how to browse docker image without running it? [duplicate]

Question

Is there any why to browse a docker image using ssh or equivalent? My motivation is to compare two docker images using beyond compare

edit: i am not interested in just listing file names, I need the content and I would like to be able compare two images, including content of the files.

Candytuft

I don't think this is a duplicate, since this question specifically asks how to view image content "without running it". The linked question has answers that touch on that, but it is not the main discussion. – Teetotaler

this is not duplicate. looks like who ever marked duplicate did not pay attention on "without running" part. – Liveried

One solution: #66141891 – Liveried

Answer 1

If what you want is exploring a docker image then you can use a tool named dive.

You cannot directly compare files content but at least you can browse layer contents and see which files have been added/removed/modified/unmodified.

To analyze a Docker image simply run:

dive <your_image>

Seminole

Answer 2

You might do something like docker image history <your image name here> This will give you the history of how the image is build and you could compare it to another image...

or docker inspect <your image name here>

Scuttle

Not what I expected to find, but docker inspect <name> actually was useful to debug entrypoint. Thanks! – Trimester