Introduction
There are multiple ways to get Docker running and start working with containers. The most common options are Docker Desktop, a Multipass virtual machine, and a direct server installation on Linux. Each option suits a different use case, but Docker Desktop is generally the recommended starting point.
Docker Desktop
Docker Desktop is a desktop application from Docker, Inc. and is considered the best way to work with containers. It includes the Docker Engine, a graphical interface, the latest plugins, an extension marketplace, Docker Compose, and even a local Kubernetes cluster.
It is free for personal use and education, though a license fee applies to companies with more than 250 employees or over $10M in annual revenue.
On Windows 10/11 Professional and Enterprise editions, Docker Desktop supports both Windows and Linux containers. On Mac, Linux, and Windows Home editions, it only supports Linux containers, which represent the vast majority of containers used in practice.
Installing on Windows
Before installing, make sure your system meets the following requirements:
- A 64-bit version of Windows 10 or 11
- Hardware virtualization enabled in the system
BIOS WSL2(Windows Subsystem for Linux)
After downloading and running the installer, be sure to enable the WSL 2 backend when prompted. Once installed, start Docker Desktop manually from the Start menu and confirm it's working by running:
docker versionThe output should show a Server section confirming Docker Desktop is running, with OS/Arch: linux/amd64 by default, indicating Linux containers mode.
Installing on Mac
Docker Desktop for Mac runs the daemon and server-side components inside a lightweight Linux VM, while exposing the Docker API seamlessly to the local terminal. This is why Mac installations only support Linux containers.
After installing and launching Docker Desktop from Launchpad, verify the installation with the same command:
docker versionThe Client section will show darwin/arm64 or darwin/amd64, since the CLI runs natively on macOS, while the Server section will show a Linux architecture, since the engine runs inside the hidden VM.
Installing Docker with Multipass
This option should only be considered if Docker Desktop is not available. Multipass is a free tool for creating lightweight, cloud-style Linux VMs on Linux, Mac, or Windows, and is a convenient way to build multi-node Docker clusters. Note that Multipass installations lack certain Docker Desktop features such as docker scout, docker debug, and docker init.
After installing Multipass, a new VM with Docker pre-installed can be launched with:
multipass launch docker --name node1The VM's status can be checked with multipass ls, and a shell session can be opened using multipass shell node1. From inside the VM, standard Docker commands work as expected.
Installing Docker on Linux
A direct installation on Linux is possible but, like Multipass, does not include features such as docker scout, docker debug, or docker init. On Ubuntu, Docker can be installed with:
sudo snap install dockerTo avoid prefixing every command with sudo, a dedicated docker group can be created and the current user added to it:
sudo groupadd docker
sudo usermod -aG docker $(whoami)Docker must then be restarted for the change to take effect.
Conclusion
Docker can be installed almost anywhere, and getting started has never been easier. Docker Desktop remains the most complete and convenient option for local development on Windows, Mac, and Linux, while Multipass and native Linux installations offer lighter alternatives for specific use cases such as building test clusters or working directly on servers.