docs/reference.md

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This section includes the reference documentation for the Docker platform's various APIs, CLIs, and file formats.

File formats

File format	Description
Dockerfile	Defines the contents and startup behavior of a single container
Compose file	Defines a multi-container application
Docker Cloud Stack file	Defines a multi-container application for Docker Cloud

Command-line interfaces (CLIs)

CLI	Description
Engine CLI	The main CLI for Docker, includes all docker and dockerd commands
Compose CLI	The CLI for Docker Compose, which allows you to build and run multi-container applications
Machine CLI	Manages virtual machines that are pre-configured to run Docker
[DTR CLI](/reference/dtr/{{ site.dtr_version }}/cli/index.md)	Deploy and manage Docker Trusted Registry
[UCP CLI](/reference/ucp/{{ site.ucp_version }}/cli/index.md)	Deploy and manage Universal Control Plane

Application programming interfaces (APIs)

API	Description
Cloud API	Enables programmatic management of your Docker application running on a cloud provider
Engine API	The main API for Docker, provides programmatic access to a daemon
Registry API	Facilitates distribution of images to the engine
[DTR API](/reference/dtr/{{ site.dtr_version }}/api/)	Provides programmatic access to a Docker Trusted Registry deployment
[UCP API](/reference/ucp/{{ site.ucp_version }}/api/)	Provides programmatic access to a Universal Control Plane deployment

Drivers and specifications

Driver	Description
Image specification	Describes the various components of a Docker image
Machine drivers	Enables support for given cloud providers when provisioning resources with Machine
Registry token authentication	Outlines the Docker registry authentication scheme
Registry storage drivers	Enables support for given cloud providers when storing images with Registry

Compliance control reference

Reference	Description
NIST 800-53 control reference	All of the NIST 800-53 Rev. 4 controls applicable to Docker Enterprise Edition can be referenced in this section.