DOCKER(1) Docker User Manuals DOCKER(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

docker-container-diff - Inspect changes to files or directories on a container's filesystem

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**docker container diff CONTAINER**

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

List the changed files and directories in a container᾿s filesystem since the container was created. Three different types of change are tracked:

**Symbol** **Description** **A** A file or directory was added **D** A file or directory was deleted **C** A file or directory was changed

You can use the full or shortened container ID or the container name set using **docker run --name** option.

# [EXAMPLES](#EXAMPLES)

Inspect the changes to an **nginx** container:

```
$ docker diff 1fdfd1f54c1b
C /dev
C /dev/console
C /dev/core
C /dev/stdout
C /dev/fd
C /dev/ptmx
C /dev/stderr
C /dev/stdin
C /run
A /run/nginx.pid
C /var/lib/nginx/tmp
A /var/lib/nginx/tmp/client_body
A /var/lib/nginx/tmp/fastcgi
A /var/lib/nginx/tmp/proxy
A /var/lib/nginx/tmp/scgi
A /var/lib/nginx/tmp/uwsgi
C /var/log/nginx
A /var/log/nginx/access.log
A /var/log/nginx/error.log
```

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**docker-container(1)**](/man/enterprise-packages/docker-cli-fips/docker-container.1)

Oct 2026 Docker Community

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Document: docker-container-diff(1) from docker-cli-fips 29.8.2-r0 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/docker/cli