WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) is a compatibility layer in Windows 10 that allows you to run Linux commands and applications natively on your Windows machine. Docker, on the other hand, is a popular platform used for containerization, which allows you to package and distribute applications along with their dependencies.
In this article, we will guide you on how to connect to a WSL Docker container using the "localhost" keyword. This will enable you to access your Docker containers running inside WSL from your Windows machine.
Prerequisites
Before we begin, make sure you have the following:
- Windows 10 operating system
- WSL installed and configured on your Windows machine
- Docker installed on your WSL
Step 1: Enable Docker to Listen on TCP Port
The first step is to configure Docker to listen on a TCP port. By default, Docker listens on a Unix socket, which is not accessible from the Windows host. Follow these steps to enable TCP port:
- Open a terminal in your WSL environment.
- Run the command
sudo nano /etc/docker/daemon.jsonto open the Docker daemon configuration file in the Nano text editor. - Add the following JSON configuration to the file:
{
"hosts": ["tcp://0.0.0.0:2375", "unix:///var/run/docker.sock"]
}
Save the file and exit the text editor.
Restart the Docker daemon by running the command sudo service docker restart.
Step 2: Configure Windows Firewall
By default, Windows Firewall blocks incoming connections to Docker. To allow the connection, follow these steps:
- Open the Windows Defender Firewall.
- Click on "Advanced settings" in the left-hand pane.
- Click on "Inbound Rules" in the left-hand pane.
- Click on "New Rule" in the right-hand pane.
- Select "Port" and click "Next".
- Choose "TCP" and enter "2375" as the specific local ports. Click "Next".
- Select "Allow the connection" and click "Next".
- Choose the appropriate network types and click "Next".
- Give the rule a name (e.g., "Docker TCP Port") and click "Finish".
Step 3: Connect to WSL Docker Container
Now that you have configured Docker and Windows Firewall, you can connect to your WSL Docker container using the "localhost" keyword. Follow these steps:
- Open a terminal on your Windows machine.
- Run the command
set DOCKER_HOST=tcp://localhost:2375to set the Docker host environment variable. - Run the command
docker versionto verify the connection to the Docker daemon running in WSL.
If you see the Docker version information, congratulations! You have successfully connected to your WSL Docker container using the "localhost" keyword.
In this article, we have shown you how to connect to a WSL Docker container using the "localhost" keyword. By enabling Docker to listen on a TCP port and configuring Windows Firewall, you can easily access your Docker containers running inside WSL from your Windows machine. This allows for seamless development and testing of applications in a Linux environment while utilizing the benefits of Docker containerization.
References
| Reference | Link |
|---|---|
| WSL Documentation | https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/ |
| Docker Documentation | https://docs.docker.com/ |