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Section 3 Install Docker Desktop on Windows

How to Install Docker Desktop on Windows

Prerequisites

  1. Supported Windows Version:

    • Windows 10 64-bit: Pro, Enterprise, or Education (2004 or later).
    • Windows 11: Home, Pro, or Enterprise.

  2. System Requirements:

    • WSL 2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux) feature enabled.
    • Hardware virtualization enabled in the BIOS.
    • Minimum of 4GB RAM.

  3. Admin Rights:

    • Administrator access is required for installation.

Steps to Install Docker Desktop

  1. Download Docker Desktop:

  2. Run the Installer:

    • Double-click the downloaded .exe file.
    • Follow the installation wizard instructions.

  3. Enable WSL 2:

    • During installation, ensure WSL 2 is selected as the default backend.

  4. Restart Your System:

    • After installation, restart your computer to finalize the setup.

  5. Start Docker Desktop:

    • Search for "Docker Desktop" in the Start menu and launch the application.
    • Docker Desktop will initialize and verify system compatibility.

  6. Sign In to Docker Hub:

    • Optional: Sign in with your Docker Hub account or create a new one.

Step1: Enable WSL2

Open PowerShell as Administrator

wsl --install

This command will:

  • install linux (ubuntu) on windows

Access to ubuntu: Search 'ubuntu"

Open Ubuntu Application: will open ubuntu shell

Run: update command

cat /etc/lsb-release
apt update && apt full-upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Docker Desktop
1. Download Docker Desktop for windows

2 click installer


wait for install

3 Success screen, Click close

Step3: verify Docker is install correctly, open a terminal (Command promp or PowerShell)


docker --version

4 Open Docker Desktop

Accept

Docker desktop

Enable Terminal

Ensure WSL2 install

we can use command below to list WSL install

> wsl --set-default-version 2
> wsl --list --verbose
  NAME              STATE           VERSION
* Ubuntu            Stopped         2
  docker-desktop    Stopped         2

- Version 2 indicated instance use WSL2 architecture, which includes a real linux kernel
- docker-desktop is installed in system
- state Stopped mean WSL distribution not running

Start wsl instance

  • Start Ubuntu install by command line
    > wsl -d Ubuntu

  • Start docker-desktop wsl instance by start docker-destop application
  • after start docker-desktop application, open terminal run wsl --list --verbose
  • See State of WSL is running