Docker/Windows
Windows
Windows Containers GitHub
Github microsoft/Windows-Containers https://github.com/microsoft/Windows-Containers
Compatability
Windows requires the host OS version to match the container OS version. If you want to run a container based on a newer Windows build, make sure you have an equivalent host build. Otherwise, you can use Hyper-V isolation to run older containers on new host builds. You can read more on Windows Container Version Compatibility in our Container Docs ( https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/windowscontainers/deploy-containers/version-compatibility ).
Windows Repos
- windows/nanoserver: Nano Server base OS container image - https://hub.docker.com/r/microsoft/windows-nanoserver
- windows/servercore: Windows Server Core base OS container image
- windows/server/insider: Insider version of this base OS image.
- windows/server: Server base OS container image - https://hub.docker.com/r/microsoft/windows-server
- windows: Windows base OS container image - https://hub.docker.com/r/microsoft/windows
- windows/insider: Insider version of this base OS image.
Windows Server Image
This is a base image for Windows Server containers. This image carries the Server base OS image. It is only available with Windows Server 2022 release and with Windows Server 2025 release.
Windows Server Images:
https://hub.docker.com/r/microsoft/windows-server
The default entrypoint is for this image is Cmd.exe. To run the image:
docker run mcr.microsoft.com/windows/server:ltsc2025
Sample Images in this repo:
- ltsc2025
- ltsc2022
Windows 10 Images
Windows 10 Images:
https://hub.docker.com/r/microsoft/windows
Note: This repo does not publish or maintain alatesttag. Please declare a specific tag when pulling or referencing images from this repo.
All tags:
https://mcr.microsoft.com/v2/windows/tags/list
Default entry point for this image:
docker run mcr.microsoft.com/windows:ltsc2019
Sample Images in this repo:
- mcr.microsoft.com/windows:ltsc2019
- 20H2
- 1909
- ltsc2019
you can run a Windows Server container with:
docker run -it mcr.microsoft.com/windows/servercore:1809 powershell
Hello-world: (windows-amd64, nanoserver-1809)
docker run -it hello-world
Hello-World
C:\> docker run hello-world
Hello from Docker!
This message shows that your installation appears to be working correctly.
To generate this message, Docker took the following steps:
1. The Docker client contacted the Docker daemon.
2. The Docker daemon pulled the "hello-world" image from the Docker Hub.
(windows-amd64, nanoserver-1809)
3. The Docker daemon created a new container from that image which runs the
executable that produces the output you are currently reading.
4. The Docker daemon streamed that output to the Docker client, which sent it
to your terminal.
To try something more ambitious, you can run a Windows Server container with:
PS C:\> docker run -it mcr.microsoft.com/windows/servercore:1809 powershell
Share images, automate workflows, and more with a free Docker ID:
https://hub.docker.com/
For more examples and ideas, visit:
https://docs.docker.com/get-started/
Install Docker Community Edition
Docker Community Edition (CE) provides a standard runtime environment for containers with a common API and command-line interface (CLI). It is managed by the open source community as part of the Moby Project.
Invoke-WebRequest -UseBasicParsing "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/Windows-Containers/Main/helpful_tools/Install-DockerCE/install-docker-ce.ps1" -o install-docker-ce.ps1 .\install-docker-ce.ps1
src:
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/Windows-Containers/Main/helpful_tools/Install-DockerCE/install-docker-ce.ps1
---
Get started: Prep Windows for containers https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/windowscontainers/quick-start/set-up-environment?tabs=dockerce
Docker Engine on Windows https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/windowscontainers/manage-docker/configure-docker-daemon
Install Docker Community Edition (CE) reference:
Prepare Windows operating system containers | Microsoft Learn https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/windowscontainers/quick-start/set-up-environment?tabs=dockerce#windows-server-1
Install Docker Server Edition
AS OF 2023 THIS HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED
GitHub - OneGet/MicrosoftDockerProvider: Provider to search, save and install Docker https://github.com/OneGet/MicrosoftDockerProvider
Reminder - Updates to Windows Container Runtime Support - Microsoft Community Hub https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/containers/reminder-updates-to-windows-container-runtime-support/ba-p/3620989
Updates to the Windows Container Runtime support - Microsoft Community Hub https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/containers/updates-to-the-windows-container-runtime-support/ba-p/2788799
Don't Panic: Kubernetes and Docker | Kubernetes https://kubernetes.io/blog/2020/12/02/dont-panic-kubernetes-and-docker/
Just like Community Edition, but allows for Linux containers
Enable containers:
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Containers
Reboot:
Restart-Computer -Force
Install Docker:
Install-Module -Name DockerMsftProvider -Repository PSGallery -Force
Install-Package -Name docker -ProviderName DockerMsftProvider
Restart:
Restart-Computer -Force
Start service:
Start-Service Docker
Stop-Service Docker
Get-Service docker
Server core:
# 2022 docker pull mcr.microsoft.com/windows/servercore:ltsc2022
# 2019 docker pull mcr.microsoft.com/windows/servercore:ltsc2019
Run Linux Containers (Nested):
Get-VM WinContainerHost | Set-VMProcessor -ExposeVirtualizationExtensions $true
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("LCOW_SUPPORTED", "1", "Machine")
Restart-Service docker
daemon.conf:
$configfile = @”
{
“experimental”: true
}
“@
$configfile|Out-File -FilePath C:\ProgramData\docker\config\daemon.json -Encoding ascii -Force
LCOW:
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://github.com/linuxkit/lcow/releases/download/v4.14.35-v0.3.9/release.zip" -UseBasicParsing -OutFile release.zip Expand-Archive release.zip -DestinationPath "$Env:ProgramFiles\Linux Containers\."
Run ubuntu:
docker run -it --rm ubuntu /bin/bash
Switch back to Windows Containers:
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("LCOW_SUPPORTED", "$null", "Machine")
refs:
Docker: Ejecutar containers Linux en Windows Server 2022 - Blog Virtualizacion https://www.maquinasvirtuales.eu/docker-ejecutar-containers-linux-en-windows-server-2022/
Run Docker on Windows Server 2019 / 2022 | ComputingForGeeks https://computingforgeeks.com/how-to-run-docker-containers-on-windows-server/
Linux Ubuntu Container
Run Linux containers on Windows | Ubuntu https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/windows-ubuntu-hyperv-containers
Container Desktop
container-desktop https://container-desktop.io/
Container Desktop is an open-source alternative to Docker Desktop. It enables you to build, push, pull and run Linux containers on Microsoft Windows, by providing a seamless integration with Docker Engine Community Edition running on Windows Subsystem for Linux. The Container Desktop bundles the open-source docker and docker-compose cli clients for a native and simple user experience.
Why Container Desktop?¶
- Free and open-source;
- Easy and hassle free installation experience;
- Plain and simple, no unnecessary bells and whistles;
Download:
Stevedore
Docker Windows Containers Alternative
GitHub - slonopotamus/stevedore: 🚢 Docker distribution for Windows Containers that Just Works https://github.com/slonopotamus/stevedore
Stevedore Linux Container Support
Back in summer 2021, when this project was started, there were no known alternatives to Docker Desktop. Container Desktop didn’t exist yet, and Rancher Desktop just released initial 0.1.0 release.
Today, things are very different. Rancher Desktop provides both Docker and Kubernetes support, with a very advanced UI. Stevedore is very unlikely to even come closer to Rancher Desktop functionality due to limited developer resources and lack of motivation.
Thus, starting with 0.10.0 release, Stevedore focuses on its primary goal - providing a convenient way to install Docker for Windows containers.
If you want to run Linux containers, consider one of these projects:
- Rancher Desktop (Windows + Linux + Mac) - https://rancherdesktop.io/
- Container Desktop (Windows-only) - https://container-desktop.io/
- Colima (Mac-only) - https://github.com/abiosoft/colima
Windows Test Image
Hello World:
docker run hello-world:nanoserver
Something more ambition - try run powershell:
docker run -it mcr.microsoft.com/windows/servercore:ltsc2022 powershell
Config
C:\programdata\docker\config\daemon.json
dockerd | Docker Docs https://docs.docker.com/reference/cli/dockerd/#/windows-configuration-file
ref:
- Configure Docker in Windows | Microsoft Learn - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/windowscontainers/manage-docker/configure-docker-daemon
Isolation
Configure container isolation technology (Windows) https://docs.docker.com/reference/cli/dockerd/#configure-container-isolation-technology-windows
For Windows containers, you can specify the default container isolation technology to use, using the --exec-opt isolation flag.
The following example makes hyperv the default isolation technology:
dockerd --exec-opt isolation=hyperv dockerd --exec-opt isolation=process
If no isolation value is specified on daemon start, on Windows client, the default is hyperv, and on Windows server, the default is process.
Isolation
Windows Server Containers use Hyper-V isolation by default on Windows 10 and 11 to provide developers with the same kernel version and configuration that will be used in production.
Switch to Windows Containers
& $Env:ProgramFiles\Docker\Docker\DockerCli.exe -SwitchDaemon .
Service
See service:
sc qc docker
Service is running as: docker
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dockerd.exe --run-service --service-name docker
Add a Docker Group to allow normal users to manage docker: (run as administrator)
net localgroup docker-users /add
Add user to group:
net localgroup docker-users [USER] /add
Update service to use docker-users group:
# -G, --group string Group for the unix socket (default "docker") sc config docker binPath="C:\WINDOWS\system32\dockerd.exe --run-service --service-name docker -G docker-users"
sc config docker binPath="C:\Windows\System32\dockerd.exe --run-service --config-file=C:\ProgramData\docker\config\daemon.json"
Restart service:
net stop docker net start docker
See updated service:
C:\> sc qc docker
[SC] QueryServiceConfig SUCCESS
SERVICE_NAME: docker
TYPE : 10 WIN32_OWN_PROCESS
START_TYPE : 2 AUTO_START
ERROR_CONTROL : 1 NORMAL
BINARY_PATH_NAME : C:\WINDOWS\system32\dockerd.exe --run-service --service-name docker -G docker-users
LOAD_ORDER_GROUP :
TAG : 0
DISPLAY_NAME : Docker Engine
DEPENDENCIES :
SERVICE_START_NAME : LocalSystem
daemon.json option:
C:\ProgramData\docker\config\daemon.json
{
"registry-mirrors": ["https://internal-docker-mirror:6609"],
"group": "docker-users",
"debug": true,
"hosts": ["npipe://", "tcp://0.0.0.0:2375"],
"experimental": false,
"exec-opts": ["isolation=process"],
"max-concurrent-downloads": 100,
"max-concurrent-uploads": 100,
"data-root": "C:\\docker_data",
"storage-opts" : [ "size=200G" ]
}
Moby Project
Moby Project https://mobyproject.org/
What is Moby? Moby is an open framework created by Docker to assemble specialized container systems without reinventing the wheel. It provides a “lego set” of dozens of standard components and a framework for assembling them into custom platforms.