Installing Docker on Mac

Before deploying a Novant virtual node on macOS, you’ll need Docker Desktop installed and running. This guide walks through installation and deploying the virtual node.

Install Docker Desktop

Visit the official Docker website and download Docker Desktop for Mac. Choose the correct version for your chip:
- Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4)
- Intel
Double-click the downloaded .dmg file.
Drag Docker to your Applications folder.
Launch Docker from Applications.

Verify Installation

Open Terminal and run:

docker --version

You should see the installed Docker version printed back. If Docker Desktop is not running, launch it from Applications before running this command.

Deploy the Virtual Node

Follow the Setting Up Your Virtual Node guide for the full docker-compose.yaml configuration and options. The steps below show how to set up the directory structure and volume mapping on macOS.

Create the project directory:
```
mkdir ~/novant-node
cd ~/novant-node
```
Create your docker-compose.yaml in this folder using the template from the setup guide, setting the volume mapping to:
```
volumes:
  - ./data:/data/
```
Create the data directories:
```
mkdir -p data/secrets
```
Install the license by copying the license content from your Novant project’s Nodes tab and saving it to:
```
~/novant-node/data/secrets/node.license
```
Start the container:
```
docker compose up -d
```

Verify the container is running:

docker compose ps
docker compose logs novant-vnode

Next Steps

Once your virtual node is running, return to the Setting Up Your Virtual Node guide for post-installation verification and next steps.