How to copy files from host to Docker container?

The cp command can be used to copy files.

One specific file can be copied TO the container like:

docker cp foo.txt container_id:/foo.txt

One specific file can be copied FROM the container like:

docker cp container_id:/foo.txt foo.txt

For emphasis, container_id is a container ID, not an image ID. (Use docker ps to view listing which includes container_ids.)

Multiple files contained by the folder src can be copied into the target folder using:

docker cp src/. container_id:/targetdocker cp container_id:/src/. target

Reference: Docker CLI docs for cp

In Docker versions prior to 1.8 it was only possible to copy files from a container to the host. Not from the host to a container.

1. Get container name or short container id:

   $ docker ps

2. Get full container id:

   $ docker inspect -f   '{{.Id}}'  SHORT_CONTAINER_ID-or-CONTAINER_NAME

3. Copy file:

   $ sudo cp path-file-host /var/lib/docker/aufs/mnt/FULL_CONTAINER_ID/PATH-NEW-FILE

EXAMPLE:

$ docker psCONTAINER ID      IMAGE    COMMAND       CREATED      STATUS       PORTS        NAMESd8e703d7e303   solidleon/ssh:latest      /usr/sbin/sshd -D                      cranky_pare$ docker inspect -f   '{{.Id}}' cranky_pare

or

$ docker inspect -f   '{{.Id}}' d8e703d7e303d8e703d7e3039a6df6d01bd7fb58d1882e592a85059eb16c4b83cf91847f88e5$ sudo cp file.txt /var/lib/docker/aufs/mnt/**d8e703d7e3039a6df6d01bd7fb58d1882e592a85059eb16c4b83cf91847f88e5**/root/file.txt

The cleanest way is to mount a host directory on the container when starting the container:

{host} docker run -v /path/to/hostdir:/mnt --name my_container my_image{host} docker exec -it my_container bash{container} cp /mnt/sourcefile /path/to/destfile