Installing Docker for Windows.
In the following minutes, I will be guiding you across a Step-By-Step guide where you will learn how to install Docker in Windows for you to start simplifying your life as a developer, lets get started!.
You may be asking yourself, what’s Docker? in that case, just look at this post where I explain what’s Docker and what it is used for. Now, the first thing you need to know about Docker for Windows, is that for it to be installed you need to have a Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise, because Docker uses a virtualization which is only available since Windows 10.
In case you don’t have Windows 10 you can go to Docker’s documentation and download Docker’s Toolbar which will allow you to use Docker without Windows 10 (I wont cover this in the guide because the result is not the best and you get a better experience from Windows 10).
This explained, lets proceed:
- Go to Docker’s home page.
2. Hover Products section on the menu bar.
3. Click on Docker Desktop.
4. Click on Download for Windows.
5. Click on Get Docker.
6. Execute the downloaded .exe file.
7. Docker will start downloading needed packages and files, after the download and install is completed you will get this screen.
8. I will un-check the “Add shortcut to desktop” option because otherwise I always finish messing up my desktop, and click Ok.
9. Docker will start unpacking files and then will ask you to log out of Windows to complete the installation.
10. Then when you log in again, Docker will ask you to enable Hyper-V which is the feature from Windows 10 I commented you early in the post, after that, your computer may restart one or several times.
11. The next time you start your computer, you will have Docker completely installed and configured in your machine and you will see this interface.
CONGRATULATIONS! If you reached this point it means you have installed Docker on your machine, don’t believe me? try it yourself!:
- Execute cmd.exe.
- Write “Docker run hello-world”.
- Wait and see how magic happens.
This, is the very beginning of your process to simplify the development of your apps, I hope you can find in this tool the way to improve your developing experience, Be creative, be graphical, have fun, and keep coding! see you soon!.
