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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion cli/command/context/use.go
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
func newUseCommand(dockerCLI command.Cli) *cobra.Command {
cmd := &cobra.Command{
Use: "use CONTEXT",
Short: "Set the current docker context",
Short: "Set the default docker context",
Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1),
RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
name := args[0]
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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion docs/reference/commandline/context.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Manage contexts
| [`rm`](context_rm.md) | Remove one or more contexts |
| [`show`](context_show.md) | Print the name of the current context |
| [`update`](context_update.md) | Update a context |
| [`use`](context_use.md) | Set the current docker context |
| [`use`](context_use.md) | Set the default docker context |



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58 changes: 54 additions & 4 deletions docs/reference/commandline/context_use.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -1,13 +1,63 @@
# context use

<!---MARKER_GEN_START-->
Set the current docker context
Set the default docker context


<!---MARKER_GEN_END-->

## Description

Set the default context to use, when `DOCKER_HOST`, `DOCKER_CONTEXT` environment
variables and `--host`, `--context` global options aren't set.
To disable usage of contexts, you can use the special `default` context.
The `docker context use` command sets the default context for the Docker CLI.

The `docker context use` command sets the Docker CLI’s default context by updating
your CLI config (`~/.docker/config.json`). This change is persistent, affecting
all shells and sessions that share that config, not just the current terminal.

For one-off commands or per-shell usage, use `--context` or the `DOCKER_CONTEXT`
environment variable instead.

## Examples

### Set the default (sticky) context

This updates the CLI configuration and applies to new terminal sessions:

```bash
$ docker context use my-context
my-context

$ docker context show
my-context
```

### Use a context for a single command

Use the global `--context` flag to avoid changing the default:

```bash
$ docker --context my-context ps
```

### Use a context for the current shell session

Set `DOCKER_CONTEXT` to override the configured default in the current shell:

```bash
$ export DOCKER_CONTEXT=my-context
$ docker context show
my-context
```

To stop overriding:

```bash
$ unset DOCKER_CONTEXT
```

### Switch back to the default context

```bash
$ docker context use default
default
```
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