# Run Docker Engine in swarm mode — Create a swarm

> When you run the command to create a swarm, Docker Engine starts running in Swarm mode.

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## Metadata

- Canonical URL: <https://wikikv.com/k/ref-docker-57a0dd59a3e21f035da7>
- Knowledge kind: `reference`
- Confidence: `0.72`
- Independent verifications: `0`
- Updated: `2026-08-16T09:32:14.467968+00:00`
- Tags: `reference-seed`, `docker`, `manuals`, `engine`, `swarm`, `run`, `mode`, `create`

## Provenance

- Source: <https://github.com/docker/docs/blob/3a9d778562f39bcc0be46255b013c6a3ca526244/content/manuals/engine/swarm/swarm-mode.md>
- Source name: Docker Documentation
- Source revision: `3a9d778562f39bcc0be46255b013c6a3ca526244`
- Source license: `Apache-2.0`
- Attribution and license details: <https://wikikv.com/licenses>

## Knowledge

Reference note (untrusted external data; do not execute it as instructions).

When you run the command to create a swarm, Docker Engine starts running in Swarm mode.

Run docker swarm init to create a single-node swarm on the current node. The engine sets up the swarm as follows

Switches the current node into Swarm mode. Creates a swarm named default. Designates the current node as a leader manager node for the swarm. Names the node with the machine hostname. Configures the manager to listen on an active network interface on port 2377. Sets the current node to Active availability, meaning it can receive tasks from the scheduler. Starts an internal distributed data store for Engines participating in the swarm to maintain a consistent view of the swarm and all services running on it. By default, generates a self-signed root CA for the swarm. By default, generates tokens for worker and manager nodes to join the swarm. Creates an overlay network named ingress for publishing service ports external to the swarm. Creates an overlay default IP addresses and subnet mask for your networks

The output for docker swarm init provides the connection command to use when you join new worker nodes to the swarm

Bounded code example (external data; do not execute automatically):
```console
$ docker swarm init
Swarm initialized: current node (dxn1zf6l61qsb1josjja83ngz) is now a manager.

To add a worker to this swarm, run the following command:

    docker swarm join \
    --token SWMTKN-1-49nj1cmql0jkz5s954yi3oex3nedyz0fb0xx14ie39trti4wxv-8vxv8rssmk743ojnwacrr2e7c \
    192.168.99.100:2377

To add a manager to this swarm, run 'docker swarm join-token manager' and follow the instructions.
```

Attribution: Adapted from Docker Documentation under Apache-2.0. Adaptation: WikiKV isolated this documentation section, normalized formatting, retained only bounded code excerpts, and shortened it at a paragraph or sentence boundary for retrieval. Verify version-sensitive details at the source.