OneLinersCommand workbench
Verified diagnostic signature

container name … is already in use

The selected Docker daemon already owns the requested unique container name, so it refused to create another container under the same name. Match this output from docker, then continue with sourced, read-only checks.

Confidence
high
Platforms
linux · macos · windows
Verified
2026-07-24
Recognized output

Signature matched locally

container name .* is already in use

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Likely causes

What usually produces this signal

  1. A stopped or running container from an earlier deployment still owns the name
  2. A manual container and a Compose-managed service selected the same explicit container_name
  3. Two Compose projects resolved to the same project or container name
  4. Automation retried creation without reconciling the previously created container
  5. The command is connected to a different Docker context than the operator expected
Safe next checks

Collect evidence before changing the system

01

Show running Docker containers

docker ps

The output matches the expected target and exits without an error.

02

Inspect a container as structured JSON

docker inspect <container>

The output matches the expected target and exits without an error.

Related signals

Other output patterns from this error family

Conflict. The container name … is already in use by containerThe selected Docker daemon already owns the requested unique container name, so it refused to create another container under the same name.You have to remove (or rename) that containerThe selected Docker daemon already owns the requested unique container name, so it refused to create another container under the same name.