API version:       1.50
 Go version:        go1.24.3
 Git commit:        879ac3f
 Built:             Wed May 28 19:24:55 2025
 OS/Arch:           linux/arm64
 Context:           default

Server: Docker Engine - Community
 Engine:
  Version:          28.2.1
  API version:      1.50 (minimum version 1.24)
  Go version:       go1.24.3
  Git commit:       0e2cc22
  Built:            Wed May 28 19:24:55 2025
  OS/Arch:          linux/arm64
  ...
```

You can specify the API version to use in any of the following ways:

- When using the SDK, use the latest version. At a minimum, use the version
  that incorporates the API version with the features you need.
- When using `curl` directly, specify the version as the first part of the URL.
  For instance, if the endpoint is `/containers/` you can use
  `/v{{% param "latest_engine_api_version" %}}/containers/`.
- To force the Docker CLI or the Docker Engine SDKs to use an older version
  of the API than the version reported by `docker version`, set the
  environment variable `DOCKER_API_VERSION` to the correct version. This works
  on Linux, Windows, or macOS clients.

  {{% apiVersionPrevious.inline %}}
  {{- $version := site.Params.latest_engine_api_version }}
  {{- $parts := strings.Split $version "." }}
  {{- $major := cast.ToInt (index $parts 0) }}
  {{- $minor := cast.ToInt (index $parts 1) }}
  ```console
  $ DOCKER_API_VERSION={{ $major }}.{{ math.Sub $minor 1 }}
  ```
  {{% /apiVersionPrevious.inline %}}

  While the environment variable is set, that version of the API is used, even
  if the Docker daemon supports a newer version. This environment variable
  disables API version negotiation, so you should only use it if you must
  use a specific version of the API, or for debugging purposes.

- The Docker Go SDK allows you to enable API version negotiation, automatically
  selects an API version that's supported by both the client and the Docker Engine
  that's in use.
- For the SDKs, you can also specify the API version programmatically as a
  parameter to the `client` object. See the
  [Go constructor](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/docker/docker/client#NewClientWithOpts)
  or the
  [Python SDK documentation for `client`](https://docker-py.readthedocs.io/en/stable/client.html).

### API version matrix

| Docker version | Maximum API version                          | Change log                                                         |
|:---------------|:---------------------------------------------|:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 28.2           | [1.50](/reference/api/engine/version/v1.50/) | [changes](/reference/api/engine/version-history/#v150-api-changes) |
| 28.1           | [1.49](/reference/api/engine/version/v1.49/) | [changes](/reference/api/engine/version-history/#v149-api-changes) |
| 28.0           | [1.48](/reference/api/engine/version/v1.48/) | [changes](/reference/api/engine/version-history/#v148-api-changes) |
| 27.5           | [1.47](/reference/api/engine/version/v1.47/) | [changes](/reference/api/engine/version-history/#v147-api-changes) |
| 27.4           | [1.47](/reference/api/engine/version/v1.47/) | [changes](/reference/api/engine/version-history/#v147-api-changes) |
| 27.3           | [1.47](/reference/api/engine/version/v1.47/) | [changes](/reference/api/engine/version-history/#v147-api-changes) |
| 27.2           | [1.47](/reference/api/engine/version/v1.47/) | [changes](/reference/api/engine/version-history/#v147-api-changes) |
| 27.1           | [1.46](/reference/api/engine/version/v1.46/) | [changes](/reference/api/engine/version-history/#v146-api-changes) |
| 27.0           | [1.46](/reference/api/engine/version/v1.46/) | [changes](/reference/api/engine/version-history/#v146-api-changes) |
| 26.1           | [1.45](/reference/api/engine/version/v1.45/) | [changes](/reference/api/engine/version-history/#v145-api-changes) |