Introduction

Microsoft offers WSL2 a very interesting Linux integration platform, which is very convenient and flexible for local build and run-time environments. It can be used as build and run-time environment for Domino on Docker.

The most flexible setup is to run one of the standard Linux distributions and install a Docker Linux host on the WSL2 instance. WSL2 is also used in current Docker Desktop installations. Important for a build environment is any Docker or Podman installation with Bash support.

Requirements

Ensure you run at least

  • Windows 10 version 2004 or higher
  • Windows 11
  • Windows 2022
  • Windows 2025

Install WSL2

Today WSL2 should be the default for each new installation. In case you are running the older WSL version, you have to switch to WSL2. Refer to details in the reference link below.

wsl --install

Install Linux Distribution

Once WSL2 is installed, WSL can list all available Linux distributions.

List available images 

wsl --list --online

Example installing Ubuntu

The default distribution is Ubuntu. Make sure you select a LTS version to ensure long term support.

wsl --install -d Ubuntu-24.04

Once Ubuntu is installed, it can be launched in multiple ways:

  • Desktop/taskbar icon
  • wsl command line
  • Software like MobaXterm with WSL integration

Create a new user

When the container is launched for the first time, it asks to create a new user. For a Domino on Docker environment the best first user is notes.

On Ubuntu the root user can be switched to via sudo su - specifying your notes user password.

sudo su -

Update Ubuntu

The installed WSL Linux instance is not up to date after installation.

apt update
apt upgrade

Install Docker Server

Ubuntu does not provide the latest Docker versions.

It is recommended to use the official Docker documentation to ensure to get a recent version. Follow the steps for Install Docker Engine.

An alternate way to install is to use the Docker convenience script provided by Docker. It can be automatically downloaded and executed.

curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | bash -

Many Linux distributions running on WSL don’t provide systemd
If no systemd is available the Docker daemon is not started automatically. The Domino Container script provides an option to start/stop the Docker server.

dominoctl docker start

Install JQ

JQ is the standard tool for working with JSON files.
The domino_container scripts leverage JQ, which is included in all major distributions including Ubuntu.

apt install jq

Clone Docker Container Project 

mkdir -p /local/github
cd /local/github
git clone https://github.com/HCL-TECH-SOFTWARE/domino-container.git 
cd domino-container

Install Nash!Com Domino Container Script 

./start_script/install_domino_container

Start the Docker server

Once installed the domino_container script can start and stop the Docker server for you.

domino_container docker start

Check the Docker Client and Server Version 

docker version

Next Steps

This completes the setup for your Docker environment.

Contine with Quickstart to build and run your first container.

Reference

Microsoft WSL2 install documentation.