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Docker Desktop in Microsoft Dev Box

Table of contents

Docker Desktop is available as a pre-configured image in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace for use with Microsoft Dev Box, allowing developers to quickly set up consistent development environments in the cloud.

Microsoft Dev Box provides cloud-based, pre-configured developer workstations that allow you to code, build, and test applications without configuring a local development environment. The Docker Desktop image for Microsoft Dev Box comes with Docker Desktop and its dependencies pre-installed, giving you a ready-to-use containerized development environment.

Key benefits

  • Docker Desktop, WSL2, and dependencies pre-installed
  • Identical environment for every team member
  • More compute and storage than a typical local machine
  • Session state persists between uses
  • Works with your existing Docker subscription

Setup

Prerequisites

  • An Azure subscription
  • Access to Microsoft Dev Box
  • A Docker subscription (Pro, Team, or Business). You can use Docker Desktop in Microsoft Dev Box with any of the following subscription options:
    • An existing or new Docker subscription
    • A new Docker subscription purchased through Azure Marketplace
    • A Docker Business subscription with SSO configured for your organization

Set up Docker Desktop in Dev Box

  1. Navigate to the Docker Desktop for Microsoft Dev Box listing in Azure Marketplace.
  2. Select Get It Now to add the virtual machine image to your subscription.
  3. Follow the Azure workflow to complete the setup.
  4. Use the image to create VMs, assign to Dev Centers, or create Dev Box Pools according to your organization's setup.

Activate Docker Desktop

Once your Dev Box is provisioned with the Docker Desktop image:

  1. Start your Dev Box instance.
  2. Launch Docker Desktop.
  3. Sign in with your Docker ID.

Support

For issues related to:

  • Docker Desktop configuration, usage, or licensing: Create a support ticket through Docker Support.
  • Dev Box creation, Azure portal configuration, or networking: Contact Azure Support.

Limitations

  • Microsoft Dev Box is only available on Windows 10 and 11 (Linux VMs are not supported).
  • Performance may vary based on your Dev Box configuration and network conditions.