Using Docker Tools on Windows with Hyper-V instead of Virtualbox

Docker is a fantastic tool, and the Docker Toolbox is a must to manage it.

If you install the Docker Toolbox on a Windows machine, the installer automatically installs Oracle Virtualbox to run the Docker virtual machine.

That always annoyed me, since Hyper-V has now been a part of the Windows Pro and Enterprise editions since Windows 8.

It is however possible to run the Docker Toolbox using Hyper-V straight out of the box.

First create a Virtual Switch in Hyper-V.

Then, start an Administrative Command Prompt and instead of using the standard documented method to create a Docker VM called default using Virtualbox:
docker-machine create --driver virtualbox default

you simply exchange the virtualbox driver with hyperv like so:
docker-machine create --driver hyperv default

That's all there is to it. If you are running a version of Windows that has Hyper-V, you can safely uninstall Virtualbox and just use Hyper-V instead to manage your Docker VMs.

Hope this helps!