Docker for Windows
Docker is a popular platform for building, packaging, and distributing containerized applications. In this post, we will learn how to use Docker in a Windows environment.
Step 1: Install Docker Desktop for Windows
To get started, we need to install Docker Desktop for Windows. Visit the Docker website and download the installer. Once downloaded, run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
Step 2: Enable Hyper-V
In order to run Docker containers on Windows, we need to enable the Hyper-V feature. Open the Control Panel, go to “Programs” > “Turn Windows features on or off”, and check the box for “Hyper-V”. Click “OK” to apply the changes and restart your computer if prompted.
Step 3: Launch Docker Desktop
After the installation and restart, Docker Desktop should be ready to use. Look for the Docker icon in the system tray and click on it to launch Docker Desktop.
Step 4: Test Docker
To make sure Docker is working correctly, open a command prompt or PowerShell window and run the following command:
docker version
You should see output similar to the following:
Client: Docker Engine - Community
Version: xx.x.x, Build xxxxxxx
...
Step 5: Pull and Run a Docker Image
Now that Docker is installed and working, let’s try pulling and running a Docker image. Run the following command:
docker run hello-world
Docker will download the “hello-world” image from the Docker Hub and run it in a container. If everything is set up correctly, you should see output similar to the following:
Hello from Docker!
...
Congratulations! You have successfully used Docker in Windows.
Conclusion
In this post, we have learned how to install and use Docker in a Windows environment. Docker allows you to easily package and distribute applications as containers, making it a powerful tool for developers and system administrators. Start exploring Docker’s capabilities and leverage its benefits for your next project.