docker/cli · error

conflicting parameters "external" and %q specified for volum

Error message

conflicting parameters "external" and %q specified for volume %q

What it means

Error "conflicting parameters "external" and %q specified for volume %q" thrown in docker/cli.

Source

Thrown at cli/compose/loader/loader.go:571

			if nw.Name != "" {
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("network %s: network.external.name and network.name conflict; only use network.name", name)
			}
			if versions.GreaterThanOrEqualTo(version, "3.5") {
				logrus.Warnf("network %s: network.external.name is deprecated in favor of network.name", name)
			}
			nw.Name = nw.External.Name
			nw.External.Name = ""
		case nw.Name == "":
			nw.Name = name
		}
		nw.Extras = loadExtras(name, source)
		networks[name] = nw
	}
	return networks, nil
}

func externalVolumeError(volume, key string) error {
	return fmt.Errorf(`conflicting parameters "external" and %q specified for volume %q`, key, volume)
}

// LoadVolumes produces a VolumeConfig map from a compose file Dict
// the source Dict is not validated if directly used. Use Load() to enable validation
func LoadVolumes(source map[string]any, version string) (map[string]types.VolumeConfig, error) {
	volumes := make(map[string]types.VolumeConfig)
	if err := Transform(source, &volumes); err != nil {
		return volumes, err
	}

	for name, volume := range volumes {
		if !volume.External.External {
			continue
		}
		switch {
		case volume.Driver != "":
			return nil, externalVolumeError(name, "driver")
		case len(volume.DriverOpts) > 0:

View on GitHub (pinned to e9452d6e78)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/compose/loader/loader.go:571 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/0aea3676dcd50318.json. Report an issue: GitHub.