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Releases: alozdev/lindowin

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lindowin 1.1.0: Linux Docker on Windows Server, ports like on Linux

lindowin 1.1.0: Linux Docker on Windows Server, ports like on Linux Latest
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@alozdev alozdev released this 30 Oct 22:47
v1.1.0
2153ab9

The project is now lindowin (formerly wsl-docker-engine). Old links redirect.

New

  • Windows Server and Server Core. Detected automatically. Docker starts at boot, without anyone signing in. Use -Server to get that on a PC.
  • Published ports work like on Linux. 80:80 is reachable from your network, 127.0.0.1:80:80 only from your PC, TCP and UDP. Firewall rules open when a container starts and close when it stops.
  • Automatic networking. Uses WSL mirrored networking, and falls back to port forwarding by itself if mirrored breaks internet (some VPNs).
  • docker-users group, like Docker Desktop: add other users who should run docker.
  • One admin prompt at install time, none afterwards.

Upgrade: run the installer again:

irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alozdev/lindowin/main/install.ps1 | iex
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v1.0.0: Docker on Windows without Docker Desktop

v1.0.0: Docker on Windows without Docker Desktop

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@alozdev alozdev released this 30 Oct 05:35
v1.0.0
c7f5fb3

First release. Docker on Windows without Docker Desktop: Docker Engine on WSL 2 plus the official Docker CLI, set up with one command.

demo

Install

Open PowerShell (no admin needed) and run:

irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alozdev/wsl-docker-engine/main/install.ps1 | iex

Or download Source code (zip) below, extract it and double-click install.cmd.

What's included

  • Docker Engine in WSL 2. A dedicated docker distro (Ubuntu 24.04) where Docker is installed with the official script and started by systemd.
  • Official Windows tools. docker.exe, docker compose and docker buildx, downloaded from official sources. Compose and buildx are checked against their published checksums.
  • Same endpoint as Docker Desktop. A small relay serves \\.\pipe\docker_engine, so the CLI, compose, VS Code, Testcontainers and SDKs work with no DOCKER_HOST and no TCP port.
  • Starts at sign-in. Containers with restart: unless-stopped / always come back on their own.
  • Compose bind mounts work (./data:/data): Windows paths are converted, and Linux permissions are kept on Windows drives (e.g. Postgres).
  • Safe to re-run. It reuses an existing WSL, distro, Docker Engine or tools, and only adds what is missing. Re-running it is also how you update.
  • Installs WSL if missing, asking for admin permission once, and continues by itself after the restart.
  • Retries downloads on flaky networks or VPNs.
  • Secure by default. Only your user can reach the pipe, network clients are rejected, it refuses to start if another program owns the pipe, and Ubuntu and Docker Engine get automatic security updates.
  • Clean uninstall. uninstall.cmd keeps your containers, images and volumes unless you ask to delete them.

Requirements

Windows 10 2004+ or Windows 11 (Home works), x64, virtualization enabled.

Known limitations

  • With plain docker run -v, write Windows paths as /c/Users/.... Compose does this conversion for you.
  • Published ports are reachable from your PC only, not from your LAN.
  • ARM64 Windows is not supported yet.

Docker is a trademark of Docker, Inc. This project is not affiliated with Docker, Inc.

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