docker/cli · error

%[1]s %[2]s: %[1]s.driver and %[1]s.file conflict; only use

Error message

%[1]s %[2]s: %[1]s.driver and %[1]s.file conflict; only use %[1]s.driver

What it means

Error "%[1]s %[2]s: %[1]s.driver and %[1]s.file conflict; only use %[1]s.driver" thrown in docker/cli.

Source

Thrown at cli/compose/loader/loader.go:669

	switch {
	case obj.External.External:
		// handle deprecated external.name
		if obj.External.Name != "" {
			if obj.Name != "" {
				return obj, fmt.Errorf("%[1]s %[2]s: %[1]s.external.name and %[1]s.name conflict; only use %[1]s.name", objType, name)
			}
			if versions.GreaterThanOrEqualTo(details.Version, "3.5") {
				logrus.Warnf("%[1]s %[2]s: %[1]s.external.name is deprecated in favor of %[1]s.name", objType, name)
			}
			obj.Name = obj.External.Name
			obj.External.Name = ""
		} else if obj.Name == "" {
			obj.Name = name
		}
		// if not "external: true"
	case obj.Driver != "":
		if obj.File != "" {
			return obj, fmt.Errorf("%[1]s %[2]s: %[1]s.driver and %[1]s.file conflict; only use %[1]s.driver", objType, name)
		}
	default:
		obj.File = absPath(details.WorkingDir, obj.File)
	}

	return obj, nil
}

func absPath(workingDir string, filePath string) string {
	if filepath.IsAbs(filePath) {
		return filePath
	}
	return filepath.Join(workingDir, filePath)
}

var transformMapStringString TransformerFunc = func(data any) (any, error) {
	switch value := data.(type) {
	case map[string]any:

View on GitHub (pinned to e9452d6e78)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/compose/loader/loader.go:669 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of docker/cli@e9452d6e78 (2026-08-01). Data as JSON: /data/errors/61caaa812bdac6ce.json. Report an issue: GitHub.