Windows
Run Dockerman on Windows with either Docker Desktop or the built-in WSL2 Docker Engine.
Windows has two supported Docker paths: Docker Desktop or the built-in WSL2 Docker Engine.
Quick comparison
| Aspect | Docker Desktop | WSL2 Docker Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Required for most businesses | Not required |
| Footprint | Larger install | Small Alpine-based WSL distro |
| Resource usage | Higher, because it runs a VM and services | Lower, because it runs inside WSL2 |
| Setup effort | Standard installer | Automated by Dockerman |
| Support | Fully supported | Fully supported, added in v4.3.0 |
Option A: Docker Desktop
Install Docker Desktop
Download Docker Desktop from docker.com and run the installer.
Make sure Docker Desktop is running
Wait for the whale icon to show that Docker Desktop is running.
Launch Dockerman
Dockerman detects Docker Desktop automatically and connects to it.
Option B: WSL2 Docker Engine
Added in v4.3.0.
Dockerman bundles the WSL2 path for you, so you do not need Docker Desktop or manual WSL setup.
Prerequisites
- Windows 10 version 2004 or later, or Windows 11.
- WSL2 installed with
wsl --installfrom an elevated PowerShell session. - Virtualization enabled in BIOS or UEFI.
Setup Wizard
The Setup Wizard runs automatically on first launch when Docker Desktop is not detected.
Choose WSL2 Docker Engine
Pick the built-in WSL2 Docker Engine path when the welcome dialog appears.
Import Alpine
Dockerman imports a minimal Alpine WSL distro for the Docker Engine.
Install Docker inside Alpine
Dockerman installs Docker and configures the daemon to start on login.
Verify the connection
Dockerman runs a health check and connects to the new daemon.
Do not close Dockerman while the wizard is running. The first setup takes a few minutes and needs to finish before the app is usable.
What the wizard does
The wizard creates the Alpine distro files that Dockerman uses to run Docker.
Edit daemon.json
Use Settings → Daemon config panel to edit /etc/docker/daemon.json in either a form view for common fields or a raw JSON view for everything else. Saving restarts Docker inside the Alpine distro.
Recovery from daemon crash
If the Docker daemon crashes, Dockerman shows a banner with a Restart button and streams the crash logs so you can diagnose the failure.
Reinstall the WSL2 distro
Added in v5.3.0. If the Alpine distro gets into a bad state, open the WSL setup wizard from the WSL page and click Reinstall to wipe the existing distro and re-import a fresh Alpine image. The button is destructive — any data you stored inside the distro itself is lost. Docker volumes managed by the daemon are preserved unless you also reset Docker.
Switch the engine source
Added in v5.3.0. The WSL page on Windows shows an Engine source selector with two cards: the OS-native Docker socket (Docker Desktop or any system-installed Docker) and the bundled Dockerman WSL2 Docker Engine. Pick a card and Dockerman silently reconnects the local host to the new source — no toast, no manual save. The previous Docker connection type (socket, tcp, npipe) is remembered, so toggling back to OS-native Docker restores your last setup.
If you prefer the older flow, you can also flip the connection type from Settings → Docker settings and reconnect manually.
Resource monitoring for WSL2
Use Stats to monitor the WSL2 Engine like any other Docker daemon. If Windows looks memory-heavy, check the WSL2 VM's ballooning in Task Manager.