Deploy on Kubernetes with Docker Desktop

Table of contents

Docker Desktop includes a standalone Kubernetes server and client, as well as Docker CLI integration, enabling local Kubernetes development and testing directly on your machine.

The Kubernetes server runs as a single-node cluster within a Docker container. This lightweight setup helps you explore Kubernetes features, test workloads, and work with container orchestration in parallel with other Docker functionalities.

Kubernetes on Docker Desktop runs alongside other workloads, including Swarm services and standalone containers.

What happens when I enable Kubernetes in Docker Desktop?

When you enable Kubernetes in Docker Desktop, the following actions are triggered in the Docker Desktop backend and VM:

  • Generation of certificates and cluster configuration
  • Download and installation of Kubernetes internal components
  • Cluster bootup
  • Installation of additional controllers for networking and storage

Turning the Kubernetes server on or off in Docker Desktop does not affect your other workloads.

Install and turn on Kubernetes

  1. Open the Docker Desktop Dashboard and navigate to Settings.

  2. Select the Kubernetes tab.

  3. Select the Enable Kubernetes checkbox.

  4. Select Apply & Restart to save the settings and then select Install to confirm. This sets up the images required to run the Kubernetes server as containers, and installs the kubectl command-line tool on your system at /usr/local/bin/kubectl (Mac) or C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\Resources\bin\kubectl.exe (Windows).

    Note

    Docker Desktop for Linux does not include kubectl by default. You can install it separately by following the Kubernetes installation guide. Ensure the kubectl binary is installed at /usr/local/bin/kubectl.

When Kubernetes is enabled, its status is displayed in the Docker Desktop Dashboard footer and the Docker menu.

You can check which version of Kubernetes you're on with:

$ kubectl version

Viewing system containers

By default, Kubernetes system containers are hidden. To inspect these containers, navigate to Settings > Kubernetes and then enable Show system containers (advanced).

You can now view the running Kubernetes containers with docker ps or in the Docker Desktop Dashboard.

Using the kubectl command

Kubernetes integration automatically installs the Kubernetes CLI command at /usr/local/bin/kubectl on Mac and at C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\Resources\bin\kubectl.exe on Windows. This location may not be in your shell's PATH variable, so you may need to type the full path of the command or add it to the PATH.

If you have already installed kubectl and it is pointing to some other environment, such as minikube or a Google Kubernetes Engine cluster, ensure you change the context so that kubectl is pointing to docker-desktop:

$ kubectl config get-contexts
$ kubectl config use-context docker-desktop

Tip

If the kubectl config get-contexts command returns an empty result, try:

  • Running the command in the Command Prompt or PowerShell.
  • Setting the KUBECONFIG environment variable to point to your .kube/config file.

Verify installation

To confirm that Kubernetes is running, list the available nodes:

$ kubectl get nodes
NAME                 STATUS    ROLES            AGE       VERSION
docker-desktop       Ready     control-plane    3h        v1.29.1

If you installed kubectl using Homebrew, or by some other method, and experience conflicts, remove /usr/local/bin/kubectl.

For more information about kubectl, see the kubectl documentation.

Upgrade your cluster

Kubernetes clusters are not automatically upgraded with Docker Desktop updates. To upgrade the cluster, you must manually select Reset Kubernetes Cluster in settings.

Troubleshooting

  • If Kubernetes fails to start, make sure Docker Desktop is running with enough allocated resources. Check Settings > Resources.
  • If the kubectl commands return errors, confirm the context is set to docker-desktop
    $ kubectl config use-context docker-desktop
    You can then try checking the logs of the Kubernetes system containers if you have enabled that setting.
  • If you're experiencing cluster issues after updating, reset your Kubernetes cluster. Resetting a Kubernetes cluster can help resolve issues by essentially reverting the cluster to a clean state, and clearing out misconfigurations, corrupted data, or stuck resources that may be causing problems. If the issue still persists, you may need to clean and purge data, and then restart Docker Desktop.

Turn off and uninstall Kubernetes

To turn off Kubernetes in Docker Desktop:

  1. From the Docker Desktop Dashboard, select the Settings icon.
  2. Select the Kubernetes tab.
  3. Deselect the Enable Kubernetes checkbox.
  4. Select Apply & Restart to save the settings. This stops and removes Kubernetes containers, and also removes the /usr/local/bin/kubectl command.