How to Access Server Logs Inside a Docker Container:

Accessing server logs inside a Docker container can seem tricky for beginners, but don't worry! In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps on how to connect to your server via SSH and access Docker logs. Whether you’re troubleshooting or monitoring your containerized applications, understanding how to access Docker logs is a must.

Step 1: Connect to Your Server Using SSH

Before accessing Docker logs, you'll need to connect to your server where Docker is running. For this tutorial, we’ll use SSH (Secure Shell) to connect to a remote server.

Understanding the `ssh azureuser@4.240.84.196` Command

When you use the command:

ssh azureuser@4.240.84.196

Let’s break down this..

SSH: Stands for Secure Shell, a protocol to securely connect to remote servers.
azureuser: The username used to log in to the server
4.240.84.196: The IP address of the remote server you're connecting to.

Step 2: Check for Docker Containers

Once you're logged into the server, you need to ensure Docker is running and identify which containers are active. Follow these steps:

Check Docker version: To confirm Docker is installed and running, type the following command:

docker --version

List running containers: To see the containers currently running on the server, use this command:

docker ps

This will give you a list of active Docker containers, including the container IDs, names, and ports they are using.

Step 3: Accessing Docker Logs

Now, let’s access the logs of a running Docker container. Docker stores logs for each container, and you can view them by using the following command:

Get container ID or name: From the previous docker ps command, find the container ID or name of the container whose logs you want to view.
View the logs: Once you have the container name or ID, use the following command to view the logs:
```
 docker logs <container_id>
```
Replace <container_id_or_name> with the actual container ID or name you found in the docker ps output.

For example:
```
 docker logs cdaaca9
```
This will show the logs from the container. If the container is running a web server or application, you’ll see all the output and error messages generated by it.
Tail the logs: If you want to continuously watch the logs in real time (as they are generated), use the -f (follow) flag:
```
  docker logs -f cdaaca9 --tail 15
```
This command will stream the logs, allowing you to monitor them live.

Step 4: Troubleshooting with Logs

Docker logs are very helpful when troubleshooting issues with applications inside your container. If you encounter any errors or unusual behavior, checking the logs is often the first step in identifying the problem.

Step 5: Exiting the Server

After you’re done accessing the logs, you can exit the SSH session by typing:

exit

This will disconnect you from the server and return you to your local machine’s terminal.