Configure Container Resources in Docker Desktop

Docker allows you to configure container resources either by editing configuration files directly or through the docker desktop of the application. Below is a detailed guide for both methods.

Method 1: Editing Configuration Files

All docker desktop settings are stored in settings-store.json file. The locations as per the operating system are:

Mac: ~/Library/Group\ Containers/group.com.docker/settings-store.json
Windows: C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Docker\settings-store.json
Linux: ~/.docker/desktop/settings-store.json

To modify container resources, update the following parameters in the file:

CPU: Adjust the cpus parameter.
Memory: Change the memoryMiB parameter.
Disk: Modify the diskSizeMiB parameter.

Method 2: Using the Docker Desktop Application

Follow these steps to configure resources via the Docker Desktop:

Click on the Docker menu and select Settings.
Select the Settings icon from the Docker Desktop Dashboard.
Select the Resources menu.
Select Advanced sub-menu and adjust resource limits

CPU Limit: Set the maximum number of CPUs Docker can use. By default, all available processors are utilized.
Memory Limit: Adjust the amount of RAM allocated to Docker. By default, it uses up to 50% of the host’s memory.
Swap File Size: Configure the swap file size (default is 1 GB).
Virtual Disk Limit: Specify the maximum size of the disk image used by Docker.

Click Apply & restart to restart the Docker Desktop with updated resource limits.

Note for Windows Node Runner

The Resource allocation options in the Advanced tab are only available in Hyper-V mode (Install Hyper-V on Windows), because Windows manages the resources in WSL 2 mode and Windows container mode.
In WSL 2 mode, you can configure limits on the memory, CPU, and swap size allocated to the Example .wslconfig file