Switching Docker modes

Using native Docker applications

After installation you can switch to using native Docker applications instead of VirtualBox, or vice versa.

macOS

Switching from VirtualBox to Docker for Mac

Reconfigure Docksal

Assuming that you have been previously using Docksal with VirtualBox, which was installed according to setup docs:

  1. Install Docker for Mac

  2. Open Terminal and run:

    fin vm stop
fin config set --global DOCKER_NATIVE=1
fin system reset

This stops Docksal VM, enables “native” mode, and resets Docksal system services.

File sharing with Docker for Mac

Docker for Mac automatically shares most commonly used volumes/directories. See Docker documentation for details. It is usually not necessary to adjust these settings, but you want to check them if your Home folder is not in a usual place.

Docksal automatically enables the osxfs:cached mode on Docker for Mac, which improves the file system read performance substantially. On Mac, osxfs:cached mode for Docker for Mac provides a decent read performance (still not as fast as NFS, but getting there). See docksal/docksal#249

Switching from Docker for Mac to VirtualBox

  1. Stop Docksal system

    fin system stop

  2. Close Docker for Mac

  3. Start with VM:

    fin config set --global DOCKER_NATIVE=0
fin vm start

This disables the “native” apps mode, resets network settings, starts Docksal VM, and resets Docksal system services.

Windows

Switching from VirtualBox to Docker for Windows

Reconfigure Docksal

Assuming that you have been previously using Docksal with Babun and VirtualBox, installed according to setup docs.

  1. Install Docker for Windows.

  2. Open Babun and run:

    fin vm stop
fin config set --global DOCKER_NATIVE=1
fin system reset

This stops Docksal VM, enables “native” mode and resets Docksal system services.

File sharing on Windows for Docker for Windows

Share your local drives with Docker for Windows:

Sharing Windows drives with Docker

Switching from Docker for Windows to VirtualBox

  1. Stop Docksal system

    fin system stop

  2. Close Docker for Windows

    On Windows, you will also have to completely uninstall Hyper-V (a dependency for Docker for Windows).
    You won’t be able to use VirtualBox (or any other hypervisor) while Hyper-V is installed. Hyper-V locks the VT-x extension to itself, so other hypervisors are not able to use the hardware virtualization support and cannot run 64bit VMs because of that.

  3. Open Babun and run:

    fin config set --global DOCKER_NATIVE=0
fin vm start

This disables the “native” apps mode, resets network settings, starts Docksal VM, and resets Docksal system services.