While hosting the backend of one of my side projects on a 7.6 GB VPS, I suddenly encountered Docker consuming all the disk space. This is a common problem, especially on servers with limited resources, and requires careful management. For me, this was more than just a disk full alert; it necessitated a root cause analysis that affected the system's stability. In this post, I will explain in detail why Docker takes up so much space, how I identified it on my own VPS with concrete examples, and what steps I took for permanent solutions. My goal is to provide a practical roadmap for anyone facing similar issues. Why Does Docker Take Up So Much Space? Understanding Docker's disk usage is the first step in troubleshooting. There are several fundamental reasons that are often overlooked. These typically stem from the accumulation of components like images, containers, volumes, and build cache.…