docker start: Start Stopped Containers

Restart a container you already created, keeping its config and data.

docker start launches one or more stopped containers, reusing their existing configuration and writable layer. This page covers attaching and how it differs from docker run.

What it does

docker start re-runs an existing container that was previously stopped or exited. Unlike docker run it does not create a new container, so any data in the container layer persists.

Common usage

Terminal

docker start web
docker start -a web                    # attach to stdout/stderr
docker start -ai web                   # attach + interactive

Common errors in CI

"Error: No such container" means the container was removed (e.g. it ran with --rm, which deletes it on exit) - you cannot start a removed container; use docker run again. Without -a, docker start returns immediately and the container runs detached, which can confuse CI scripts expecting to see output; add -a to stream logs.

Related guides

docker stop: Gracefully Stop ContainersHow docker stop works: sending SIGTERM then SIGKILL, the grace period, stopping multiple containers, and clea… docker run: Usage, Options & Common CI ErrorsHow docker run works: starting a container from an image, port and volume mapping, env vars, --rm cleanup, an… docker restart: Stop and Start a ContainerHow docker restart works: stopping then starting a container, the grace-period timeout, and using it to recov… docker ps: List Containers, Filters & FormattingHow docker ps works: listing running and stopped containers, filters, format strings, and reading exit status…