Docker Logs

Docker Logs Tail

Tail logs from Docker containers to check for errors and monitor application behavior.

Instructions

When user requests to check container logs:

1. Discover running containers: First, list all running containers to see what's available:

   docker ps --format "table {{.Names}}\t{{.Status}}\t{{.Image}}"
   

2. Ask user which container(s): Present the list and ask which container(s) they want to monitor

3. Use appropriate command: Run docker logs with suitable flags based on their needs

Common Commands

List running containers

docker ps --format "table {{.Names}}\t{{.Status}}\t{{.Image}}"

Tail logs for a specific container

docker logs -f <container_name>

Tail logs with timestamps

docker logs -f --timestamps <container_name>

Tail last N lines

docker logs -f --tail 100 <container_name>

Check logs since specific time

docker logs -f --since 5m <container_name>

View logs from all containers (with docker compose)

docker compose logs -f

View logs from specific services

docker compose logs -f <service1> <service2>

Filter for errors

docker logs <container_name> 2>&1 | grep -i error

Usage Flow

1. Run docker ps to discover available containers
2. Present the container list to the user
3. Ask which container(s) they want to tail
4. Ask if they want any filters (errors only, last N lines, since time, etc.)
5. Execute the appropriate docker logs command