Cannot connect to the docker daemon at unix:///var/run/docker.sock. is the docker daemon running?

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That error message means your system is trying to run a Docker command, but the Docker daemon (the background service that actually runs containers) isn’t running or can’t be reached.

Here’s how to fix it depending on your system:

If you're on Linux:

Check if Docker is running:

bash

sudo systemctl status docker

1.Start Docker if it’s not running

bash

sudo systemctl start docker

2. Enable Docker to start on boot (optional):

bash

sudo systemctl enable docker

3. Run Docker without sudo (optional but useful):

Add your user to the docker group:

bash

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

Then log out and log back in, or run:

bash

newgrp docker

If you're on macOS or Windows using Docker Desktop:

Make sure Docker Desktop is running. You can usually find it in the taskbar/system tray.
If not, start Docker Desktop and wait until it fully initializes.