Setup Docker on Mac: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you're looking to set up Docker on your Mac, you've come to the right place. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of installing and configuring Docker on your machine.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure that you have VirtualBox installed on your Mac. This is a requirement for Docker to create images.

Step 1: Create a Machine with Docker-Machine

To create a machine using Docker-machine, follow these steps:

docker-machine create -driver virtualbox default

If you encounter any issues during this step, check your System Preferences and see if 'System software from developer 'Oracle America, inc' was blocked from loading.' If you do see this message, click the Allow button and try installing again.

Step 2: Install Docker and Docker Machine with Homebrew

To install Docker and Docker Machine using Homebrew, follow these steps:

1. First, ensure that you have Homebrew installed on your Mac.

2. Install VirtualBox to let Docker create images.

3. Install the docker and docker machine from brew.

Option 1: Installing Docker Using Homebrew

If you prefer to install Docker using Homebrew, follow these steps:

1. You'll need homebrew-cask to install Docker Toolbox, if you don't have it refer to this section.

2. Installation instructions for Docker for Mac can be downloaded here.

What is Docker?

Docker is a platform for developers and sysadmins to develop, ship, and run applications. With Docker, developers can build any app in any language using any toolchain. Docker lets you get your code tested and deployed into production as fast as possible. It also eliminates the friction that can come when shipping code.

Benefits of Using Docker

Dockerized apps are completely portable and can run anywhere - colleagues' macOS and Windows laptops, QA servers running Ubuntu in the cloud, and production data center VMs running Red Hat. With Docker, developers can quickly assemble applications from components and eliminate the hassle of shipping code.

In this article, we've walked you through the process of setting up Docker on your Mac. Whether you're a developer or sysadmin, Docker is an essential tool for streamlining your workflow and increasing productivity.

Setup docker on mac