What are the prerequisites to install Docker on Windows?

To install and run Docker Desktop on Windows, you need the following:

1. Hardware Requirements

Requirement	Minimum
Processor	64-bit processor with SLAT support
RAM	8 GB
Virtualization	Enabled in BIOS/UEFI
Disk Space	Sufficient free storage for Docker and container images

2. Software Requirements

Windows OS: Supported 64-bit Windows 10 or Windows 11 version.
WSL 2: Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 must be installed.
WSL Version: 2.1.5 or later.
Virtualization: Hardware virtualization must be enabled.

Docker Desktop generally uses WSL 2 to run Linux containers on Windows.

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3. Required Tools

Tool	Purpose
Docker Desktop	Provides the Docker environment on Windows.
WSL 2	Provides a Linux environment for Docker.
PowerShell / CMD	Execute Docker commands.

4. How to Check Prerequisites

Open PowerShell and execute:

Check Windows version:

winver

Check WSL version:

wsl --version

Check virtualization:

Open Task Manager → Performance → CPU.

Check whether Virtualization shows Enabled.

5. Install WSL 2

Open PowerShell as Administrator:

wsl --install

Update WSL:

wsl --update

Restart your computer if prompted.

6. Install Docker Desktop

Download Docker Desktop from the official website:

Download Docker Desktop for Windows

Run the installer and select the WSL 2 backend.

Key Points

WSL 2 is the recommended backend for most Windows users.
Hardware virtualization must be enabled.
Minimum 8 GB RAM is required.
Windows Home supports Linux containers, but not Windows containers.
Windows Pro or Enterprise is required for Windows container workloads.

My recommendation: For learning Docker with ASP.NET Core Web API, install Docker Desktop with the WSL 2 backend. You don't need to install a separate Linux operating system.

How to Install Docker on Windows – Step-by-Step

We will install Docker Desktop on Windows using the WSL 2 backend. This is the recommended approach for most Windows users.

Step 1: Check System Requirements

Before installation, check the following:

Requirement	Details
OS	Supported Windows 10 / Windows 11
Architecture	64-bit processor
RAM	Minimum 8 GB
Virtualization	Enabled in BIOS/UEFI
WSL	WSL 2.1.5 or later

Docker Desktop supports Linux containers on Windows Home and other supported editions. Windows containers require Windows Pro or Enterprise.

Step 2: Enable WSL 2

What is WSL 2?

WSL stands for Windows Subsystem for Linux. It allows Linux environments to run on Windows without manually managing a traditional virtual machine.

Open PowerShell as Administrator.
Execute the following command:

wsl --install

3. Restart your computer if prompted.

Update WSL:

wsl --update

Check the installed version:

wsl --version

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Step 3: Download Docker Desktop

Visit the official Docker website.
Download Docker Desktop for Windows.

Docker Desktop - Download and install on Windows | Microsoft Store

Docker Desktop

Download Docker DesktopOfficial Docker website

Step 4: Install Docker Desktop

Open the downloaded Docker Desktop Installer.exe.
Run the installer.
Choose the recommended per-user installation.
Select WSL 2 as the backend when prompted.
Follow the installation instructions.
Click Close when installation completes.

Step 5: Start Docker Desktop

Open Windows Start Menu.
Search for Docker Desktop.
Open Docker Desktop.
Accept the Docker subscription agreement.
Wait until Docker Desktop finishes starting.

Docker Desktop for Windows 11 & 10: Complete Installation Guide

Step 6: Verify Docker Installation

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell.

Check Docker version:

docker --version

Check Docker Engine status:

docker info

Run a test container:

docker run hello-world

Docker will download the hello-world image (when it is not already available locally), create a container, and display a success message.

Installation verification

Your Docker installation is working if the test displays:

Hello from Docker!
This message shows that your
installation appears to be working correctly.

Step 7: Try Some Basic Docker Commands

Command	Purpose
`docker --version`	Check Docker version
`docker images`	List downloaded images
`docker ps`	List running containers
`docker ps -a`	List all containers
`docker pull hello-world`	Download an image
`docker run hello-world`	Create and run a container
`docker stop container_id`	Stop a container
`docker rm container_id`	Remove a container

Final Installation Flow

Windows 10 / Windows 11
          |
          v
       Enable WSL 2
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          v
   Download Docker Desktop
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          v
   Install Docker Desktop
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          v
    Start Docker Desktop
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          v
     Run Docker Command
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          v
    docker run hello-world
          |
          v
    Docker Working!

Next practical step: Once Docker is installed, we can create your first ASP.NET Core Web API Docker Image and run it inside a Docker Container.