Installing Docker: macOS, Windows, Linux

macOS

Download Docker Desktop from docker.com/products/docker-desktop.

Before downloading, check your chip: run uname -m in the terminal. arm64 means Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3), x86_64 means Intel.

After installation, open Applications → Docker. The first launch takes 3–5 minutes. A whale icon 🐳 will appear in the menu bar — Docker is running.

Recommended resources (Settings → Resources): 2+ CPUs, 4+ GB RAM, 60 GB Disk.

Windows

Requirements: Windows 10 build 19041+ or Windows 11. The Home edition requires WSL2.

Step 1: Install WSL2 — open PowerShell as Administrator and run wsl --install, then reboot.

Step 2: Download Docker Desktop from docker.com and run the installer. Check “Install required Windows components for WSL2” during setup.

Step 3: After rebooting, launch Docker Desktop. A whale icon will appear in the system tray.

Linux (Ubuntu)

On Linux, Docker runs natively — it’s the fastest option.

# Install with a single command
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh

# Add yourself to the docker group (to run without sudo)
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker

# Enable autostart
sudo systemctl enable docker

For other distros: docs.docker.com/engine/install.

Verifying the Installation

After installing on any platform:

docker --version    # Docker version 24.x.x
docker ps           # empty list (no errors)
docker run hello-world  # should print a welcome message

Common Issues

“command not found: docker” — Docker Desktop isn’t running. Launch the app.

“Cannot connect to Docker daemon” — same issue. On Linux, check: sudo systemctl start docker.

“Permission denied” on Linux — you haven’t been added to the docker group. Run sudo usermod -aG docker $USER and log out/in.

“Not enough disk space” — you need at least 10 GB free. Clean up: docker system prune -a.