Docker Desktop
Docker Desktop is free for personal use; business or commercial use requires a license.
Docker Desktop is an integrated developer environment for building, running, and sharing containerized applications and microservices. It packages the Docker Engine, Docker CLI, Docker Compose, and a local Kubernetes setup into a single graphical application. Designed specifically for macOS and Windows, it manages the underlying virtualization to provide a consistent container workflow.
desktop.docker.com · Official website
- ✓ Official source (winget)
- ✓ SHA256 taken from the official repository
- ✓ Last checked: Nov. 4, 2026
- This is not a virus scan. Check on VirusTotal
- Version
- 4.98.0
- Release date
- Nov. 2, 2026
- License
- Proprietary
- Installer type
- exe
How do I use this?
Type Terminal in the Start menu and open it, paste the command (Ctrl+V or right-click) and press Enter. It uses winget, Windows' own package manager, to install the program from its official source.
winget install --id Docker.DockerDesktop -eSHA256 (file verification)
cd6273d9eaa4f07fa7593fc6813d37e1004381cebc3f26047a2554fa5db24388desktop.docker.com · Official website
- ✓ Official source (Homebrew)
- ✓ SHA256 taken from the official repository
- ✓ Last checked: Nov. 4, 2026
- This is not a virus scan. Check on VirusTotal
- Version
- 4.98.0,245422
- License
- Proprietary
- Installer type
- dmg
How do I use this?
This command needs Homebrew; if you don't have it, first run the install command from brew.sh. Then open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal), paste the command and press Enter.
brew install --cask docker-desktopSHA256 (file verification)
9c6f13ce4edda2abf20d801552b6acb96acd3d64b3e91b50c4484353802758b5We couldn't find a Linux version of Docker Desktop in the official repositories; check the publisher's website.
We couldn't find a Android version of Docker Desktop in the official repositories; check the publisher's website.
Platform pages: Windows · macOS · Linux · Android
Old versions (10)
Highlights
- Graphical dashboard to manage containers, images, volumes, and network settings
- Built-in support for Docker Compose to run multi-container applications
- Integrated single-node Kubernetes cluster for local testing and orchestration
- Seamless integration with Docker Hub to push, pull, and search for images
- Resource allocation controls for CPU, memory, and disk utilization
Who is it for?
Software developers, system architects, and DevOps engineers who need to build, test, and debug containerized microservices locally before deploying them to production.
Good to know before installing
- Requires a paid commercial subscription for enterprises with more than 250 employees or $10M revenue.
- Requires hardware virtualization enabled in BIOS/UEFI and relies on background VM overhead on Mac and Windows.
How to install
Windows
- Use the official download link on this page to download the installer (or run winget install --id Docker.DockerDesktop -e in PowerShell).
- Run the installer, ensuring the WSL 2 backend option is checked when prompted.
- Restart your PC if prompted, then open Docker Desktop to finalize the engine setup.
macOS
- Click the official download button on this page to get the installer for your processor architecture (or run brew install --cask docker-desktop in Terminal).
- Open the downloaded .dmg file and drag the Docker icon into your Applications folder.
- Launch Docker from Applications, approve the required system privileges, and wait for the engine to initialize.
Alternatives
- Podman Desktop
- Rancher Desktop
- Minikube
Frequently asked questions
Is Docker Desktop free for commercial use?
It is free only for personal use, education, open-source projects, and small businesses. Organizations with more than 250 employees or over $10 million in annual revenue require a paid subscription.
What virtualization backend does it use on Windows?
Docker Desktop primarily uses the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL 2) backend, with Hyper-V available as an alternative.
Does Docker Desktop include Kubernetes?
Yes, a local single-node Kubernetes cluster is included and can be enabled directly from the application settings.