Docker Engine Installation Guide: Linux, Mac, Windows, and Supported Platforms

Docker Engine is the backbone of containerization, enabling you to build, ship, and run applications in isolated environments. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the installation process on various operating systems, ensuring a smooth setup and optimal performance.

Table of Contents

• Introduction to Docker Engine
• Supported Platforms
• Installation on Linux
  • Prerequisites
  • Installation Methods
    • Using the Repository
    • From a Package
    • Using the Convenience Script
  • Post-Installation Steps
• Installation on Mac
• Installation on Windows
• Upgrading Docker Engine
• Uninstalling Docker Engine
• Troubleshooting
• Getting Started

Introduction to Docker Engine

Docker Engine is a client-server application comprising:

• dockerd: A persistent daemon that manages Docker images, containers, networks, and volumes.
• Docker CLI: A command-line interface (CLI) client that allows you to interact with the daemon.
• Docker API: A REST API used by applications to interact with the Docker daemon.

Supported Platforms

Docker Engine is available for the following platforms:

Platform	x86_64 / amd64	arm64 / aarch64	arm (32-bit)	ppc64le	s390x
CentOS	✅	✅		✅
Debian	✅	✅	✅	✅
Fedora	✅	✅		✅
Raspberry Pi OS (32-bit)			✅
RHEL	✅	✅			✅
SLES					✅
Ubuntu	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Binaries	✅	✅	✅

Installation on Linux

Prerequisites

• A 64-bit version of a supported Linux distribution (CentOS, Debian, Fedora, RHEL, Ubuntu, SLES).
• Root privileges or sudo access.
• Internet connection for downloading packages.

Installation Methods

Using the Repository

This is the recommended method for installing Docker Engine on Linux.

1. Set up the repository:

   • Debian/Ubuntu:

     sudo apt-get update
     sudo apt-get install ca-certificates curl gnupg
     sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
     curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
     sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
     echo \
       "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
       $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null
     sudo apt-get update
     

   • CentOS/RHEL/Fedora:

     sudo dnf install -y dnf-plugins-core
     sudo dnf config-manager --add-repo https://download.docker.com/linux/centos/docker-ce.repo
     

   • SLES:

     sudo zypper addrepo https://download.docker.com/linux/sles/docker-ce.repo
     

2. Install Docker Engine:

   • Latest Version:

     sudo apt-get install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin # Debian/Ubuntu
     sudo dnf install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin   # CentOS/RHEL/Fedora
     sudo zypper install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin  # SLES
     

   • Specific Version:

     # List available versions
     apt-cache madison docker-ce   # Debian/Ubuntu
     dnf list docker-ce --showduplicates | sort -r   # CentOS/RHEL/Fedora
     zypper search -s --match-exact docker-ce | sort -r  # SLES
     
     # Install specific version
     sudo apt-get install docker-ce=<VERSION_STRING> docker-ce-cli=<VERSION_STRING> containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin # Debian/Ubuntu
     sudo dnf install docker-ce-<VERSION_STRING> docker-ce-cli-<VERSION_STRING> containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin   # CentOS/RHEL/Fedora
     sudo zypper install docker-ce-<VERSION_STRING> docker-ce-cli-<VERSION_STRING> containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin  # SLES
     

3. Start Docker Engine:

   sudo systemctl start docker
   sudo systemctl enable docker
   

4. Verify Installation:

   sudo docker run hello-world
   

From a Package

This method is suitable for air-gapped systems or when a direct repository connection is unavailable.

1. Download the .deb or .rpm package:

   • Visit https://download.docker.com/linux/ and navigate to the appropriate distribution and version.
   • Download the docker-ce, docker-ce-cli, and containerd.io packages.

2. Install the Package:

   • Debian/Ubuntu:

     sudo dpkg -i ./containerd.io_<version>_<arch>.deb
     sudo dpkg -i ./docker-ce_<version>_<arch>.deb
     sudo dpkg -i ./docker-ce-cli_<version>_<arch>.deb
     

   • CentOS/RHEL/Fedora:

     sudo rpm -ivh ./containerd.io-<version>.<arch>.rpm
     sudo rpm -ivh ./docker-ce-<version>.<arch>.rpm
     sudo rpm -ivh ./docker-ce-cli-<version>.<arch>.rpm
     

   • SLES:

     sudo zypper install ./containerd.io-<version>.<arch>.rpm
     sudo zypper install ./docker-ce-<version>.<arch>.rpm
     sudo zypper install ./docker-ce-cli-<version>.<arch>.rpm
     

3. Start Docker Engine:

   sudo systemctl start docker
   sudo systemctl enable docker
   

4. Verify Installation:

   sudo docker run hello-world
   

Using the Convenience Script

Warning: This method is intended for testing and development environments only.

curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
sudo sh get-docker.sh

Post-Installation Steps

• Manage Docker as a Non-Root User: Create a docker group and add your user to it to avoid using sudo.
• Configure Docker to Start on Boot: Use systemctl enable docker to ensure Docker starts automatically on system startup.
• Configure Default Logging Driver: Consider using a logging driver with log rotation to prevent disk space exhaustion.

Installation on Mac

The preferred way to run Docker on Mac is via Docker Desktop for Mac. Docker Desktop provides a complete development environment, including the Docker Engine, Docker CLI, Docker Compose, Kubernetes, and more.

1. Download Docker Desktop for Mac: Visit the Docker website and download the installer.
2. Install Docker Desktop: Double-click the downloaded .dmg file and follow the on-screen instructions.
3. Start Docker Desktop: Launch Docker Desktop from the Applications folder.
4. Verify Installation: Open a terminal and run docker run hello-world.

Installation on Windows

The recommended way to run Docker on Windows is using Docker Desktop for Windows. Docker Desktop provides a complete development environment, including the Docker Engine, Docker CLI, Docker Compose, Kubernetes, and more.

1. Download Docker Desktop for Windows: Visit the Docker website and download the installer.
2. Install Docker Desktop: Double-click the downloaded .exe file and follow the on-screen instructions.
3. Start Docker Desktop: Launch Docker Desktop from the Start menu.
4. Verify Installation: Open a PowerShell or Command Prompt and run docker run hello-world.

Upgrading Docker Engine

Follow the installation steps for your chosen method (repository or package) to upgrade to a newer version.

Uninstalling Docker Engine

1. Stop Docker Engine: sudo systemctl stop docker

2. Uninstall Packages:

   • Debian/Ubuntu: sudo apt-get purge docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-compose-plugin
   • CentOS/RHEL/Fedora: sudo dnf remove docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-compose-plugin
   • SLES: sudo zypper remove docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-compose-plugin

3. Remove Data: sudo rm -rf /var/lib/docker

Troubleshooting

• Permission Denied: Ensure your user is in the docker group.
• Docker Daemon Not Running: Check the daemon's status using systemctl status docker.
• Network Issues: Verify firewall settings and network configurations.

Getting Started

After successfully installing Docker Engine, explore these resources:

• Docker Documentation: https://docs.docker.com/
• Docker Hub: https://hub.docker.com/
• Docker Get Started Tutorial: https://docs.docker.com/get-started/

By following this guide, you'll have a fully functional Docker Engine environment ready for building, deploying, and managing your containerized applications. Remember to consult the official Docker documentation for the most up-to-date information and advanced configurations.