client version is too new 🐳 Docker

Error response from daemon: client version 1.45 is too new. Maximum supported API version is 1.41

Your Docker CLI (or SDK) speaks a newer API version than the Docker daemon it’s talking to.

Seen on: Docker

Meaning

Upgrading the CLI or a library (docker-py, Testcontainers, Docker SDK for Go) on a machine whose daemon is older triggers it — common with old Synology/NAS, CI runners or remote hosts.

Common causes

  • Docker Engine older than the CLI/SDK
  • Remote context pointing at an old daemon
  • SDK pinned to a newer API

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Upgrade the Docker Engine
  2. Pin the API: export DOCKER_API_VERSION=1.41
  3. Use a matching CLI version

Detailed fix by platform

Shell

  1. bash
    docker version --format 'client {{.Client.APIVersion}} / server {{.Server.APIVersion}}'
export DOCKER_API_VERSION=1.41

How to diagnose

  1. Versions — docker version (Client vs Server API)
  2. Context — docker context show

🔧 Still not fixed?

Many errors look alike. If the steps above didn’t solve it, one of these is probably what you’re facing:

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