Docker without Docker Desktop. One small exe sets up its own Debian distro inside WSL, runs the Docker engine there, and lets your Windows Docker CLI talk to it. Nothing runs in the background unless you say so.
Full documentation here: https://che3mz.github.io/dockup/
go install github.com/CHE3MZ/dockup/cmd/dockup@latest
- download the binary manually from the latest release.
- put it in your in a directory that is in your PATH, or create a new directory, add it to your PATH and put the binary there. (recommended directories are ~/.local/bin or ~/.local/tools)
- A Windows 10/11 with WSL2 Installed on it. (
wsl --install) - A Windows Docker CLI Installation (
scoop install docker) - Dockup Installed and on your PATH. (see installing dockup...)
dockup setup # one-time install, asks where to put things
dockup daemon start # run quietly in the background
docker -H npipe:////./pipe/dockup_engine run --rm hello-world
dockup daemon stop # stop when you're done(the bridge stops; the distro stays warm until dockup shutdown).
No Docker Desktop around? While dockup runs, plain docker ... (no -H)
works too — the default pipe is mirrored automatically.*
dockup ps— is it running?dockup daemon autostart on— start with Windows (off by default)dockup doctor— something off? start here (--fixrebuilds the engine)dockup restore— undo tampering, keeps your imagesdockup shutdown/dockup uninstall— stop everything / remove it all
That's the gist — guides, configuration reference, and contributor notes are all on the website.
Dockup is licensed under the MIT License.
The Docker Project is also (currently) open source, more info here.
I would highly appreciate any and all forms of support and contributions that anyone is willing to make to the project, see the contribution guidelines here.