% DOCKER(1) Docker User Manuals % Docker Community % JUNE 2014 # NAME docker-export - Export the contents of a container's filesystem as a tar archive # SYNOPSIS **docker export** [**--help**] [**-o**|**--output**[=*""*]] CONTAINER # DESCRIPTION Export the contents of a container's filesystem using the full or shortened container ID or container name. The output is exported to STDOUT and can be redirected to a tar file. Stream to a file instead of STDOUT by using **-o**. # OPTIONS **--help** Print usage statement **-o**, **--output**="" Write to a file, instead of STDOUT # EXAMPLES Export the contents of the container called angry_bell to a tar file called angry_bell.tar: # docker export angry_bell > angry_bell.tar # docker export --output=angry_bell-latest.tar angry_bell # ls -sh angry_bell.tar 321M angry_bell.tar # ls -sh angry_bell-latest.tar 321M angry_bell-latest.tar # See also **docker-import(1)** to create an empty filesystem image and import the contents of the tarball into it, then optionally tag it. # HISTORY April 2014, Originally compiled by William Henry (whenry at redhat dot com) based on docker.com source material and internal work. June 2014, updated by Sven Dowideit <SvenDowideit@home.org.au> January 2015, updated by Joseph Kern (josephakern at gmail dot com)