> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://ayakaleaf-pro.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# 0. Setup Docker Desktop

> Install Docker Desktop on your Mac and check the engine, resources, file sharing and Docker socket.

Ayakaleaf Pro runs on Docker. On a Mac you use Docker Desktop, which runs the Docker engine in a Linux virtual machine.

**1. Install and start Docker Desktop**

Install the [Docker Desktop](https://docs.docker.com/desktop/setup/install/mac-install/) build for your Mac (Apple silicon or Intel), open it, and wait until the engine has started. You can also start it from Terminal:

```bash theme={null}
open -a Docker
```

**2. Check the Docker engine**

Run these commands in Terminal:

```bash theme={null}
docker context show
docker info
docker compose version
```

The context should point to your local Docker Desktop engine, normally `desktop-linux`. If another context is selected, switch to Docker Desktop before you continue:

```bash theme={null}
docker context use desktop-linux
```

`docker info` must print a **Server** section. `docker --version` alone only shows that the client is installed.

**3. Check resources and file sharing**

In Docker Desktop **Settings**, check the CPU, memory and disk limits against [Before you start](https://ayakaleaf-pro.mintlify.site/on-premises/installation/using-docker-compose/macos#before-you-start), and the file sharing settings, see [Docker Desktop settings](https://docs.docker.com/desktop/settings-and-maintenance/settings/).

This guide keeps the Toolkit under `/Users`, which Docker Desktop shares by default. If you use another location and `bin/up` fails with `Mounts denied`, add that directory to file sharing.

**4. Check the Docker socket for sandboxed compiles**

The Toolkit mounts `/var/run/docker.sock` into the application, so that it can start a separate TeX Live container for each compile. Keep `DOCKER_SOCKET_PATH=/var/run/docker.sock` in `config/overleaf.rc`.

The Docker CLI on macOS may connect through `~/.docker/run/docker.sock`. That is the client endpoint on the Mac, not a reason to change the Toolkit's mount source: the compiler needs the engine socket as Linux containers see it.

If `/var/run/docker.sock` is missing on the Mac, turn on **Allow the default Docker socket to be used** under **Settings → Advanced**, see [Docker's permission requirements](https://docs.docker.com/desktop/setup/install/mac-permission-requirements/).

> [!CAUTION]
>
> Do not run `chmod 777` on the socket to work around errors. Access to the Docker socket is root-equivalent access to the Docker VM.

### Next step

Once `docker info` works, continue with [1. Download the Toolkit](https://ayakaleaf-pro.mintlify.site/on-premises/installation/using-docker-compose/macos/1.-download-the-toolkit.md).


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