Hey everyone! I'm using Docker Desktop on Ubuntu 24.04, and I've noticed that the GUI consumes a lot of RAM. Is there a way to run just the Docker Engine as a background daemon without launching the GUI? I primarily work with the CLI tools like docker and docker-compose. When I close the GUI, `docker ps` stops working for me. Is it necessary to have the GUI running, or can I operate Docker headlessly? Thanks for your help!
3 Answers
Yeah, it's true! The main thing you need is Docker Engine, not the Desktop version. Just install Docker Engine using the guide from the official site, and you won’t have to deal with the GUI anymore. It’s much lighter and should work perfectly with just the command line.
You can definitely run just the Docker Engine without the Docker Desktop GUI. Check out the documentation for installing Docker Engine on Ubuntu. Once you follow those steps, you should be able to run it automatically in the background without needing the GUI open at all.
If you're on Mac, you might want to try Orbstack as an alternative. It could offer what you're looking for without the heavy RAM usage of Docker Desktop.
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