page_title: Get the required software page_description: Describes the software required to contribute to Docker page_keywords: GitHub account, repository, Docker, Git, Go, make, # Get the required software for Linux or OS X This page explains how to get the software you need to use a Linux or OS X machine for Docker development. Before you begin contributing you must have: * a GitHub account * `git` * `make` * `docker` You'll notice that `go`, the language that Docker is written in, is not listed. That's because you don't need it installed; Docker's development environment provides it for you. You'll learn more about the development environment later. ### Get a GitHub account To contribute to the Docker project, you will need a <a href="https://github.com" target="_blank">GitHub account</a>. A free account is fine. All the Docker project repositories are public and visible to everyone. You should also have some experience using both the GitHub application and `git` on the command line. ### Install git Install `git` on your local system. You can check if `git` is on already on your system and properly installed with the following command: $ git --version This documentation is written using `git` version 2.2.2. Your version may be different depending on your OS. ### Install make Install `make`. You can check if `make` is on your system with the following command: $ make -v This documentation is written using GNU Make 3.81. Your version may be different depending on your OS. ### Install or upgrade Docker If you haven't already, install the Docker software using the <a href="/installation" target="_blank">instructions for your operating system</a>. If you have an existing installation, check your version and make sure you have the latest Docker. To check if `docker` is already installed on Linux: $ docker --version Docker version 1.5.0, build a8a31ef On Mac OS X or Windows, you should have installed Boot2Docker which includes Docker. You'll need to verify both Boot2Docker and then Docker. This documentation was written on OS X using the following versions. $ boot2docker version Boot2Docker-cli version: v1.5.0 Git commit: ccd9032 $ docker --version Docker version 1.5.0, build a8a31ef ## Linux users and sudo This guide assumes you have added your user to the `docker` group on your system. To check, list the group's contents: $ getent group docker docker:x:999:ubuntu If the command returns no matches, you have two choices. You can preface this guide's `docker` commands with `sudo` as you work. Alternatively, you can add your user to the `docker` group as follows: $ sudo usermod -aG docker ubuntu You must log out and log back in for this modification to take effect. ## Where to go next In the next section, you'll [learn how to set up and configure Git for contributing to Docker](/project/set-up-git/).