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BlueAccademy local setup should now start with Rancher Desktop. We prefer Rancher Desktop over a plain Docker-only setup because it gives you:
  • A local container runtime
  • Built-in Kubernetes
  • Bundled kubectl
  • Bundled Helm
  • A simpler path for contributors who will need both containers and Kubernetes
This page is based on the official Rancher Desktop site and installation docs as checked on August 9, 2026.

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Why Rancher Desktop comes first

BlueAccademy is broader than a plain Docker-only local app. Rancher Desktop is the preferred base because it gives you:
  • Container runtime support
  • Local Kubernetes
  • Bundled Kubernetes tooling
That reduces setup drift later.

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Official references

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Before you install

Pick the right platform path first:
  • macOS
  • Windows
  • Linux
Do not skip platform requirements. Rancher Desktop depends on virtualization support, and on Windows it depends on WSL2 being installed before Rancher Desktop itself.

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What Rancher Desktop provides

After installation, Rancher Desktop provides local access to common container and Kubernetes tooling, including:
  • kubectl
  • Helm
  • nerdctl
  • Docker-compatible tooling when you choose the Moby engine
BlueAccademy does not need every Rancher Desktop feature on day one, but it does need a working local runtime before the stack can start reliably.

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macOS installation

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Requirements

According to the official installation docs, Rancher Desktop currently requires:
  • macOS 13 Ventura or later
  • Apple Silicon or Intel CPU with virtualization support
  • Persistent internet connection
The official docs also recommend:
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 4 CPU

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Steps

1

Download the correct macOS build

Open the official Rancher Desktop releases page and download the build that matches your machine.
2

Install the application

Open the .dmg, then drag Rancher Desktop into Applications.
3

Launch Rancher Desktop

Start Rancher Desktop from Applications. On first launch it may take time to download Kubernetes images and initialize its runtime.
4

Verify the local tools

Confirm the app reaches a healthy state, confirm Kubernetes is enabled, then run:
If kubectl is not found in your shell, restart the terminal after Rancher Desktop finishes initialization.

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Windows installation

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Requirements

According to the official installation docs, Rancher Desktop currently requires:
  • Windows 11 with latest updates, including Home edition, or
  • Windows Server 2025 with latest updates
  • Hardware virtualization support
  • Persistent internet connection
  • WSL2 installed before Rancher Desktop
The official docs also recommend:
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 4 CPU

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Critical prerequisite: install WSL2 first

Rancher Desktop requires Windows Subsystem for Linux before its own installer runs correctly. If WSL2 is not already installed, install it from an elevated PowerShell session:
Then reboot Windows if prompted. After reboot, verify WSL is available:
If you skip this step, you are creating a setup failure before BlueAccademy even enters the picture.

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Steps

1

Install WSL2 first

From an elevated PowerShell session:
Reboot if prompted, then verify:
2

Install Rancher Desktop

Open the official releases page, download the Windows .msi, run the installer, accept the license agreement, and finish the setup wizard.
3

Launch the app

Start Rancher Desktop and allow it to initialize the runtime.
4

Verify the local tools

Confirm the runtime is healthy, confirm Kubernetes is enabled, then run:

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Privileged service note

The official docs note that Windows admin intervention may be required for the Rancher Desktop privileged service. That matters if you need to expose applications or services beyond 127.0.0.1. For BlueAccademy local development, loopback-only access is often enough, but skipping privileged components can change networking behavior later.

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What to verify on Windows

After Rancher Desktop opens:
  • Confirm Rancher Desktop reports a healthy runtime
  • Confirm Kubernetes is enabled
  • Open PowerShell and run:

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Linux installation

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Requirements

According to the official installation docs, Rancher Desktop currently requires:
  • A Linux distribution that can install .deb, .rpm, or AppImage packages
  • Persistent internet connection
  • x86_64 CPU with AMD-V or VT-x
  • Read-write access to /dev/kvm
The official docs also recommend:
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 4 CPU

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Critical prerequisite: verify /dev/kvm access

Before installing Rancher Desktop, verify that your user can access /dev/kvm:
If you get insufficient privileges, add your user to the kvm group:
Then reboot. If you do not fix /dev/kvm access first, Rancher Desktop will not have the virtualization support it expects.

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Steps

1

Verify KVM access

Before installation, verify:
If needed, add your user to the kvm group and reboot:
2

Install Rancher Desktop

On Ubuntu and Debian, the official docs currently recommend:
3

Launch the app

Start Rancher Desktop and wait for it to initialize. On some GNOME-based distributions the tray icon may not be visible by default.
4

Verify the local tools

Confirm the runtime is healthy, confirm Kubernetes is enabled, then run: