!> [Docker Desktop](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop) must already be installed locally in order to launch GitPitch Desktop.
This guide assumes that you have successfully [downloaded the desktop app](/desktop/download.md). The following desktop app launch options are available:
?> To use the Docker Dashboard you must install or update to Docker Desktop 2.2 or later. You can download the latest release of Docker Desktop [here](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop).
The Docker Dashboard provides an intuitive UI that you can use to manage and launch GitPitch Desktop. This is now the recommended approach for launching GitPitch Desktop. If you prefer to work with a CLI at the command line see the other launch options detailed in this guide.
While the video demonstrates the set of steps to launch GitPitch Desktop the following screenshot is provided as a quick reference for the main settings described in the video:
As noted in the video you can define multiple container instances for GitPitch Desktop. Each instance represents a distinct set of slide decks. Each set found in a dedicated directory on your local file system.
You can easily switch between these instances to work on different slide decks in different directories. Just remember to *stop* any running instance before attempting to *start* the new desktop instance.
[info] PUBLISHING ( Offline - PDF - PPTX ) service enabled.
[info] PUBLISHING ( Online - Public - Private - Password ) service enabled.
[info] Application started (Prod)
[info] Listening for HTTP on /0.0.0.0:9000
```
Note, *{LOCALWORKINGDIR}* is a placeholder. You must replace it with a path to a working directory on your local file system. The directory must exist. It can be empty. Or it can contain existing presentation files and assets.
?> The {LOCALWORKINGDIR} is often the root directory of a local Git repository. But the directory does not have to be a Git repository. Any regular directory on your local file system can be used.
Upon successful launch you can access the desktop app in your browser at the following URL:
```http
http://localhost:9000/gitpitch
```
To open your browser at this default desktop URL right now, click [http://localhost:9000](http://localhost:9000/gitpitch).
### Use Docker Run
You can launch the desktop app from any directory using the following `docker run` command directly:
<!-- tabs:start -->
#### ** Trial **
```shell
docker run -it -v {LOCALWORKINGDIR}:/repo -p 9000:9000 gitpitch/trial
```
#### ** Paid **
```shell
docker run -it -v {LOCALWORKINGDIR}:/repo -p 9000:9000 gitpitch/4.0
```
<!-- tabs:end -->
Note, *{LOCALWORKINGDIR}* is a placeholder. You must replace it with an *absolute path* to a working directory on your local file system. The directory must exist. It can be empty. Or it can contain existing presentation files and assets.
?> The {LOCALWORKINGDIR} is often the root directory of a local Git repository. But the directory does not have to be a Git repository. Any regular directory on your local file system can be used.
Upon successful launch you can access the desktop app in your browser at the following URL:
```http
http://localhost:9000/gitpitch
```
To open your browser at this default desktop URL right now, click [http://localhost:9000](http://localhost:9000/gitpitch).
### Use Docker Compose
You can use the *docker-compose* command as a convenient alternative to [docker run](#use-docker-run). To use Compose you first need to copy and save the following service description into a file on your local disk:
<!-- tabs:start -->
#### ** Trial **
```yaml
version: '3'
services:
gitpitch:
image: gitpitch/trial
volumes:
- .:/repo
ports:
- "9000:9000"
environment:
- PORT=9000
- SWEEP=false
```
#### ** Paid **
```yaml
version: '3'
services:
gitpitch:
image: gitpitch/4.0
volumes:
- .:/repo
ports:
- "9000:9000"
environment:
- PORT=9000
- SWEEP=false
```
<!-- tabs:end -->
Following Docker conventions, we recommend saving this service description into a file called *docker-compose.yaml*.
Now to launch the desktop app copy this file into a local working directory. The directory must exist. It can be empty. Or it can contain existing presentation files and assets. Then within that same directory, use the following launch command:
```shell
docker-compose up
```
Upon successful launch you can access the desktop app in your browser at the following URL:
```http
http://localhost:9000/gitpitch
```
To open your browser at this default desktop URL right now, click [http://localhost:9000](http://localhost:9000/gitpitch).
### Windows Launch Tips
If your version of Docker Desktop for Windows is using the new [WSL 2 Backend](https://docs.docker.com/docker-for-windows/wsl/) the launch details provided above should have you up and running without problems.
However, if your version of Docker Desktop for Windows is using the older *Hyper-V Backend* you need to update your Docker Desktop file sharing settings to allow local directories on Windows to be shared with the GitPitch Desktop Linux container. It's easy to set this up. You can find details describing directory sharing under the *File Sharing* section in the following [Docker for Windows Guide](https://docs.docker.com/docker-for-windows/).
