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🐳 Docker Installation Guide (All Operating Systems)

This guide explains how to install Docker on every major OS, with what happens behind the scenes, and simple verification steps.

You don’t need prior Docker knowledge.

🧠 Important Concept (Before Installing)

  • Docker runs natively on Linux
  • On Windows & macOS, Docker runs inside a lightweight Linux VM
  • This is handled automatically by Docker Desktop

So: - Linux → Docker Engine directly - Windows/macOS → Docker Desktop + Linux VM

🐧 1️⃣ Docker Installation on Linux

Docker works best on Linux.

✅ Supported Linux Distros

  • Ubuntu
  • Debian
  • CentOS
  • RHEL
  • Fedora
  • Arch

🔹 Ubuntu / Debian (Most Common)

Step 1: Update system

sudo apt update
````

### Step 2: Install Docker

```bash
sudo apt install docker.io -y

Step 3: Start Docker

sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

🔹 Verify Installation

docker --version

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker

🔹 Test Docker

docker run hello-world

✔ If you see a success message → Docker is installed correctly

🔹 CentOS / RHEL / Fedora

Install Docker

sudo dnf install docker -y

Start Docker

sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

🪟 2️⃣ Docker Installation on Windows

Windows uses Docker Desktop.

⚠ System Requirements

  • Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
  • WSL 2 enabled
  • Virtualization enabled in BIOS

🔹 Step 1: Enable WSL 2

Open PowerShell (Admin):

wsl --install

Restart system.

🔹 Step 2: Install Docker Desktop

  1. Go to https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop
  2. Download Docker Desktop for Windows
  3. Install and launch

Docker Desktop will:

  • Set up Linux VM
  • Configure WSL 2
  • Start Docker Engine

🔹 Verify Installation (PowerShell or CMD)

docker --version

🔹 Test Docker

docker run hello-world

🧠 What Happens Internally on Windows

Windows
 └── WSL2 (Linux Kernel)
      └── Docker Engine
           └── Containers

You don’t manage this manually.

🍎 3️⃣ Docker Installation on macOS

macOS also uses Docker Desktop.

⚠ System Requirements

  • macOS 11+
  • Intel or Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3 supported)

🔹 Step 1: Download Docker Desktop

  1. Visit https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop

  2. Choose:

  3. Apple Silicon → M-series

  4. Intel → Intel chip
  5. Install and open Docker Desktop

🔹 Verify Installation (Terminal)

docker --version

🔹 Test Docker

docker run hello-world

🧠 What Happens Internally on macOS

macOS
 └── Linux VM (HyperKit)
      └── Docker Engine
           └── Containers

💻 4️⃣ Docker Installation on Arch Linux

sudo pacman -S docker
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

Add user:

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

🧪 5️⃣ Verify Docker Is Working (All OS)

Run:

docker info

You should see:

  • Server version
  • Storage driver
  • Running containers

❌ Common Installation Issues

Docker command not found

➡ Docker not installed or PATH issue

Permission denied

➡ User not added to docker group

Virtualization disabled

➡ Enable VT-x / AMD-V in BIOS

🧠 Key Takeaways

OS How Docker Runs
Linux Native (Best performance)
Windows WSL2 Linux VM
macOS Lightweight Linux VM

✅ Final Checklist

✔ Docker installed ✔ Docker daemon running ✔ hello-world works ✔ docker without sudo (Linux)