How to resolve the issue of mismatched time between a Docker container and the host machine?

2 years ago
Ava Mitchell
2 minutes

To address the issue of inconsistent time between Docker containers and the host machine, you can use the following method:

  1. Syncing the host machine’s time with the container: When running a Docker container, you can mount the host machine’s time to the container. For example, use the following command to run the container:
  2. Run the specified Docker image with the local system’s /etc/localtime file mounted as read-only at the same location within the container.
  3. This will mount the /etc/localtime file of the host machine into the container, ensuring that the container’s time stays consistent with the host machine.
  4. Manually setting the container time: You can enter the container and manually sync its time with the host machine. First, use the following command to enter the container:
  5. Run a bash shell inside the specified container using the container ID.
  6. Next, set the time of the container using the following command:
  7. Set the date to the time of the host.
  8. In this case, represents the time of the host machine.
  9. Syncing time with ntp service: Install and configure ntp service in the container to synchronize time with the host machine. First, access the container and then install ntp service.
  10. Update the package list using apt-get command and then install the ntp package with -y flag.
  11. After finishing the installation, edit the ntp configuration file /etc/ntp.conf and add the IP address of the host machine to the configuration file.
  12. server with the IP address of
  13. Finally, start the NTP service and synchronize the time.
  14. start the ntp service
  15. In this way, the container’s time will stay synchronized with the host machine.

Please note that when using the above method to synchronize time, the time within the container will remain consistent, but after restarting the container, the time may become inconsistent again. Therefore, it is recommended to use the first method, which is to mount the host machine’s time to the container, to ensure that the container’s time always remains consistent with the host machine.

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