docker/cli · error

invalid scale specifier '%s'. See '%s --help'. Usage: %s

Error message

invalid scale specifier '%s'.
See '%s --help'.

Usage:  %s

%s

What it means

Error "invalid scale specifier '%s'. See '%s --help'. Usage: %s %s" thrown in docker/cli.

Source

Thrown at cli/command/service/scale.go:45

		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
			return runScale(cmd.Context(), dockerCLI, options, args)
		},
		ValidArgsFunction:     completeScaleArgs(dockerCLI),
		DisableFlagsInUseLine: true,
	}

	flags := cmd.Flags()
	addDetachFlag(flags, &options.detach)
	return cmd
}

func scaleArgs(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
	if err := cli.RequiresMinArgs(1)(cmd, args); err != nil {
		return err
	}
	for _, arg := range args {
		if k, v, ok := strings.Cut(arg, "="); !ok || k == "" || v == "" {
			return fmt.Errorf(
				"invalid scale specifier '%s'.\nSee '%s --help'.\n\nUsage:  %s\n\n%s",
				arg,
				cmd.CommandPath(),
				cmd.UseLine(),
				cmd.Short,
			)
		}
	}
	return nil
}

func runScale(ctx context.Context, dockerCLI command.Cli, options *scaleOptions, args []string) error {
	apiClient := dockerCLI.Client()
	var (
		errs       []error
		serviceIDs = make([]string, 0, len(args))
	)
	for _, arg := range args {

View on GitHub (pinned to e9452d6e78)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/command/service/scale.go:45 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/1ff8f73080b8691d.json. Report an issue: GitHub.