---
title: Deployment and orchestration
keywords: orchestration, deploy, kubernetes, swarm,
description: Get oriented on some basics of Docker and install Docker Desktop.
aliases:
  - /get-started/orchestration/
  - /guides/deployment-orchestration/orchestration/
summary: |
  Explore the essentials of container orchestration with Docker.
tags: [deploy]
params:
  time: 10 minutes
---

Containerization provides an opportunity to move and scale applications to
clouds and data centers. Containers effectively guarantee that those applications run the
same way anywhere, allowing you to quickly and easily take advantage of all
these environments. Additionally, as you scale your applications up, you need some
tooling to help automate the maintenance of those applications, enable the
replacement of failed containers automatically, and manage the roll-out of
updates and reconfigurations of those containers during their lifecycle.

Tools to manage, scale, and maintain containerized applications are called
orchestrators. Two of the most popular orchestration tools are Kubernetes and
Docker Swarm. Docker Desktop provides development environments for both of these
orchestrators.

The advanced modules teach you how to:

1. [Set up and use a Kubernetes environment on your development machine](kube-deploy.md)
2. [Set up and use a Swarm environment on your development machine](swarm-deploy.md)

## Turn on Kubernetes

Docker Desktop sets up Kubernetes for you quickly and easily. Follow the setup and validation instructions appropriate for your operating system:

{{< tabs group="os" >}}
{{< tab name="Mac and Linux" >}}

### Mac

1.  From the Docker Dashboard, navigate to **Settings**, and select the **Kubernetes** tab.

2.  Select the checkbox labeled **Enable Kubernetes**, and select **Apply & Restart**. Docker Desktop automatically sets up Kubernetes for you. You'll know that Kubernetes has been successfully enabled when you see a green light beside 'Kubernetes _running_' in **Settings**.

3.  To confirm that Kubernetes is up and running, create a text file called `pod.yaml` with the following content:

    ```yaml
    apiVersion: v1
    kind: Pod
    metadata:
      name: demo
    spec:
      containers:
        - name: testpod
          image: alpine:latest
          command: ["ping", "8.8.8.8"]
    ```

    This describes a pod with a single container, isolating a simple ping to 8.8.8.8.

4.  In a terminal, navigate to where you created `pod.yaml` and create your pod:

    ```console
    $ kubectl apply -f pod.yaml
    ```

5.  Check that your pod is up and running:

    ```console
    $ kubectl get pods
    ```

    You should see something like:

    ```shell
    NAME      READY     STATUS    RESTARTS   AGE
    demo      1/1       Running   0          4s
    ```

6.  Check that you get the logs you'd expect for a ping process:

    ```console
    $ kubectl logs demo
    ```

    You should see the output of a healthy ping process:

    ```shell
    PING 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8): 56 data bytes
    64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: seq=0 ttl=37 time=21.393 ms
    64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: seq=1 ttl=37 time=15.320 ms
    64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: seq=2 ttl=37 time=11.111 ms
    ...
    ```

7.  Finally, tear down your test pod:

    ```console
    $ kubectl delete -f pod.yaml
    ```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="Windows" >}}

### Windows

1. From the Docker Dashboard, navigate to **Settings**, and select the **Kubernetes** tab.

2. Select the checkbox labeled **Enable Kubernetes**, and select **Apply & Restart**. Docker Desktop automatically sets up Kubernetes for you. You'll know that Kubernetes has been successfully enabled when you see a green light beside 'Kubernetes _running_' in the **Settings** menu.

3. To confirm that Kubernetes is up and running, create a text file called `pod.yaml` with the following content:

   ```yaml
   apiVersion: v1
   kind: Pod
   metadata:
     name: demo
   spec:
     containers:
       - name: testpod
         image: alpine:latest