Installing Docker Desktop

Let's get hands-on by installing Docker Desktop — the all-in-one app for macOS, Windows, and Linux that has everything you need to build and run containers.

Docker Desktop is a bundle: the Engine that runs containers, the CLI to control it, Compose for multi-container apps, optional Kubernetes, and a credential helper.

On Windows, Docker Desktop runs on the WSL 2 backend. Make sure WSL 2 is enabled and hardware virtualization is on in your BIOS/UEFI.

On macOS, you need 10.15+ and either Intel or Apple Silicon. On M-series chips, Rosetta 2 runs Intel-based components — it usually installs itself.

Download the installer from docker.com for your OS — .exe on Windows, .dmg on macOS. Always grab it from the official source for safety.

Run the installer like any app: double-click the .exe (keep the WSL 2 option checked) on Windows, or drag Docker into Applications from the .dmg on macOS.

Launch Docker Desktop. On first run it may ask for admin rights, download components, and show terms. The whale icon in your tray or menu bar means it's running.

The quickest health check is the whale icon — in the Windows system tray or the macOS menu bar. A steady, green-ish whale means Docker is up and ready.

Confirm the CLI works: run docker version. Seeing both client and server details means the CLI is talking to the Docker Engine.

Run a tiny container end-to-end with docker run hello-world. The success message proves your whole Docker setup works.

You've just installed Docker Desktop! What is the primary purpose of running docker version in your terminal?

Docker Desktop is installed and verified! You covered OS requirements, the install steps, and confirmed it with the CLI plus your first container. Next: running real containers.