Step-by-step Procedure to Install Docker Desktop on Linux

This is a comprehensive guide to install Docker Desktop on Linux, especially catering to Ubuntu and similar distributions. Docker Desktop on Linux runs a Virtual Machine (VM) and uses a custom docker context desktop-linux on startup, so images and containers deployed on the Linux Docker Engine (before installation) are not available in Docker Desktop for Linux.

Let’s begin this How to guide learning abut the Docker Desktop, its prerequisites, and finally how to install Docker Desktop on different Linux Distribution.

What is Docker Desktop?

Docker Desktop is a tool for MacOS and Windows systems for building, sharing, and running Docker containers. It supports the latest technologies, such as cloud-native applications and provides a unified platform for managing all of your Dockerized applications. With Docker Desktop, you can easily build containerized applications, develop in isolation, and collaborate with others. Whether you’re a developer or an IT admin, Docker Desktop provides a fast and simple way to get up and running with containerizing your app!

Key features of Docker Desktop include:

System Requirements to Install Docker Desktop on Linux

Since Docker Desktop runs Docker container on Hyper V virtualisation, KVM support is must to have to install Docker Desktop on Linux. Because of this it is practically challenging to run Docker Desktop on Nested Virtualization environment.  We recommend to install Docker Desktop natively on the host Linux machine rather then on a Linux VM.

Before you install Docker Desktop on a Linux machine, please ensure you net all these requirements:

How to Install Docker Desktop on Linux?

Once you ensure you are met with all the requirements, it’s time to start the installation of Docker Desktop on Linux.  Decker Desktop packages are available for these Linux distributions.

Before we directly jump in to the installation.  Let’s verify KVM support as it is mandatory prerequisite to install Docker Desktop on Linux. 

Time needed: 10 minutes.

KVM support

Step 1: Enable KVM Virtualization

* Run $ modprobe kvm to load the KVM module manually.
* Depending on your processor, run either $ modprobe kvm_intel (for Intel processors) or $ modprobe kvm_amd (for AMD processors).
* Check if the KVM modules are enabled by running $ lsmod | grep kvm.

Step 2: Set up KVM Device User Permissions

* Check the ownership of /dev/kvm by running $ ls -al /dev/kvm.
* Add your user to the kvm group to access the kvm device by running $ sudo usermod -aG kvm $USER. Log out and log back in to re-evaluate your group membership.

Step 3: Prepare for Installation

* Ensure you have a 64-bit version of your Linux distribution (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora).
* Install gnome-terminal for non-Gnome Desktop environments by running $ sudo apt install gnome-terminal.
* Uninstall any existing versions of Docker Desktop by running $ sudo apt remove docker-desktop. For a complete cleanup, remove configuration and data files as described in the Docker guide.