docker restart: Stop and Start a Container
Restart a container: stop it, then start it again.
docker restart stops and then starts a container in one command, reusing its config. This page covers the timeout and using it to recover a wedged service.
What it does
docker restart issues a stop (SIGTERM then SIGKILL after the grace period) followed by a start. The container keeps its configuration and writable layer, so it is the same container, just cycled.
Common usage
Terminal
docker restart web
docker restart -t 30 web # 30s grace period
docker restart $(docker ps -q)Common errors in CI
If the container crashed on start it will exit again right after restart - fix the root cause rather than looping restarts. A container run with --rm is removed on stop, so docker restart errors with "No such container"; recreate it with docker run. In CI prefer fixing config over restart-as-a-retry.
Frequently asked questions
docker restart: Stop and Start a Container?
docker restart stops and then starts a container in one command, reusing its config. This page covers the timeout and using it to recover a wedged service.
What it does?
docker restart issues a stop (SIGTERM then SIGKILL after the grace period) followed by a start. The container keeps its configuration and writable layer, so it is the same container, just cycled.
Common errors in CI?
If the container crashed on start it will exit again right after restart - fix the root cause rather than looping restarts. A container run with --rm is removed on stop, so docker restart errors with "No such container"; recreate it with docker run. In CI prefer fixing config over restart-as-a-retry.
Related guides
docker stop: Gracefully Stop ContainersHow docker stop works: sending SIGTERM then SIGKILL, the grace period, stopping multiple containers, and
docker start: Start Stopped ContainersHow docker start works: restarting an existing stopped container, attaching, and why start differs from run
docker kill: Force-Stop Containers with a SignalHow docker kill works: sending SIGKILL or a custom signal to a container immediately, and how it differs from
docker ps: List Containers, Filters & FormattingHow docker ps works: listing running and stopped containers, filters, format strings, and reading exit status