docker/cli · error

unknown mode: %s

Error message

unknown mode: %s

What it means

Error "unknown mode: %s" thrown in docker/cli.

Source

Thrown at cli/compose/convert/service.go:653

	case "global-job":
		if replicas != nil {
			return serviceMode, errors.New("replicas can only be used with replicated or replicated-job mode")
		}
		serviceMode.GlobalJob = &swarm.GlobalJob{}
	case "global":
		if replicas != nil {
			return serviceMode, errors.New("replicas can only be used with replicated or replicated-job mode")
		}
		serviceMode.Global = &swarm.GlobalService{}
	case "replicated-job":
		serviceMode.ReplicatedJob = &swarm.ReplicatedJob{
			MaxConcurrent:    replicas,
			TotalCompletions: replicas,
		}
	case "replicated", "":
		serviceMode.Replicated = &swarm.ReplicatedService{Replicas: replicas}
	default:
		return serviceMode, fmt.Errorf("unknown mode: %s", mode)
	}
	return serviceMode, nil
}

func convertDNSConfig(dns []string, dnsSearch []string) *swarm.DNSConfig {
	if len(dns) > 0 || len(dnsSearch) > 0 {
		return &swarm.DNSConfig{
			Nameservers: toNetipAddrSlice(dns),
			Search:      dnsSearch,
		}
	}
	return nil
}

func toNetipAddrSlice(ips []string) []netip.Addr {
	if len(ips) == 0 {
		return nil
	}

View on GitHub (pinned to e9452d6e78)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/compose/convert/service.go:653 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/905fdefe10343a94.json. Report an issue: GitHub.