docker/cli · error

failed to export container: %w

Error message

failed to export container: %w

What it means

Error "failed to export container: %w" thrown in docker/cli.

Source

Thrown at cli/command/container/export.go:58

	flags := cmd.Flags()

	flags.StringVarP(&opts.output, "output", "o", "", "Write to a file, instead of STDOUT")

	return cmd
}

func runExport(ctx context.Context, dockerCLI command.Cli, opts exportOptions) error {
	var output io.Writer
	if opts.output == "" {
		if dockerCLI.Out().IsTerminal() {
			return errors.New("cowardly refusing to save to a terminal. Use the -o flag or redirect")
		}
		output = dockerCLI.Out()
	} else {
		writer, err := atomicwriter.New(opts.output, 0o600)
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("failed to export container: %w", err)
		}
		defer writer.Close()
		output = writer
	}

	responseBody, err := dockerCLI.Client().ContainerExport(ctx, opts.container, client.ContainerExportOptions{})
	if err != nil {
		return err
	}
	defer responseBody.Close()

	_, err = io.Copy(output, responseBody)
	return err
}

View on GitHub (pinned to e9452d6e78)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/command/container/export.go:58 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/68ea226946a8a497.json. Report an issue: GitHub.