How to start docker daemon on Mac OS

Updated April 28th, 2023

To start a daemon on MacOS, you must create a launch daemon configuration file and use the launchctl command to load and start the daemon.

Create a launch daemon configuration file: A launch daemon configuration file is a property list (plist) file that contains the information needed to start and manage a daemon on MacOS. The file must be saved in the /Library/LaunchDaemons directory and have a .plist extension.

For example, to create a launch daemon configuration file for the Docker daemon, you could create a file called com.docker.vmnetd.plist in the /Library/LaunchDaemons directory with the following content:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>Label</key>
    <string>com.docker.vmnetd</string>
    <key>ProgramArguments</key>
    <array>
        <string>/usr/local/bin/dockerd</string>
        <string>-H</string>
        <string>tcp://127.0.0.1:2375</string>
        <string>-H</string>
        <string>unix:///var/run/docker.sock</string>
    </array>
    <key>RunAtLoad</key>
    <true/>
    <key>KeepAlive</key>
    <true/>
</dict>
</plist>

This file specifies the program (/usr/local/bin/dockerd) and the arguments (-H tcp://127.0.0.1:2375 -H unix:///var/run/docker.sock) that should be used to start the Docker daemon. It also specifies that the daemon should be started when the system loads and that it should be kept running even if no users are logged in.
Load the daemon: Once you have created the launch daemon configuration file, you can use the launchctl command to load the daemon and start it. For example, to load the Docker daemon, you could run the following command:

sudo launchctl load /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.docker.vmnetd.plist

This will load the com.docker.vmnetd.plist the file and start the Docker daemon.

Is the docker daemon running mac?

You can verify that the daemon is running by using the ps command to list the processes that are currently running on your system and filtering the output to show only the processes with "docker" in the name:

ps aux | grep docker

If the Docker daemon is running, you should see a line of output similar to this:

root         9   0.0  0.0  2432784    584   ??  Ss    5:15PM   0:00.03 /usr/local/bin/dockerd

(Optional) Enable the daemon to start automatically at boot time: By default, a launch daemon will only be loaded and started when the launchctl load command is run. If you want the daemon to be permanently available on your system and to start automatically at boot time, you will need to enable it using the launchctl enable command. For example, to enable the Docker daemon to start automatically at boot time, you could run the following command:

sudo launchctl enable system/com.docker.vmnetd

This will enable the com.docker.vmnetd daemon to start automatically when the system boots. You can verify that the daemon is enabled by using the launchctl command to list the enabled daemons:

sudo launchctl list | grep docker

This should show you a line of output similar to this:

-   0   com.docker.vmnetd

This indicates that the com.docker.vmnetd daemon is enabled and will be started automatically at boot time.

Once you have completed these steps, the daemon will run on your system and be available to run applications or perform other tasks as needed.

Stop the Docker daemon on macOS

To stop the Docker daemon on macOS, you can use the launchctl command to unload the launch daemon configuration file that was used to start the daemon. For example, to stop the Docker daemon, you could run the following command:

sudo launchctl unload /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.docker.vmnetd.plist

This will unload the com.docker.vmnetd.plist file and stop the Docker daemon. You can verify that the daemon has been stopped by using the ps command to list the processes that are currently running on your system, and filtering the output to show only the processes with "docker" in the name:

ps aux | grep docker

If the Docker daemon is not running, you should not see any output from this command.

Alternatively, you can use the launchctl command to stop the Docker daemon directly, without unloading the launch daemon configuration file. To do this, you can run the following command:

sudo launchctl stop system/com.docker.vmnetd

This will stop the com.docker.vmnetd daemon, which will in turn stop the Docker daemon. You can verify that the daemon has been stopped by using the launchctl command to list the enabled daemons:

sudo launchctl list | grep docker

This should not show any output, indicating that the com.docker.vmnetd daemon is not currently running.

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FAQs

What is Docker daemon?

Docker daemon is a background process that runs on a host machine and manages the creation, starting, and stopping of Docker containers.

Is Docker daemon required to run Docker on Mac OS?

Yes, the Docker daemon is essential for running Docker on any platform, including Mac OS.

How do I know if Docker daemon is running on my Mac OS?

You can check the status of the Docker daemon by opening the Terminal and running the command 'docker info'. If the Docker daemon runs, you will see information about your installation.

Can I start the Docker daemon manually on Mac OS?

Yes, you can start the Docker daemon manually by using the Terminal and running the command 'dockerd'.

What if I have trouble starting the Docker daemon on Mac OS?

If you encounter any issues while starting the Docker daemon on Mac OS, you can check the Docker logs for more information. You can also try restarting your Mac OS or checking your firewall settings to ensure that Docker has access to the network.

Can I run Docker containers without the Docker daemon?

No, Docker containers can only be run with the Docker daemon running on the host machine.

Is there any way to start the Docker daemon automatically when I start my Mac OS?

Yes, you can configure the Docker daemon to start automatically when you start your Mac OS. This can be done by setting up a launch agent or by modifying the startup scripts.

How do I start the Docker daemon manually on Mac OS?

You can start the Docker daemon manually on Mac OS by executing the command “sudo /Applications/Docker.app/Contents/MacOS/Dockerd” in your terminal.

Do I need to install Docker Desktop on Mac OS?

Yes, you need to install Docker Desktop on Mac OS in order to run Docker.

How do I install Docker Desktop on Mac OS?

You can install Docker Desktop on Mac OS by downloading the installer package from the official Docker website and following the installation instructions.

Can I run Docker on Mac OS without a virtual machine?

No, you need to run Docker on Mac OS with a virtual machine because Docker is not natively supported on Mac OS. Docker Desktop uses a virtualization solution to run the Docker engine on Mac OS.

Can I use Homebrew to install Docker on Mac OS?

Yes, you can use Homebrew to install Docker on Mac OS by running the command “brew cask install docker” in your terminal.

Q: Where is the Docker directory located on Mac OS?

A: The Docker directory is located in the following path: /Users/[your username]/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/Data/vms/0/

Q: How do I configure Docker on Mac OS?

A: You can configure Docker on Mac OS by going to the Docker Desktop preferences and selecting the appropriate settings, such as the Docker daemon socket, the Docker engine version, and the Docker network configuration.

Q: Can I use Minikube with Docker on Mac OS?

A: Yes, you can use Minikube with Docker on Mac OS by installing Minikube and configuring it to use the Docker driver.

Q: How do I connect to the Docker daemon on Mac OS?

A: You can connect to the Docker daemon on Mac OS by executing the command “docker version” in your terminal. This will display the Docker version and other information about the Docker installation.

Q: How do I run Docker commands on Mac OS?

A: You can run Docker commands on Mac OS by using the Docker command-line interface (CLI) in your terminal. The Docker CLI provides a set of commands that you can use to manage Docker images, containers, volumes, networks, and other resources.

Cannot connect to the docker daemon at unix:///var/run/docker.sock. is the docker daemon running? mac

If you encounter the error message "cannot connect to the docker daemon at unix:///var/run/docker.sock. is the docker daemon running?" on a Mac, it means that the Docker daemon is not running. To fix this issue, you need to start the Docker daemon by running the command mentioned above. If the issue persists, you can try restarting your machine and then starting the Docker daemon again. If you still encounter issues, you can check the Docker logs for error messages using the command mentioned above.

Is the docker daemon running? mac

If you encounter any issues while starting the Docker daemon, you can check the Docker logs for error messages. You can do this by running the following command in your terminal:

docker logs

This command will display the logs for the Docker daemon, and you can use this information to troubleshoot any issues.

How to start Docker on Mac?

To start Docker on Mac, you need to open your terminal and run the following command:

open /Applications/Docker.app

This command will open the Docker application and start the Docker daemon. Once the Docker daemon is running, you can begin using Docker to create and run containers.

Is Docker daemon running Mac?

To check if the Docker daemon is running on Mac, you can run the following command in your terminal:

ps aux | grep Docker.app

This command will display the running processes on your machine, and you should see a process with the name "Docker.app" if the Docker daemon is running.

How to start docker daemon on Mac OS