---
title: "rm"
description: "The rm command description and usage"
keywords: "remove, Docker, container"
---

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# rm

```markdown
Usage:  docker rm [OPTIONS] CONTAINER [CONTAINER...]

Remove one or more containers

Options:
  -f, --force     Force the removal of a running container (uses SIGKILL)
      --help      Print usage
  -l, --link      Remove the specified link
  -v, --volumes   Remove the volumes associated with the container
```

## Examples

    $ docker rm /redis
    /redis

This will remove the container referenced under the link
`/redis`.

    $ docker rm --link /webapp/redis
    /webapp/redis

This will remove the underlying link between `/webapp` and the `/redis`
containers removing all network communication.

    $ docker rm --force redis
    redis

The main process inside the container referenced under the link `/redis` will receive
`SIGKILL`, then the container will be removed.

    $ docker rm $(docker ps -a -q)

This command will delete all stopped containers. The command
`docker ps -a -q` will return all existing container IDs and pass them to
the `rm` command which will delete them. Any running containers will not be
deleted.

    $ docker rm -v redis
    redis

This command will remove the container and any volumes associated with it.
Note that if a volume was specified with a name, it will not be removed.

    $ docker create -v awesome:/foo -v /bar --name hello redis
    hello
    $ docker rm -v hello

In this example, the volume for `/foo` will remain intact, but the volume for
`/bar` will be removed. The same behavior holds for volumes inherited with
`--volumes-from`.