distrobox-list

List all Distrobox containers

$ distrobox-list

$ distrobox-list [[-v|--verbose]]

distrobox-list [OPTIONS]

-h, --help
    Displays a help message and exits.

-q, --quiet
    Outputs only the names of the existing containers, suppressing additional details.

-j, --json
    Prints the container information in a structured JSON format, useful for scripting and programmatic parsing.

-a, --all
    Lists all containers, including those that are in the process of being created or deleted.

-p, --podman
    Forces the use of Podman as the container backend, even if Docker is detected or preferred.

-d, --docker
    Forces the use of Docker as the container backend, even if Podman is detected or preferred.

The distrobox-list command is an essential part of the Distrobox toolset, designed to simplify the management of containerized environments.

Distrobox allows users to create isolated development or work environments based on various Linux distributions, leveraging OCI-compliant containers (like those from Podman or Docker). These environments are tightly integrated with the host system, enabling seamless access to home directory, user-defined binaries, and graphical applications.

distrobox-list specifically provides a concise overview of all currently created Distrobox containers. It displays key information such as the container's name, status (e.g., running, exited, creating), the underlying container image used, the container ID, and the container manager (Podman or Docker) used for its creation. This command is crucial for quickly assessing the state and availability of your various development or testing environments.

distrobox-list relies on either Podman or Docker being installed and running on the host system. If no container backend is available or configured, the command may fail or report no containers.

Permissions can also be a factor; containers created by root might not be visible or manageable by a regular user without appropriate setup.

The default output of distrobox-list typically includes columns like NAME, STATUS, ID, IMAGE, and CONTAINER MANAGER. The STATUS column is particularly important, indicating whether a container is running, exited, creating, or removing. An exited container means it's not currently active but can be re-entered (started) using distrobox-enter.

Using the --json flag provides a machine-readable output, which is ideal for scripting and integrating Distrobox container management into automated workflows.

Distrobox, and by extension distrobox-list, emerged as a response to the need for simple, user-friendly containerized development environments that integrate well with the host system. It was initially developed by Luca Di Maio (8bitkid) and has rapidly gained traction in the Linux community since its public release, becoming a popular tool for developers seeking to work across different Linux distributions without the overhead of virtual machines or complex container setups. Its design prioritizes ease of use and seamless integration over traditional container isolation models.

distrobox(1), distrobox-create(1), distrobox-enter(1), distrobox-rm(1), podman(1), docker(1)