📌 This article is a follow-up to the Docker Commands Cheatsheet. If you’re just getting started, start there — this article covers advanced features introduced in Docker 24+ and Docker Compose v2.

What’s New in Docker 24+

Docker 24+ introduces a range of modern enhancements aimed at improving build flexibility, team collaboration, and compatibility with multi-platform systems.

Key improvements include:

  • docker compose CLI (Compose v2) — now a first-class citizen
  • docker buildx — advanced builder with multi-platform support
  • docker context — easy switching between local and remote environments
  • Better image management, trust, and signing
  • Improved volume and networking behavior

🚀 Goodbye docker-compose, Hello docker compose

In Docker 24+, the legacy docker-compose binary is deprecated in favor of docker compose (with a space).

✅ New Syntax:

bash
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      docker compose up -d
docker compose down
docker compose logs -f

This change unifies Compose into the Docker CLI and brings new capabilities like:

  • Native Docker Desktop integration
  • Better error messages and performance
  • Compatibility with docker context

⚠️ If you still rely on docker-compose, it’s time to switch — the new command supports all features and more.

🧱 Buildx — Multi-Platform Docker Builds

Docker 24+ comes with buildx by default — a powerful tool for building images for different CPU architectures (like ARM and x86).

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      docker buildx create --name mybuilder --use
docker buildx build --platform linux/amd64,linux/arm64 -t yourname/app:latest .

Perfect for:

  • Apple M1/M2 users who need to target x86 servers
  • Building universal images for CI/CD pipelines
  • Parallelized multi-stage builds

🌐 Remote Contexts with docker context

Contexts allow you to define multiple Docker environments — local, SSH-based, cloud-based — and easily switch between them.

bash
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      docker context create my-server --docker "host=ssh://user@my-server.com"
docker context use my-server

This is incredibly helpful when:

  • Deploying remotely from your laptop
  • Testing on different Docker hosts
  • Automating deployments without Docker Desktop

To list contexts:

bash
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      docker context ls

🧪 Other Docker 24+ Features You Should Know

  • Container image signing: Ensures your image hasn’t been tampered with.
  • Improved volume management: Better lifecycle handling, especially in Compose setups.
  • Advanced docker compose cp: Copy files between local and container directly via Compose.

🔧 Should You Upgrade?

Yes — Docker 24+ modernizes the entire CLI experience. You get:

  • Unified tooling via docker compose
  • Multi-arch builds without hacks
  • Seamless remote deployments
  • Better performance and native support for M1/M2

🧭 What’s Next?

In future articles, we’ll explore:

  • docker scan and security tooling
  • docker init scaffolding
  • Compose profiles for managing complex apps

✅ Summary

Docker 24 Cheatsheet

Docker 24+ is not just a version bump — it’s a shift to a cleaner, unified, and more powerful workflow. If you’re still using docker-compose or haven’t tried buildx, now’s the time.

If you found this helpful, check out the original cheatsheet here, or leave a comment with what you’d like covered next.

Happy shipping 🐳