Build with the Docker Extensions SDK

Create and share your own extensions

In a world where there’s a tool for everything, integration and user experience are crucial to a frictionless developer workflow. For this reason, we created Docker Extensions to help developers reduce context switching and increase productivity.

Using Extensions, developers can integrate seamlessly with external tools — and even create brand-new ones!

Our Docker Extensions SDK Quickstart guide gives you a jumpstart to building your own extensions for smooth, fast, and native integration directly into Docker Desktop.

Create my first extension

Meet the Docker Extensions SDK

Automate your workflows

Share with your team or the whole community

Bring existing tooling into Docker Desktop

30+

Extensions in Marketplace

13M+

Docker Desktop Users

Build and launch your first Docker Extension

To get started, you’ll need the latest version of Docker Desktop. Then, use the Extensions CLI to create your extension.

💡

Tip: extension is a command in the Docker CLI. Run docker help to see extension listed. Run docker extension help to see all of the extension options.

Build

Step 1: Create the extension from a boilerplate

First, with this init command, generate a hello-world extension with a basic UI and a connected backend service (optional).

docker extension init my-extension

Step 2: Build and install the extension

Then, build an image and install your extension from that image using this command.

make install-extension

Step 3: Open the Docker Desktop Dashboard

Test the extension by navigating to the extension tab in the left-menu drawer. You should now have a running extension!

If you want to share this extension with your team or community (but aren’t ready for countless developer eyes), we’ve got you covered! Learn how to install non-Marketplace extensions.

Submit to Marketplace

You can also distribute your extension to millions of developers with one click installation.

All submissions are reviewed before being added to the Marketplace. To pass the review, make sure you’ve followed our Extension submission guidelines, and then submit your extension to our Marketplace.

Get inspired

Need ideas? Check out our GitHub repository for extensions ideas and suggestions from other like-minded developers using Docker Extensions.

Read more in our blog from other creators about building extensions:

Build Your First Docker Extension: A step-by-step tutorial for building an extension, even if you don’t know where to start.
Creating the KubeCon Flappy Dock Extension: Learn how we built the Flappy Dock extension, and follow the tutorial to build (and play!) it yourself.
Creating Kubernetes Extensions in Docker Desktop: Docker Captain James Spurin shares his approach to building Kubernetes extensions and the advantages of Docker Extensions when automating with Kubernetes.

See all Docker blogs related to Extensions.