Why is the "sail up" command not building my laravel docker containers?

Stefan Izdrail

Founder & Senior Architect · 2026-06-29

Laravel Company
Title: Troubleshooting Laravel Sail Docker Container Build Issues Body: Laravel Sail is an easy-to-use tool for local development environments that simplifies the deployment process for modern PHP applications, including Laravel. However, some users encounter issues when running the "sail up" command to build their Laravel docker containers. In this blog post, we'll discuss potential causes and solutions for these problems, guiding you through how to create a stable Laravel development environment. Possible Causes: 1. Unsupported Operating System: Some users may receive an error message stating "Unsupported operating system [MINGW64_NT-10.0-19041]. Laravel Sail supports macOS, Linux, and Windows (WSL2)." This could happen if the command is run from a non-supporting OS environment or configuration. Solution: To prevent this issue, ensure you are running Laravel Sail on compatible operating systems (macOS, Linux, and Windows in WSL2) following the guidelines provided by the Laravel documentation. If you experience problems with your current setup, you can try a different installation method or environment. 2. Issues due to Docker Desktop: Some users find that their "sail up" command is unable to build Laravel docker containers when using Docker Desktop on Windows 10 64-bit. This could be caused by an improper installation, configuration issues or a conflict with other software present on the machine. Solution: Firstly, ensure you have installed the necessary tools and dependencies for your Laravel development environment. If you're using Docker Desktop on Windows 10, make sure to follow the guidelines provided by Docker. In case of installation or configuration issues, uninstalling and reinstalling Docker Desktop might help resolve them. Additionally, check if there are any conflicts with other software installed on your system that could be causing the problem. 3. Corrupted vendor/bin directory: Several users encounter various errors when running "sail up" due to a corrupted vendor/bin directory or issues with the sail binary. Solution: The Laravel documentation provides clear instructions for fixing this issue, which involves removing the /vendor and then reinstalling it through Composer: - Remove /vendor - Run `composer install` - Run `php artisan vendor:publish --tag=sail` to publish sail config files. - Run `php artisan sail:config` to generate the .env file for sail. Final Thoughts: Laravel Sail aims at simplifying your local development environment by providing a streamlined docker-compose configuration and an easy setup process, but issues with the docker containers can arise. To avoid such problems while using Laravel Sail, ensure you follow the guidelines provided in this blog post and check for any compatibility issues with your operating system or Docker Desktop installation. If you encounter any further difficulties, consult the Laravel documentation or reach out to the Laravel forums for support.