Docker Desktop

Definition

Docker Desktop is the consumer-facing Docker package. On Windows and macOS it ships a small Linux VM that runs the actual Docker engine; on Linux it adds a GUI over the native engine. It bundles docker-compose, kubectl, a local Kubernetes node, and a UI for inspecting containers, images, and volumes. Free for individual and small-business use.

When to use

See also

• Docker — The dominant container runtime — packages an app with its dependencies into an image that runs the same anywhere.
• WSL — A real Linux kernel running alongside Windows — the standard way to develop Linux workloads on Windows.