DOCKER(1)		      Docker User Manuals		     DOCKER(1)



NAME
       docker-container-exec - Execute a command in a running container



SYNOPSIS
       docker container exec [OPTIONS] CONTAINER COMMAND [ARG...]



DESCRIPTION
       Run a process in a running container.


       The command started using docker exec will only run while the
       container's primary process (PID 1) is running, and will not be
       restarted if the container is restarted.


       If the container is paused, then the docker exec command will wait
       until the container is unpaused, and then run



CAPABILITIES
       privileged gives the process extended Linux capabilities
       ⟨https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man7/capabilities.7.html⟩ when
       running in a container.


       Without this flag, the process run by docker exec in a running
       container has the same capabilities as the container, which may be
       limited. Set --privileged to give all capabilities to the process.



USER
       user sets the username or UID used and optionally the groupname or GID
       for the specified command.


       The followings examples are all valid:
	  --user [user | user:group | uid | uid:gid | user:gid | uid:group ]


       Without this argument the command will be run as root in the container.



Exit Status
       The exit code from docker exec gives information about why the
       container failed to exec or why it exited.  When docker exec exits with
       a non-zero code, the exit codes follow the chroot standard, see below:


       126 if the contained command cannot be invoked

       $ docker exec busybox /etc; echo $?
       # exec: "/etc": permission denied
	 docker: Error response from daemon: Contained command could not be invoked
	 126


       127 if the contained command cannot be found

       $ docker exec busybox foo; echo $?
       # exec: "foo": executable file not found in $PATH
	 docker: Error response from daemon: Contained command not found or does not exist
	 127


       Exit code of contained command otherwise

       $ docker exec busybox /bin/sh -c 'exit 3'
       # 3



OPTIONS
       -d, --detach[=false]	Detached mode: run command in the background


       --detach-keys=""	   Override the key sequence for detaching a container


       -e, --env=     Set environment variables


       --env-file=    Read in a file of environment variables


       -i, --interactive[=false]     Keep STDIN open even if not attached


       --privileged[=false]	Give extended privileges to the command


       -t, --tty[=false]   Allocate a pseudo-TTY


       -u, --user=""  Username or UID (format: "[:]")


       -w, --workdir=""	   Working directory inside the container



SEE ALSO
       docker-container(1)

Docker Community		   Sep 2025			     DOCKER(1)