Docker Volumes Explained: A Quick Guide

Docker containers are temporary by design, but often we need to keep data safe and available between container runs.

This is where Docker volumes come in. Volumes allow you to persist and share data across containers. In this guide, we’ll explore,

• Types of Docker volumes: Named Volumes and Bind Mounts

• How to create and use them

Types of Docker Volumes

There are two main types of Docker volumes,

1. Named Volumes (Un Binded Volume)

Docker manages these volumes and stores them in its own storage area, making them ideal for persisting data across containers.

Creating a Named Volumes

docker volume create my_named_volume

Using a Named Volume in a Container

docker run -v my_named_volume:/app/data busybox:1.36

2. Bind Mounts (Folder Based)

Bind mounts link a specific directory on the host to a container. This gives you control over exactly which files are shared, but it’s less portable.

Using a Bind Mount:

docker run -v /path/to/folder/on/host:/app/data busybox:1.36

Key Differences Between Named Volumes and Bind Mounts

Feature	Named Volumes	Bind Mounts
Managed By	Docker	Host System
Location	Docker’s storage directory	Specific path on the host machine
Portability	Highly portable	Tied to the host environment
Use Case	Persistent data across container lifecycles	Development or when direct host access is needed

Filtering Containers by Volume

Sometimes you want to find containers using a specific volume.

docker ps -a --filter volume=my_named_volume