How to check if the docker engine and a docker container are running?

Question

In a script, I need to check:

a) Is the docker engine running?
b) Given a container name, is that docker container running?

[the initial wording of this

Answer 1

Any docker command (except docker -v), like docker ps If Docker is running, you'll get some valid response, otherwise you'll get a message that includes "Is your docker daemon up and running?"

You can also check your task manager.