Do I need activate WSL2 AND Hyper-V for install/use Docker on Windows 11?

Docker Desktop
1

Do I need activate WSL2 AND Hyper-V for install/use Docker on Windows 11?
Thanks!

2

Docker Desktop for Windows works with WSL2 for Win11 home, pro and enterprise .
Hyper-V requires a Win11 pro or enterprise version

The WSL2 backend is recommended over the HyperV-based WSL1 backend.

3

Thanks for your feedback.
Does Docker Desktop need both (WSL2+HyperV)?
Does Docker Desktop work only with WSL2 enabled?

4

You can find the system requirements hre for each backend: Install Docker Desktop on Windows | Docker Docs

But since Docker Desktop does not require

the answer is no for question 1 and I think @meyay also answered question 2, but to be clear, it requires either Hyper-V or WSL2. However, if you want to run not just Linux containers but native Windows containers, you can use only Windows container images with the matching version with your host without Hyper-V.

5

hi, i am using Windows 11 Pro 23H2 build 22631.4037, i have installed VMWare Workstation 16.2.4 Pro and wants to install Docker Desktop for Windows.
please help me how i can use Docker Desktop for Windows but at the same time i can use VMWare Workstation because i have some Development VMs.
i knew topic/thread is more than 2 years old but hope i will get answer from this Community.
i do not have activate WSL / WSL 2 and not Hyper-V yet.
thanks in advance.

6

Nothing changed since then. The consequences of enabling any hyper-v component (which WSL will do!) will force your VMware VMs to run much(!) slower in Hyper-V compatibility mode.

Though, what exactly is your question? Are you missing anything in the Docker Desktop Installation instructions?

7

thank you @meyay for your response.
i just want to know if i will not enable Hyper-V or WSL and install & use Docker, is it allowed and good to go?
this is first time i need to explore Docker to use (instead of creating VMs). i am going to use it to have Oracle + Apex + ORDS Developer environment.
Oracle Apex Docker ORDS
thanks!

8

Can you rephrase that? I am not sure why you try to say.

Though, have you actually read the installation instruction? In the “System requirements” section, it refers to the Microsoft documentation for how to install wsl2. Docker Desktop for Windows depends on WSL to run the Docker backend.

Are you sure you are not just looking to install docker-ce inside your vm? This would not require enabling the WSL feature.

9

thanks again @meyay , appreciate your passions to help us.
i am not going to use / install Docker inside VM but on Host machine where VMware is also installed. can i use both VMware and Docker together on same Windows Host machine.
hope it clear.
as you mentioned [ In the “System requirements” section, it refers to the Microsoft documentation for how to install wsl2. Docker Desktop for Windows depends on WSL to run the Docker backend.] now i will try using WSL2 for Docker and VMware together, hope my VMware will work smoothly.
thanks!

10

Function-wise it will work as before, though performance wise it will be much slower, especially if you run desktop applications in your VMware vms.

11

@meyay
so is there any solution or work around for this limitation / problem or i have to create another VM instead of Host machine to install & use Docker for my next Developer environment as mentioned earlier?
thnks!

12

I feel we turn in circles. Everything relevant is already discussed in the topic.