[JENKINS-45152] Should be able to check if image exists

Right now, you can do:

dimage = docker.image("whatever/whatever:99")

This seems fine, until you try to spin up a container, where it throws an exception (that you can catch, which is great).

dimage.withRun() { /* do nothing; just attempt to spin up container */ }

The problem is that takes some time on a loaded server, because it spins up a container for no real reason.

I would like a "validate" method. If that verb is too "heavy" and implies too much, "exists" would be fine, e.g.:

dimage = docker.image("whatever/whatever:99")

if (dimage.exists()) {

  ...

}

Workaround:

image_id = sh (script: "docker images -q whatever/whatever:99", returnStdout: true).trim()

if (image_id.isEmpty()) throw new Exception("Image not found")

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Originally reported by aarondmarasco_vsi, imported from: Should be able to check if image exists

• status: Open
  
• priority: Minor
  
• component(s): docker-workflow-plugin
  
• resolution: Unresolved
  
• votes: 3
  
• watchers: 4
  
• imported: 2025-12-07
  

Raw content of original issue

Right now, you can do:



dimage = docker.image("whatever/whatever:99")





This seems fine, until you try to spin up a container, where it throws an exception (that you can catch, which is great). 




dimage.withRun() { /* do nothing; just attempt to spin up container */ }





The problem is that takes some time on a loaded server, because it spins up a container for no real reason.


I would like a "validate" method. If that verb is too "heavy" and implies too much, "exists" would be fine, e.g.:




dimage = docker.image("whatever/whatever:99")

if (dimage.exists()) {

  ...

}





Workaround:



image_id = sh (script: "docker images -q whatever/whatever:99", returnStdout: true).trim()

if (image_id.isEmpty()) throw new Exception("Image not found")