How to fix Error: context "mycontext" does not exist in Docker

First, check which contexts are currently available on your system:

# List all Docker contexts
docker context ls

This shows all configured contexts with an asterisk (*) marking the currently active one. If the context you're trying to use isn't listed, it needs to be created.

If you see an error even running this command, the current context itself may be invalid.

If you're stuck with an invalid context, switch back to the default:

# Switch to default context
docker context use default

If this fails because "default" doesn't exist (common after Docker Desktop reset), you may need to fix the config file manually (see next step).

If Docker is configured to use a context that no longer exists, edit the config file:

# View current config
cat ~/.docker/config.json

Look for a line like:

"currentContext": "mycontext"

Remove this line entirely or change it to "default":

# On Linux/Mac - edit the file
nano ~/.docker/config.json

# Or use sed to remove the line
sed -i '/"currentContext"/d' ~/.docker/config.json

On Windows, the config file is typically at %USERPROFILE%\.docker\config.json.

Environment variables override Docker context settings. Check if any are set:

# Check for Docker-related environment variables
env | grep DOCKER

# Common variables that affect context
echo $DOCKER_CONTEXT
echo $DOCKER_HOST

If DOCKER_CONTEXT is set to a non-existent context, unset it:

# Temporarily unset
unset DOCKER_CONTEXT
unset DOCKER_HOST

# Or permanently remove from your shell profile
# Edit ~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc, or ~/.profile and remove the lines

If you need to create a new context (for a remote Docker host, for example):

# Create context for a remote Docker host
docker context create mycontext --docker "host=ssh://user@remote-host"

# Create context with TCP endpoint
docker context create mycontext --docker "host=tcp://192.168.1.100:2376"

# Create context for local Docker socket
docker context create mycontext --docker "host=unix:///var/run/docker.sock"

Then switch to use it:

docker context use mycontext

For Docker Desktop users (Windows/Mac), if the desktop-linux or default context is missing:

# Check Docker Desktop status
docker version

If Docker Desktop is running but contexts are broken:

1. Open Docker Desktop settings
2. Go to "Troubleshoot" (bug icon)
3. Click "Reset to factory defaults" or "Clean / Purge data"

Alternatively, manually reset contexts:

# Remove all context directories (Linux/Mac)
rm -rf ~/.docker/contexts

# Restart Docker Desktop
# The default context will be recreated

Warning: This removes all custom contexts. Back up any important context configurations first.

If docker-compose fails to find a context that works with docker:

# Check docker-compose version
docker-compose version

# Use the newer docker compose (plugin) instead
docker compose version

The standalone docker-compose may have compatibility issues with certain Docker CLI versions. Try using the plugin version:

# Instead of: docker-compose --context mycontext up
docker compose --context mycontext up

# Or set the context first
docker context use mycontext
docker compose up