. The release page surfaced v0.25.2 archives dated 2026-04-19, but releases change, so check the release page for the current version and its checksums.
The README also documents a curl-to-Bash installer and cautions: “Automated install/update, don’t forget to always verify what you’re piping into bash:” If you prefer not to pipe remote content directly into a shell, inspect the script first or use a package manager or release binary. No single installation route is universally best for every system or preference.
Running the Docker-image version
The documented Docker-image instructions mount /var/run/docker.sock into the lazydocker container. That socket provides access to the Docker daemon the UI needs to manage the host environment. Treat this as a meaningful access boundary: understand the permissions and exposure created by your deployment before mounting the socket.
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Open the interface and find your environment
After installing, start lazydocker in a terminal with access to the Docker environment you want to manage. The interface gathers environment status and available containers or Compose services into its panels, so you can inspect what is running without switching among separate command outputs. Use the keyboard to move through the UI; mouse events are also supported.
The project documentation describes the UI and its actions, but the exact panel arrangement and navigation can change between releases. If a key or action differs from what you expect, consult the README and configuration reference for the version you installed.
Use logs, metrics, and attach for diagnosis
Review logs
Select a container or service to view its logs. By default, lazydocker shows only the last hour of log history. The configuration reference represents that setting as since: '60m', and shows that the log command template can be changed. Use the configuration reference to adjust the template if you need a different time window.
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The project FAQ notes a known issue when lazydocker itself runs inside a Docker container: logs or CPU usage may be unavailable. This is distinct from running the UI on the host to manage containers through the daemon socket.
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The default configuration example includes CPU- and memory-percentage graphs, and the project lets users customize the ASCII metric graphs. Attaching to a container or service is another available action when you need an interactive connection rather than a log view. These features depend on the environment and configuration; the documentation does not guarantee every metric will be available in every deployment.
Take management actions carefully
lazydocker exposes common lifecycle actions, including restart, remove, rebuild, and attach. Its Compose command templates also cover up, down, down --volumes, service restart/start/stop, service logs, rebuild, recreate, configuration validation, and inspection of service processes. Custom commands can use container or service information as template values.
These are controls over the underlying environment, not merely display options. In particular, a Compose command that includes down --volumes can affect volumes as well as services. Check the selected action and its scope before confirming it, especially when removing resources or pruning containers, images, or volumes.
Customize configuration
The configuration reference documents standard configuration locations for macOS, Linux, and Windows, along with adjustable UI behavior, log templates, graphs, and custom commands. Consult the reference for the location and syntax applicable to your platform and installed version. Treat the documented defaults as configuration examples: the log history is set to 60 minutes, and the example includes CPU and memory percentage graphs.
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Custom commands are useful when your team repeats a Compose or container operation, but they can also make consequential actions easier to trigger. Give commands clear names and ensure their templates target the intended service or container.
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When a different interface may fit better
The lazydocker README names docui and Portainer as alternatives and distinguishes them along a few practical axes:
| Option | Interface | Focus described by the project | Docker Swarm |
|---|---|---|---|
| lazydocker | Terminal | Managing existing containers and services | Not stated in the README |
| docui | Terminal | Creating and configuring Docker resources | Not stated in the README |
| Portainer | Browser | Managing Docker resources | README notes support |
Choose based on whether you want a terminal or browser interface, whether your work centers on managing existing resources or creating and configuring them, and whether Docker Swarm support matters. The project’s comparison does not establish relative performance, security, feature completeness, or ease of use.
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