distribution/docs/index.md

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page_title: Docker Registry 2.0
page_description: Introduces the Docker Registry
page_keywords: registry, images, repository
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# Docker Registry

## What it is

The Registry is a stateless, highly scalable server side application that stores and lets you distribute Docker images.
The Registry is open-source, under the permissive [Apache license](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_License).

## Why use it

You should use the Registry if you want to:

 * tightly control where your images are being stored
 * fully own your images distribution pipeline
 * integrate images storage and distribution into your inhouse development workflow

## Alternatives

Users looking for a zero maintenance, ready-to-go solution are encouraged to head-over to the [Docker Hub](https://hub.docker.com), which provides a free-to-use, hosted Registry, plus additional features (organization accounts, automated builds, and more).

Users looking for a commercially supported version of the Registry should look into [Docker Hub Enterprise](https://docs.docker.com/docker-hub-enterprise/).

## Requirements

The Registry is compatible with Docker engine **version 1.6.0 or higher**.
If you really need to work with older Docker versions, you should look into the [old python registry](https://github.com/docker/docker-registry)

## TL;DR

```
# Start your registry
docker run -d -p 5000:5000 registry:2

# Pull (or build) some image from the hub
docker pull ubuntu

# Tag the image so that it points to your registry
docker tag ubuntu localhost:5000/myfirstimage

# Push it
docker push localhost:5000/myfirstimage

# Pull it back
docker pull localhost:5000/myfirstimage
```

Simple as that? Yes. Now, please read the...


## Documentation

 - [Introduction](introduction.md)
 - [Deployment](deploying.md)
 - [Configuration](configuration.md)
 - [Getting help](help.md)
 - [Contributing](../CONTRIBUTING.md)

### Reference and advanced topics

 - [Glossary](glossary.md)
 - [Authentication](authentication.md)
 - [Working with notifications](notifications.md)

### Development resources

 - [Storage driver model](storagedrivers.md)
 - [Registry API](spec/api.md)
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 - [Building the registry](building.md)
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