How do you attach and detach from Docker's process?

I can attach to a docker process but Ctrl+c doesn't work to detach from it. exit basically halts the process.

What's the recommended workflow to have the process running, occasionally attaching to it to make some changes, and then detaching?

Solution 1:

To detach the tty without exiting the shell, use the escape sequence Ctrl+P followed by Ctrl+Q. More details here.

Additional info from this source:

• docker run -t -i → can be detached with ^P^Qand reattached with docker attach
• docker run -i → cannot be detached with ^P^Q; will disrupt stdin
• docker run → cannot be detached with ^P^Q; can SIGKILL client; can reattach with docker attach

Solution 2:

Check out also the --sig-proxy option:

docker attach --sig-proxy=false 304f5db405ec

Then use CTRL+c to detach

Solution 3:

If you just want to make some modification to files or inspect processes, here's one another solution you probably want.

You could run the following command to execute a new process from the existing container:

sudo docker exec -ti [CONTAINER-ID] bash

will start a new process with bash shell, and you could escape from it by Ctrl+C directly, it won't affect the original process.