Docker: 'Bind: Address Already in Use'

Something is already listening on the host port you published. Find it in ten seconds, then decide whether to move it or move your container.

What you'll see

Root causes

Another process owns the port

A previously started service, another container, or a leftover zombie from a crashed run holds the port.

Another container already publishes it

Two compose projects or two containers publishing the same host port — the second one loses.

Fix it

  1. Identify exactly what holds the port
    sudo ss -ltnp | grep -E ':8080\b'
  2. Check whether it is another container
    docker ps --format '{{.Names}} {{.Ports}}' | grep 8080
  3. Stop the holder or republish your container elsewhere
    docker run -p 8081:80 myapp   # or: docker stop <holder>
  4. Kill a stray process if it should not be there
    sudo fuser -k 8080/tcp   # use with care — it kills the holder

Field note

For compose projects that fight over ports, prefer letting services talk over the internal network (service names, no -p) and publishing only the front door once.

Common questions

docker ps shows nothing on that port. What's holding it?

Something outside Docker: another host process (check ss -ltnp | grep :port) or a stopped-but-not-removed container's network config. ss shows the PID directly; docker ps -a shows the stopped container.

Why does it fail even after I stopped the old container?

Stopped containers still hold their published port mappings until removed. docker rm the old container, or docker compose down instead of stop — the port frees with the container object.

Related fixes

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