No offense against Docker. I like the concept and the software!

– This guide is based on V1.3.0 of the installer –

But I absolutely do not like the official Docker OS X installer (install manual) which you can download here.

The reason for this are:

• It installs Virtualbox and has downgraded my existing Virtualbox Host software!
• It installs an app and several binaries.
• Everything packaged up into a .pkg and no uninstall app or instructions anywhere!

In summary it tries to do too much. Many developers use tools like Vagrant & Homebrew. Why not go that way?

Uninstall steps for boot2docker / Docker

Be sure you’ve only used the official

First stop boot2docker and delete the VBox image:

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boot2docker stop
boot2docker delete

Remove the environmental variable DOCKER_HOST in case you have fixed it somewhere like e.g. in .bash_profile

Drag and Drop the boot2docker app logo from applications into the trash can of OS X.

Remove Docker and boot2docker command line tools:

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sudo rm /usr/local/bin/docker
sudo rm /usr/local/bin/boot2docker

Remove boot2docker VBox image:

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sudo rm /usr/local/share/boot2docker/boot2docker.iso
sudo rmdir /usr/local/share/boot2docker
rm -rf ~/.boot2docker

Remove boot2docker ssh keys:

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rm ~/.ssh/id_boot2docker*

Remove additional boot2docker files in /private folder:

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sudo rm -f /private/var/db/receipts/io.boot2docker.*
sudo rm -f /private/var/db/receipts/io.boot2dockeriso.*

(Optional) Uninstall steps for Virtualbox

You can also delete Virtualbox of course. But if you are a developer you probably need it anyway. In case your VBox got also downgraded: Reinstall Virtualbox.

If you really want to uninstall Virtualbox:

But I like Docker, how to install it without pain on OS X and how to upgrade?

I will explain this in a later post! :)

Update 2014-10-06:

Update 2014-11-13:

• Added ssh keys uninstall. Thx to @mtscout6

Update 2014-11-21:

• boot2docker has now an official uninstall script but I do not know how you are supposed to run it except downloading it directly from github and execute it :( Today I’ve checked and it is not inside the official pkg installer. It also does not remove the boot2docker app from your programs.
• Added uninstall routines for /private folder.