docker-node

List nodes in the swarm

$ docker node ls

$ docker node ps [node1 node2 node3 ...]

$ docker node inspect [node1 node2 node3 ...]

$ docker node promote [node1 node2 node3 ...]

$ docker node demote [node1 node2 node3 ...]

$ docker node rm [node1 node2 node3 ...]

$ docker node update --[availability|role|label-add|...] [active|worker|...] [node1]

docker node COMMAND [OPTIONS] [ARG...]

accept
    Accept a pending node registration

demote
    Demote one or more nodes from manager

inspect
    Display detailed info on one or more nodes

join-token
    Manage join tokens for adding nodes

leave
    Make node leave the swarm

ls
    List nodes in the swarm

promote
    Promote one or more nodes to manager

prune
    Remove unused swarm resources

ps
    List tasks on one or all swarm nodes

rm
    Remove one or more nodes from swarm

update
    Update node availability, labels, or role

docker node is a subcommand of the Docker CLI used to administer nodes in a Docker Swarm cluster. Docker Swarm enables orchestration across multiple Docker hosts, forming a resilient cluster where services can be deployed and scaled. Nodes represent individual hosts: managers handle cluster state, scheduling, and leader election, while workers execute tasks assigned by managers.

This command provides essential operations like listing nodes with docker node ls, which shows ID, hostname, status, availability, manager status, and engine version. Inspect a node deeply with docker node inspect <node> to view configuration, status, spec, and manager details. Update nodes using docker node update to change availability (active, pause, drain), add/remove labels for scheduling filters, or adjust roles.

Other key functions include promoting workers to managers (docker node promote), demoting managers (docker node demote), removing nodes (docker node rm), viewing tasks on nodes (docker node ps), and managing join tokens for scaling the cluster. Commands like docker node prune clean up unused data, and docker node leave exits a node from the swarm.

Requires Docker running in swarm mode (initiated via docker swarm init). Most actions demand execution on a manager node with appropriate privileges. Ideal for production cluster management, troubleshooting, and maintenance.

Requires swarm mode; most ops need manager node and admin access. Cannot run on standalone Docker.

--filter key=value (ls, ps); --format string Go template output; -q,--quiet numeric IDs only; --no-trunc full IDs; --no-resolve skip IP resolution.

docker node ls
docker node update --label-add type=storage node1
docker node promote worker1
docker node ps --no-trunc

Introduced in Docker 1.12.0 (2016) with native Swarm mode, replacing legacy Swarm. Evolved with SwarmKit for better scalability.

docker-swarm(1), docker-service(1), docker-stack(1)