docker/cli · error

undefined network %q

Error message

undefined network %q

What it means

Error "undefined network %q" thrown in docker/cli.

Source

Thrown at cli/compose/convert/service.go:213

}

func convertServiceNetworks(
	networks map[string]*composetypes.ServiceNetworkConfig,
	networkConfigs networkMap,
	namespace Namespace,
	name string,
) ([]swarm.NetworkAttachmentConfig, error) {
	if len(networks) == 0 {
		networks = map[string]*composetypes.ServiceNetworkConfig{
			defaultNetwork: {},
		}
	}

	nets := make([]swarm.NetworkAttachmentConfig, 0, len(networks))
	for networkName, nw := range networks {
		networkConfig, ok := networkConfigs[networkName]
		if !ok && networkName != defaultNetwork {
			return nil, fmt.Errorf("undefined network %q", networkName)
		}
		var aliases []string
		var driverOpts map[string]string
		if nw != nil {
			aliases = nw.Aliases
			driverOpts = nw.DriverOpts
		}
		target := namespace.Scope(networkName)
		if networkConfig.Name != "" {
			target = networkConfig.Name
		}
		netAttachConfig := swarm.NetworkAttachmentConfig{
			Target:     target,
			Aliases:    aliases,
			DriverOpts: driverOpts,
		}
		// Only add default aliases to user defined networks. Other networks do
		// not support aliases.

View on GitHub (pinned to e9452d6e78)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/compose/convert/service.go:213 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/f99c141668dbcf9e.json. Report an issue: GitHub.