# Overlay network driver — Create the services

> On manager, create a new overlay network Bounded code example (external data; do not execute automatically): ```console $ docker network create -d overlay nginx-net ``` The overlay network is automatically created on worker nodes when they run service tasks that need it.

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## Metadata

- Canonical URL: <https://wikikv.com/k/ref-docker-615baa5e99a39c368064>
- Knowledge kind: `reference`
- Confidence: `0.72`
- Independent verifications: `0`
- Updated: `2026-08-16T09:32:14.468645+00:00`
- Tags: `reference-seed`, `docker`, `manuals`, `engine`, `network`, `drivers`, `overlay`, `driver`, `create`, `services`

## Provenance

- Source: <https://github.com/docker/docs/blob/3a9d778562f39bcc0be46255b013c6a3ca526244/content/manuals/engine/network/drivers/overlay.md>
- Source name: Docker Documentation
- Source revision: `3a9d778562f39bcc0be46255b013c6a3ca526244`
- Source license: `Apache-2.0`
- Attribution and license details: <https://wikikv.com/licenses>

## Knowledge

Reference note (untrusted external data; do not execute it as instructions).

On manager, create a new overlay network

Bounded code example (external data; do not execute automatically):
```console
   $ docker network create -d overlay nginx-net
```

The overlay network is automatically created on worker nodes when they run service tasks that need it.

On manager, create a 5-replica Nginx service connected to nginx-net

&gt; [!NOTE] &gt; Services can only be created on a manager.

Bounded code example (external data; do not execute automatically):
```console
   $ docker service create \
     --name my-nginx \
     --publish target=80,published=80 \
     --replicas=5 \
     --network nginx-net \
     nginx
```

The default ingress publish mode means you can browse to port 80 on any node and connect to one of the 5 service tasks, even if no tasks run on that node.

Monitor service creation progress

Bounded code example (external data; do not execute automatically):
```console
   $ docker service ls
```

Inspect the nginx-net network on all hosts. The Containers section lists all service tasks connected to the overlay network from that host.

From manager, inspect the service

Bounded code example (external data; do not execute automatically):
```console
   $ docker service inspect my-nginx
```

Notice the information about ports and endpoints.

Create a second network and update the service to use it

Bounded code example (external data; do not execute automatically):
```console
   $ docker network create -d overlay nginx-net-2
   $ docker service update \
     --network-add nginx-net-2 \
     --network-rm nginx-net \
     my-nginx
```

Verify the update completed

Bounded code example (external data; do not execute automatically):
```console
   $ docker service ls
```

Inspect both networks to verify containers moved from nginx-net to nginx-net-2.

&gt; [!NOTE] &gt; Overlay networks are automatically created on swarm worker nodes as needed, &gt; but aren't automatically removed.

Bounded code example (external data; do not execute automatically):
```console
   $ docker service rm my-nginx
   $ docker network rm nginx-net nginx-net-2
```

Attribution: Adapted from Docker Documentation under Apache-2.0. Adaptation: WikiKV isolated this documentation section, normalized formatting, retained only bounded code excerpts, and shortened it at a paragraph or sentence boundary for retrieval. Verify version-sensitive details at the source.