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ERROR Exit 137
Docker Container Exit Code 137 (OOM Kill)
Docker Error
The container was killed by the Linux OOM (Out of Memory) killer.
Root Cause
The container exceeded its memory limit and was killed by the kernel. Exit code 137 = 128 + 9 (SIGKILL).
How to Fix
Increase the container's memory limit: docker run -m 512m. Optimize the application's memory usage. Check for memory leaks.
Quick Summary
Exit code 137 means the container was OOM-killed (out of memory). Increase the memory limit with -m or --memory, or fix memory leaks in the application.
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- Exit 137 = 128 + SIGKILL (9) = OOM kill
- The container exceeded its memory limit
- Increase limit: docker run -m 512m or in docker-compose: mem_limit: 512m
- Check for memory leaks with a profiler
Use Cases
When to use it
- Node.js app with a memory leak
- Java app with insufficient heap size
- Container memory limit too low for the workload
Watch out
Common Mistakes
- Increasing the memory limit without investigating the root cause, fix the memory leak instead
FAQ
Exit 137 Docker Container Exit Code 137 (OOM Kill), Frequently Asked
How do I check if a container was OOM-killed?
docker inspect <container-id> | grep OOMKilled, returns true if the container was OOM-killed.
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