You *can* start OpenSearch Dashboards using `docker run` after [creating a Docker network](https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/commandline/network_create/) and starting OpenSearch, but the process of connecting OpenSearch Dashboards to OpenSearch is significantly easier with a Docker Compose file.
1. Create a [`docker-compose.yml`](https://docs.docker.com/compose/compose-file/) file appropriate for your environment. A sample file that includes OpenSearch Dashboards is available on the OpenSearch [Docker installation page](../opensearch/docker/#sample-docker-compose-file).
Just like `opensearch.yml`, you can pass a custom `opensearch_dashboards.yml` to the container in the Docker Compose file.
{: .tip }
1. Run `docker-compose up`.
Wait for the containers to start. Then see the [OpenSearch Dashboards documentation](../../../opensearch-dashboards/).