How to copy files from host to Docker container?

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/22907231/how-to-copy-files-from-host-to-docker-container

 

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I am trying to build a backup and restore solution for the Docker containers that we work with.

I have Docker base image that I have created, ubuntu:base, and do not want have to rebuild it each time with a Docker file to add files to it.

I want to create a script that runs from the host machine and creates a new container using the ubuntu:base Docker image and then copies files into that container.

How can I copy files from the host to the container?

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edited Oct 14 '20 at 12:57

Flip

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asked Apr 7 '14 at 8:28

user3001829

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• 12
  If you don't want to rebuild, why not "docker commit" ? That saves your image. – Berend de Boer Apr 28 '14 at 22:24
• 36
  Just a remark on a notion nobody has addressed: in general, treat containers as "ephemeral". There ARE use cases to copy files into/from a running container (testing, prototyping). But if you find yourself in a position where you can't rebuild what you need using Dockerfiles and/or compose, then you may be in a bad place. You generally don't want to be backing up containers as if they were OS or even VM objects. Generally speaking :-) – Scott Prive Oct 16 '17 at 18:04 

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42 Answers

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The cp command can be used to copy files.

One specific file can be copied TO the container like:

docker cp foo.txt mycontainer:/foo.txt

One specific file can be copied FROM the container like:

docker cp mycontainer:/foo.txt foo.txt

For emphasis, mycontainer is a container ID, not an image ID.

Multiple files contained by the folder src can be copied into the target folder using:

docker cp src/. mycontainer:/target
docker cp mycontainer:/src/. target

Reference: Docker CLI docs for cp

In Docker versions prior to 1.8 it was only possible to copy files from a container to the host. Not from the host to a container.

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edited Aug 19 '19 at 8:25

basickarl

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answered Aug 12 '15 at 17:25

0x7d7b

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• 2
  also note this can be on the host vm or main OS and works either host to container or vm to host (or main os) – Adam Tuliper - MSFT Nov 16 '15 at 6:06
• 11
  In a Dockerfile you can use the ADD keyword to add files during build time. – 0x7d7b Jun 30 '16 at 17:49
• 6
  @h3nrik COPY preferred over ADD when applicable. – Franklin Yu Aug 2 '16 at 17:06 
• 14
  use docker cp to copy from container to host works well, but when use it to copy files from host to container, no effect... anybody know why ? docker version: Docker version 1.10.3, build cb079f6-unsupported – Ace.Yin Nov 29 '16 at 5:28 
• 4
  Can i copy multiple files using docker cp from host to container? – Yogesh Dec 1 '16 at 21:57

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1. Get container name or short container id:

   $ docker ps
   

2. Get full container id:

   $ docker inspect -f   '{{.Id}}'  SHORT_CONTAINER_ID-or-CONTAINER_NAME
   

3. Copy file:

   $ sudo cp path-file-host /var/lib/docker/aufs/mnt/FULL_CONTAINER_ID/PATH-NEW-FILE
   

EXAMPLE:

$ docker ps

CONTAINER ID      IMAGE    COMMAND       CREATED      STATUS       PORTS        NAMES

d8e703d7e303   solidleon/ssh:latest      /usr/sbin/sshd -D                      cranky_pare

$ docker inspect -f   '{{.Id}}' cranky_pare

or

$ docker inspect -f   '{{.Id}}' d8e703d7e303

d8e703d7e3039a6df6d01bd7fb58d1882e592a85059eb16c4b83cf91847f88e5

$ sudo cp file.txt /var/lib/docker/aufs/mnt/**d8e703d7e3039a6df6d01