Docker command not found on Mac - 2023 solution

Updated March 18th, 2023

Docker command not found on Mac

If you are getting a "docker command not found" error on a Mac, it means that the Docker command is not available in your current shell. This can happen if Docker has not been installed on your computer or if the Docker command is not in your shell's PATH environment variable.

To fix this issue, you have a few options:

Install Docker on your Mac if it is not already installed. You can download Docker from the Docker website and follow the instructions to install it on your computer.
If Docker is already installed on your Mac, but you are still getting the "docker command not found" error, the Docker command is likely not in your shell's PATH environment variable. To fix this, you can add the path to the Docker binary to your PATH environment variable. On a Mac, the Docker binary is typically located at /usr/local/bin/docker. To add this to your PATH environment variable, you can use the following command:

export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin/docker

This will add the /usr/local/bin/docker directory to your PATH environment variable, allowing the docker command to be found in your shell.
If you are still having trouble running the docker command after trying the above steps, you can try running the docker command with the full path to the Docker binary. On a Mac, the full path to the Docker binary is typical/usr/local/bin/docker. So you can try running the docker command like this:

/usr/local/bin/docker [options] [command] [arguments]

This will tell your shell to use the Docker binary at the specified path, allowing you to run the docker command even if it is not in your PATH environment variable.

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FAQs

What is docker container in simple terms?

A Docker container is a lightweight, standalone, executable package of software that includes everything needed to run an application: code, libraries, dependencies, and runtime. Containers are isolated from each other and bundle their software, libraries, and configuration files to run on any machine with Docker installed.

In simple terms, a Docker container is a self-contained environment that includes all the files and dependencies needed to run a piece of software. Because containers are isolated from each other, they can run on any machine that has Docker installed, regardless of the underlying operating system or system configuration. This makes containers portable and efficient for distributing and running software applications.

What is a container vs Docker?

Docker is a platform and tool for building, distributing and running Docker containers. A Docker container is a standalone, lightweight, and executable package of software that includes everything needed to run an application. In other words, Docker is a tool used to create, deploy, and run containers. In contrast, a container is a standalone and executable software package that includes all the dependencies and libraries needed to run an application.

To put it simply, Docker is a tool used to manage containers, while a container is a standalone and executable package of software that can be run using Docker. Together, Docker and containers provide a convenient and efficient way to distribute and run applications in a portable and consistent manner.

What does 'Docker command not found' mean?

This error message indicates that the Docker CLI is not installed or not recognized by the system as a command.

What are the minimum system requirements to run Docker on Mac?

Docker requires Mac OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 or newer with at least 4 GB of RAM.

Is Docker only available on Mac through the terminal?

No, Docker also provides a graphical user interface (Docker Desktop for Mac) to interact with Docker containers and services.

Can I run Docker containers created on other operating systems on Mac?

Yes, Docker containers are platform-agnostic and can run on any system with a Docker engine installed.