---
description: Docker's CLI command description and usage
keywords:
- Docker, Docker documentation, CLI,  command line
menu:
  main:
    identifier: smn_cli
    parent: engine_ref
    weight: -75
title: Command line reference
---

# The Docker commands

This section contains reference information on using Docker's command line
client. Each command has a reference page along with samples. If you are
unfamiliar with the command line, you should start by reading about how to
[Use the Docker command line](cli.md).

You start the Docker daemon with the command line. How you start the daemon
affects your Docker containers. For that reason you should also make sure to
read the [`dockerd`](dockerd.md) reference page.

For a list of Docker commands see [Command line reference guide](index.md).