Installing Docker

This guide covers installing Docker on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Verify System Requirements

Docker supports:

• Windows 10 and Windows 11
• macOS
• Most Linux distributions

Installing Docker on Windows

1. Download Docker Desktop.
2. Run the installer.
3. Enable WSL2 integration if prompted.
4. Restart your computer.

Verify the installation:

docker --version

Example output:

Docker version 27.x.x

Installing Docker on macOS

1. Download Docker Desktop.
2. Open the installer package.
3. Drag Docker into the Applications folder.
4. Launch Docker Desktop.

Verify the installation:

docker --version

Installing Docker on Ubuntu

Update package repositories:

sudo apt update

Install Docker:

sudo apt install docker.io -y

Start Docker:

sudo systemctl start docker

Enable Docker on boot:

sudo systemctl enable docker

Verify installation:

docker --version

Running Your First Container

Test your installation:

docker run hello-world

Docker will download the image and display a welcome message if everything is working correctly.

Common Issues

Permission Denied

Add your user to the Docker group:

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

Log out and back in afterward.

Docker Service Not Running

Start the Docker daemon:

sudo systemctl start docker

Summary

Once Docker is installed and verified, you're ready to build images and run containers.