podman-exec

Execute commands inside running containers

TLDR

Execute command in container

$ podman exec [container] [command]

Interactive shell

$ podman exec -it [container] /bin/bash

Run as specific user

$ podman exec -u [root] [container] [command]

Set environment variable

$ podman exec -e [VAR=value] [container] [command]

SYNOPSIS

podman exec [options] container command [args]

DESCRIPTION

podman exec runs a command inside a running container. It's essential for debugging, maintenance, and interacting with container processes.

PARAMETERS

-i, --interactive

Keep stdin open.

-t, --tty

Allocate TTY.

-u, --user user

Run as user.

-e, --env var=val

Set environment variable.

-w, --workdir dir

Working directory.

-d, --detach

Run in background. Prints the exec session ID and exits immediately.

--detach-keys sequence

Key sequence for detaching from the container (default: ctrl-p,ctrl-q).

--env-file file

Read environment variables from a line-delimited file.

-l, --latest

Use the most recently created container instead of specifying a name or ID.

--preserve-fds N

Pass N additional file descriptors (beyond stdin/stdout/stderr) to the process.

--privileged

Give extended privileges to the command.

CAVEATS

Container must be running. Command must exist in the container image. Rootless Podman has user namespace limitations. The --latest flag is not supported on remote clients.

HISTORY

podman exec is part of Podman, the daemonless container engine developed by Red Hat as a Docker-compatible alternative.