Learn Docker for free: Docker Installation

Table of contents

• Prerequisites

• Installing Docker on Windows

• Installing Docker on macOS

• Installing Docker on Linux

• Verifying the Installation

Docker is a popular containerization platform that allows you to run applications in isolated environments, known as containers. Containers are lightweight and portable, making them ideal for deploying and managing applications in production environments. In this blog post, we will walk you through the installation process of Docker on various operating systems.

Prerequisites

Before installing Docker, make sure your system meets the following prerequisites:

• A 64-bit version of Windows 10, Windows Server 2019 or later, macOS 10.15 or later (Mojave), or Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, etc.)

• At least 4 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended)

• Enough disk space to store the Docker image and any data you want to persist

Installing Docker on Windows

To install Docker on Windows (WSL/hyper-v is required), follow these steps:

1. Download Docker Desktop: Go to the Docker website and download the Docker Desktop installer for Windows (64-bit).

2. Run the Installer: Run the downloaded installer file (docker-desktop-<version>-windows-amd64.exe) as an administrator.

3. Accept the Terms: Read and accept the license agreement to proceed with the installation.

4. Choose the Installation Location: Select the installation location for Docker Desktop (default is C:\Program Files\Docker).

5. Select the Start Menu Icon: Choose whether you want to install a start menu icon for Docker Desktop (optional but recommended).

6. Finish the Installation: Click "Next" and then "Finish" to complete the installation.

7. Launch Docker Desktop: Once the installation is complete, launch Docker Desktop from your start menu or desktop.

Installing Docker on macOS

To install Docker on macOS, follow these steps:

1. Download Docker Desktop: Go to the Docker website and download the Docker Desktop installer for macOS (64-bit).

2. Run the Installer: Run the downloaded installer file (docker-desktop-<version>-macos-amd64.pkg) as an administrator.

3. Accept the Terms: Read and accept the license agreement to proceed with the installation.

4. Choose the Installation Location: Select the installation location for Docker Desktop (default is /Applications/Docker).

5. Select the Launch Icon: Choose whether you want to install a launch icon for Docker Desktop in your dock or menu bar.

6. Finish the Installation: Click "Continue" and then "Install" to complete the installation.

Installing Docker on Linux

To install Docker on Linux, follow these steps:

1. Update Your Package Index: Run the command "sudo apt-get update" (for Ubuntu-based systems) or "sudo yum update" (for RHEL-based systems).

2. Install Docker: Run the command "sudo apt-get install docker.io" (for Ubuntu-based systems) or "sudo yum install docker -ce" (for RHEL-based systems).

3. Start the Docker Service: Run the command "sudo service docker start" (on systemd-based systems like Ubuntu 16.04 and later) or "sudo systemctl start docker" (on systemd-based systems like Ubuntu 18.04 and later).

Tips: To run docker command without sudo

1. Create the Docker Group (if not already created):

   • If your system doesn’t have a docker group, create it using the following command: "sudo groupadd docker"

2. Add Your User to the Docker Group:

   • Add your user (replace $USER with your actual username) to the docker group: "sudo usermod -aG docker $USER"

3. Log Out and Log Back In:

   • To apply the changes, log out and then log back in. If you’re using a virtual machine, consider restarting it.

Verifying the Installation

To verify that Docker is installed correctly, follow these steps:

1. Open a Terminal Window: Open a terminal window on your system.

2. Run the Command "docker": Run the command docker in the terminal window. If Docker is installed correctly, you should see a list of available commands and options.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter any issues during the installation process, refer to the following troubleshooting tips:

• Windows:

  • Error 0x800706ba: This error occurs when your system is unable to conn connect to the Docker registry. Try restarting your system or checking your network connection.

  • Error "docker not recognized": Make sure you have added the Docker dir directory to your system's PATH environment variable.

• macOS:

  • Error "The installer cannot continue because it has found an unexpected situation": This error occurs when another instance of Docker Desktop is already running. Close any existing instances and try installing again.

• Linux:

  • Error "failed to create the new symlinks": This error occurs when you don't have permission to create symlinks in your system's default directory (usually /usr/local/bin). Run the command "sudo chown $USER:$GROUP /usr/local/bin" and try installing again.

Conclusion

In this blog post, we walked you through the installation process of Docker on various operating systems. With these steps, you should be able to successfully install Docker and start using it for containerization and application deployment. Happy containerizing!

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