How to move Docker containers between different hosts?

You cannot move a running docker container from one host to another.

You can commit the changes in your container to an image with docker commit, move the image onto a new host, and then start a new container with docker run. This will preserve any data that your application has created inside the container.

Nb: It does not preserve data that is stored inside volumes; you need to move data volumes manually to new host.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to push to a repository:

1. Export the container to a tarball

   docker export <CONTAINER ID> > /home/export.tar
   

2. Move your tarball to new machine

3. Import it back

   cat /home/export.tar | docker import - some-name:latest