Docker / Volumes, Filesystems & Recovery
Review unreferenced Docker volumes before any cleanup
A volume with no current container reference may still hold a required recovery copy or data from a temporarily removed workload.
Environment and inputs: Docker Engine · Compose v2 and Buildx where specified; Linux containers unless noted. Verify daemon context, installed feature support and authorized host or Swarm manager access first.
Start with this check
Confirm the environment and replace sample objects, namespaces, images, paths and hosts with approved targets. Share only relevant, sanitized output. Follow the workload owner’s process for changes.
docker volume ls --filter dangling=trueRead the result
The filter reports unreferenced volumes according to the selected daemon. It does not determine business obsolescence, retention or backup status.
Resolve and verify
Map each candidate to deployment history, labels and a data owner. Remove only explicitly approved obsolete content through a scoped cleanup plan.
Before changing production
Do not run broad volume prune operations based solely on a dangling label or apparent age.