docker/cli · error

context %q already exists

Error message

context %q already exists

What it means

Error "context %q already exists" thrown in docker/cli.

Source

Thrown at cli/command/context/create.go:127

	}
	if err := validateEndpoints(contextMetadata); err != nil {
		return err
	}
	if err := contextStore.CreateOrUpdate(contextMetadata); err != nil {
		return err
	}
	return contextStore.ResetTLSMaterial(name, &contextTLSData)
}

func checkContextNameForCreation(s store.Reader, name string) error {
	if err := store.ValidateContextName(name); err != nil {
		return err
	}
	if _, err := s.GetMetadata(name); !errdefs.IsNotFound(err) {
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("error while getting existing contexts: %w", err)
		}
		return fmt.Errorf("context %q already exists", name)
	}
	return nil
}

func createFromExistingContext(s store.ReaderWriter, name string, fromContextName string, opts createOptions) error {
	if len(opts.endpoint) != 0 {
		return errors.New("cannot use --docker flag when --from is set")
	}
	reader := store.Export(fromContextName, &descriptionDecorator{
		Reader:      s,
		description: opts.description,
	})
	defer reader.Close()
	return store.Import(name, s, reader)
}

type descriptionDecorator struct {
	store.Reader

View on GitHub (pinned to e9452d6e78)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/command/context/create.go:127 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/2049b008c9e72a4f.json. Report an issue: GitHub.