Using Docker¶
Introduction¶
Docker Desktop and Docker Engine make it possible for a proactive programmer to download a Docker container that contains all of the software that they need to complete a programming project. This means that, instead of having to separately download all of the dependencies for a project, you can download a single Docker container that contains all of them! Exciting, right? While it is exciting, there is a challenge as well: Docker Desktop is often difficult to download, install, and configure on Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Enterprise, and MacOS. Once you have Docker working correctly for all of the Docker contains that the projects on this site invite you to use, it is best for you to defer any upgrades to Docker Desktop until you are not facing time-sensitive deadlines. Before you ensure that your computer meets the requirements for using either Docker Desktop or Docker Engine, you might want to read the Docker Overview.
Requirements Check¶
If you are a student at Allegheny College, you must complete your course projects using a Department Approved Laptop. This is primarily due to the fact that your laptop must be approved for running Docker Desktop on MacOS and Windows and Docker Engine on Linux. If you are not sure whether or not your computer supports Docker, you can visit the Can I Run Docker? web site and the see if Docker will work correctly on it. Of course, if you are not enrolled at Allegheny College, you also welcome to use Docker to complete and check the projects on this site! With that said, it is worthwhile to visit the following web sites and review the requirements for using Docker before you install it.
- Supported Platforms for Docker Engine on Ubuntu
- System Requirements for Docker Desktop on MacOS
- System Requirements for Docker Desktop on Windows
If you don't see your operating system mentioned in the above list, then you should pick the one that is the closest to what operating system is running on your computer. For instance, if you run a different type of Linux than Ubuntu, you should follow, as appropriate, the Ubuntu-based instructions while also searching for other tutorials that are customized for your specific operating system. Finally, don't forget that if you use MacOS you need to follow different instructions depending on whether your computer has an Intel-based or Apple Silicon-based central processing unit!
Installing Docker¶
Docker's web site provides customized instructions for installing Docker! After carefully reading the steps on the site that mentions your operating system, take the suggested steps to install and configure Docker on your computer:
If your computer runs Windows 10 Home you can only install Docker Desktop if you have also installed the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) version 2 backend. If your Windows 10 Home operating system cannot run WSL 2, then you must upgrade your operating system to either Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Enterprise, or Windows 10 Education. Finally, you should not use Docker Toolbox since it is deprecated and no longer supported!
Using Docker¶
Once you have successfully installed and configured Docker on your computer, you are ready to confirm that it is working correctly! Depending on your operating system, you may have a "tray icon" in the shape of a whale: you can click on this icon and access the settings and menus for Docker. It is also possible for you to type docker --version in your terminal window to discover what version of Docker you are using. Next, you should complete steps 4 through 6 in Brian Hogan's Docker tutorial called How to Install and Use Docker on Ubuntu 20.04. Even though parts of this tutorial are customized to using Docker on Ubuntu Linux, the aforementioned steps will help you learn how to download and use Docker containers in your terminal window! Here is a summary of the steps:
- Step 4: Working with Docker Images
- Step 5: Running a Docker Container
- Step 6: Managing Docker Containers