How to Install Docker Machine on Mac
Docker Machine is a tool that allows you to create and manage Docker hosts on different virtual machines and cloud providers. It simplifies the deployment and management of Docker containers, making it easier for developers to work with. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of installing a Docker Machine on your Mac machine. By the end of this tutorial, you will have Docker Machine installed and be ready to create and manage Docker hosts. Follow these steps to install Docker Machine on your Mac and get started with your container management: **install docker-machine mac**.
Prerequisites:
Before we begin, make sure you have the following prerequisites:
1. A Mac machine running macOS.
2. Administrative access to the machine.
3. A working internet connection.
Now that we have the prerequisites covered, let’s dive into the installation process:
Step 1: Install Docker Toolbox
Docker Toolbox is a legacy package that includes Docker Machine along with other Docker-related tools. We will be using Docker Toolbox to install Docker Machine.
1. Open your web browser and navigate to the Docker Toolbox page: https://docs.docker.com/toolbox/toolbox_install_mac/
2. Click on the “Docker Toolbox” link to download the latest version of Docker Toolbox for Mac.
3. Once the download is complete, locate the downloaded file (usually in your Downloads folder) and double-click on it to start the installation.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. Make sure to read and accept the license agreement.
5. After the installation is complete, you will have Docker Machine installed on your Mac machine.
Step 2: Verify the Installation
To verify that Docker Machine has been successfully installed, open a terminal window and run the following command:
If Docker Machine is installed correctly, you should see the version number printed on the terminal.
Step 3: Optional Steps
If you are using a Mac with Apple Silicon (M1) chips, you may encounter compatibility issues with Docker Machine. In that case, you can use Docker Desktop instead, which has native support for Apple Silicon.
To install Docker Desktop on your Mac, follow these steps:
1. Visit the Docker Desktop page: https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop
2. Click on the “Download Docker Desktop” button to download the installer.
3. Once the download is complete, locate the downloaded file and double-click on it to start the installation.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
5. After the installation is complete, you will have Docker Desktop installed on your Mac.
Step 4: Using Docker Machine
Now that Docker Machine is installed on your Mac, let’s see how to use it to create and manage Docker hosts.
1. Open a terminal window.
2. Create a new Docker Machine by running the following command:
This command creates a new Docker host using the VirtualBox driver. The name “default” is the name of the Docker host, and you can choose any other name you prefer.
3. Once the Docker Machine creation process is complete, you can run the following command to see the status of the Docker Machine:
This command lists all the Docker hosts managed by Docker Machine, along with their status and IP address.
4. To start or stop a Docker host, you can use the following commands:
To start a Docker host:
Replace “ with the name of the Docker host.
To stop a Docker host:
Replace “ with the name of the Docker host.
5. To use a Docker host, you need to configure your environment by running the following command:
Replace “ with the name of the Docker host.
This command sets the environment variables required to communicate with the Docker host.
6. You can now use Docker commands as usual, and they will be executed on the chosen Docker host. For example, you can run the following command to see the list of containers running on the Docker host:
This command lists all the containers running on the Docker host.
7. Finally, when you are done with a Docker host, you can remove it by running the following command:
Replace “ with the name of the Docker host.
Conclusion
Docker Machine is a powerful tool for creating and managing Docker hosts on your Mac. It simplifies the deployment and management of Docker containers, making it easier for developers to work with.
In this tutorial, we guided you through the process of installing Docker Machine on your Mac. We also showed you how to create and manage Docker hosts using Docker Machine.
Now you are ready to explore the world of Docker containers and use Docker Machine to simplify your development workflow. Happy coding!