| title |
tags |
sources |
created |
updated |
| docker builder prune — Safe Disk Recovery |
|
|
2026-04-30 |
2026-04-30 |
docker builder prune — Safe Disk Recovery
docker builder prune removes the build cache only — it does not touch running containers, active images, named volumes, or networks. It is safe to run on a live production server when disk space is critically low.
What It Removes
| Resource |
Removed? |
| Build cache layers |
Yes |
| Dangling (untagged) images |
No (use docker image prune) |
| Running containers |
No |
| Stopped containers |
No |
| Named volumes |
No |
| Networks |
No |
Commands
# Remove all build cache (interactive confirmation)
docker builder prune
# Remove all build cache without prompt — safe for scripts
docker builder prune -f
# Check how much space the build cache occupies first
docker system df
When to Use
- Disk alert on a server; running containers must stay up
- After a large image build that left behind many intermediate layers
- Routine maintenance in CI environments between build runs
What to Run Instead for More Aggressive Cleanup
# Remove dangling images (untagged) — safe if nothing references them
docker image prune
# Remove stopped containers + dangling images + unused networks
docker system prune
# Everything above + unused volumes — DESTRUCTIVE, confirm before running
docker system prune --volumes
[!warning] docker system prune --volumes removes named volumes
Named volumes may contain persistent data (databases, uploads). Never run this without confirming what volumes exist: docker volume ls.
Related
