How to fix write /var/lib/docker/tmp/...: no space left on device in Docker

First, examine how Docker is using disk space to understand what needs cleanup:

docker system df

This shows a breakdown of disk usage by images, containers, volumes, and build cache. Look for the component using the most space.

Remove all unused Docker objects (stopped containers, unused networks, dangling images, and build cache):

docker system prune -f

For a more aggressive cleanup that also removes unused images (not just dangling ones) and volumes:

docker system prune -af --volumes

Warning: The --volumes flag will delete unused volumes. Make sure you don't have important data in Docker volumes before running this.

If build cache is the main culprit (common with frequent builds), clear it directly:

docker builder prune -af

The -a flag removes all build cache, not just dangling cache. Without it, some cache may not be cleared.

If using BuildKit with buildx:

docker buildx prune -af

List all images and their sizes:

docker images -a

Remove specific images you no longer need:

docker rmi image_name:tag

Remove all dangling images (untagged images):

docker image prune -f

Sometimes the disk has space but is out of inodes. Check inode usage:

df -ih

If the IUse% is at 100% for the partition containing /var/lib/docker, you need to delete files or directories to free inodes. Running the Docker prune commands from previous steps should help.

After cleanup, verify you have sufficient space:

df -h /var/lib/docker

Check Docker disk usage again:

docker system df

You should see reduced usage and can retry your build.

If your root partition is too small, move Docker's data to a larger partition:

1. Stop Docker:

sudo systemctl stop docker

2. Create or edit /etc/docker/daemon.json:

{
  "data-root": "/path/to/new/docker-data"
}

3. Copy existing data (optional, if you want to preserve images):

sudo rsync -aP /var/lib/docker/ /path/to/new/docker-data/

4. Restart Docker:

sudo systemctl start docker

If using Docker Desktop on Windows or macOS, increase the allocated disk space:

1. Open Docker Desktop
2. Go to Settings (gear icon)
3. Navigate to Resources > Advanced
4. Increase the Disk image size slider
5. Click Apply & Restart

This allows Docker to use more disk space from your host machine.