Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Docker on Windows

Download and Install Docker

To begin the Docker installation process on Windows:

1. Visit the official Docker website and download Docker Desktop for your specific system architecture (AMD64 or ARM64).
   • To find out, open Settings > System > About
2. Run the installer and follow the setup process:
   • Accept the license agreement.
   • Select the WSL 2 backend option during installation.
3. Restart your system if prompted.

Minimum Requirements:

• 64-bit processor (AMD64 or ARM64)
• At least 4GB of RAM
• 64-bit version of Windows 10 (Build 1903 or higher) or Windows 11
• Hardware virtualization enabled in BIOS/UEFI settings

Verify Installation:

• Open a terminal and run docker --version to check the Docker version.
• Test functionality by running: docker run hello-world.

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Set Up WSL 2

To set up Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL 2):

1. Open PowerShell as an administrator.
2. Run the command: wsl --install.
3. Restart your computer if prompted.

Verify WSL Installation:

• Run wsl --list --verbose in PowerShell to check installed distributions and versions.
• If needed, set WSL 2 as the default version using: wsl --set-default-version 2.

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Configure Docker Settings

After installing Docker Desktop, configure its settings for optimal performance:

1. Open Docker Desktop and go to the Settings menu.
2. Navigate to Resources to adjust CPU, memory, and disk space allocation.
3. In WSL Integration, enable Docker integration with your installed WSL Linux distributions (e.g., Ubuntu).

Advanced Configuration:

To limit resource usage, create a .wslconfig file in your user directory (C:\Users\YourUsername) with the following settings:

memory=4GB # Limits memory usage to 4GB
processors=2 # Limits to 2 virtual processors
swap=8GB # Sets swap space to 8GB
pageReporting=false # Retains allocated memory
localhostforwarding=true # Enables localhost forwarding from WSL to Windows

Ps. If you want to be more specific about resource limitations, use these commands, but be aware of what you really want:

# Settings apply across all Linux distros running on WSL 2
[wsl2]

# Limits VM memory to use no more than 4 GB, this can be set as whole numbers using GB or MB
memory=4GB

# Sets the VM to use two virtual processors
processors=2

# Specify a custom Linux kernel to use with your installed distros. The default kernel used can be found at https://github.com/microsoft/WSL2-Linux-Kernel
kernel=C:\\temp\\myCustomKernel

# Sets additional kernel parameters, in this case enabling older Linux base images such as Centos 6
kernelCommandLine = vsyscall=emulate

# Sets amount of swap storage space to 8GB, default is 25% of available RAM
swap=8GB

# Sets swapfile path location, default is %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Temp\swap.vhdx
swapfile=C:\\temp\\wsl-swap.vhdx

# Disable page reporting so WSL retains all allocated memory claimed from Windows and releases none back when free
pageReporting=false

# Turn off default connection to bind WSL 2 localhost to Windows localhost
localhostforwarding=true

# Disables nested virtualization
nestedVirtualization=false

# Turns on output console showing contents of dmesg when opening a WSL 2 distro for debugging
debugConsole=true

Restart Docker Desktop after making changes for them to take effect.

Configure WSL Integration

Go to the Docker settings, select Resources > WSL Integration and enable the version of Ubuntu you have installed.

DOCKER DESKTOP READY FOR USE!

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Troubleshooting and Best Practices

Common Issues and Fixes:

• Error when pulling containers: Disable "Add the *.docker.internal names to the host's /etc/hosts file (Requires password)" in settings.
• Performance issues: Use the WSL 2-based engine instead of Hyper-V backend.

Best Practices:

• Keep "Enable background SBOM indexing" enabled for optimized image inspections.
• Regularly update Docker Desktop for new features and security fixes.
• If persistent issues occur, check Docker Desktop logs or reinstall WSL 2 for compatibility resolution.

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Bonus Tips

• Troubleshooting: If you encounter issues, check the Docker Desktop Logs in the application or reinstall WSL 2.
• Updates: Keep Docker Desktop updated for the latest features and fixes.
• Documentation: Visit the official Docker documentation for advanced use cases.

Enjoy building and deploying containerized applications efficiently on your Windows machine! 🐋