Install docker on macos catalina

Question

How to install docker in macos catalina. I tried few of the commands but it gives me error

First way

brew install docker
Updating Homebrew...
==> Auto-updated Homebrew!
Updated Homebrew from 805f0ba3c to e344cb6af.
Updated 3 taps (homebrew/core, homebrew/cask and homebrew/services).
==> New Formulae
func-e                                                                         [email protected]                                                                   scorecard
==> Updated Formulae
Updated 987 formulae.
==> New Casks
itraffic                                                                                                               millie
==> Updated Casks
Updated 82 casks.


==> Homebrew was updated to version 3.2.2
The changelog can be found at:
  https://github.com/Homebrew/brew/releases/tag/3.2.2
Warning: Treating docker as a formula. For the cask, use homebrew/cask/docker
==> Downloading https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core/docker/manifests/20.10.7
######################################################################## 100.0%
==> Downloading https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core/docker/blobs/sha256:4d09b76ce85c651cb4454ddf2ed8b3f680231793747f5d997a1a41111e92e997
==> Downloading from https://pkg-containers.githubusercontent.com/ghcr1/blobs/sha256:4d09b76ce85c651cb4454ddf2ed8b3f680231793747f5d997a1a41111e92e997?se=2021-07-13T10%3A55%3A00Z&sig=LsXE2Zl837KnqgAAJ%2BrUbN%2BpuRa7tvImtKh36kwMRPc%3D&sp=
######################################################################## 100.0%
==> Pouring docker--20.10.7.catalina.bottle.tar.gz
==> Caveats
zsh completions have been installed to:
  /usr/local/share/zsh/site-functions
==> Summary
🍺  /usr/local/Cellar/docker/20.10.7: 12 files, 58.9MB



docker pull ruby
Using default tag: latest
Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///var/run/docker.sock. Is the docker daemon running?
aniket_tiwari@ACD-123-1212 ~ % sudo docker pull ruby
Password:
Using default tag: latest
Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///var/run/docker.sock. Is the docker daemon running?

Then I uninstall it and install using cask

Second way

brew install --cask docker

Updating Homebrew...
==> Auto-updated Homebrew!
Updated Homebrew from e344cb6af to cc03c2c15.
Updated 2 taps (homebrew/core and homebrew/cask).
==> New Formulae
[email protected]                                                                libfuse@2                                                                      rhit
==> Updated Formulae
Updated 213 formulae.
==> Updated Casks
Updated 31 casks.

==> Downloading https://desktop.docker.com/mac/stable/amd64/66501/Docker.dmg
######################################################################## 100.0%
==> Installing Cask docker
==> Moving App 'Docker.app' to '/Applications/Docker.app'
==> Linking Binary 'docker-compose.bash-completion' to '/usr/local/etc/bash_completion.d/docker-compose'
==> Linking Binary 'docker.zsh-completion' to '/usr/local/share/zsh/site-functions/_docker'
==> Linking Binary 'docker.fish-completion' to '/usr/local/share/fish/vendor_completions.d/docker.fish'
==> Linking Binary 'docker-compose.fish-completion' to '/usr/local/share/fish/vendor_completions.d/docker-compose.fish'
==> Linking Binary 'docker-compose.zsh-completion' to '/usr/local/share/zsh/site-functions/_docker_compose'
==> Linking Binary 'docker.bash-completion' to '/usr/local/etc/bash_completion.d/docker'
🍺  docker was successfully installed!
aniket_tiwari@ACD-123-1212 ~ % docker ps
zsh: command not found: docker
aniket_tiwari@ACD-123-1212 ~ % docker version
zsh: command not found: docker
aniket_tiwari@ACD-123-1212 ~ % docker --version
zsh: command not found: docker

MacOS Catalina - 10.15.7

Answer 1

Here are the Docker Desktop release notes with download links:

https://docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes/

4.16.0: (2023-01-12)

Minimum OS version to install or update Docker Desktop on macOS is now macOS Big Sur (version 11) or later.

So the last runnable version should be 4.15.0 for Catalina (10.15.7) and it can be downloaded from this page.

URL don't exist forever and there will be a day, when this answer becomes invalid. I note the target URL in case they exist for longer.

• https://desktop.docker.com/mac/main/amd64/93002/Docker.dmg
• https://desktop.docker.com/mac/main/arm64/93002/Docker.dmg

In case of Catalina it is most likely the first link (amd64).

As last resort a search engine may discover the files by checksum:

Mac Intel: SHA-256 bee41d646916e579b16b7fae014e2fb5e5e7b5dbaf7c1949821fd311d3ce430b

Mac Arm: SHA-256 fc8609d57fb8c8264122f581c0f66497e46e171f8027d85d90213527d6226362