[Feature Request] Support DOCKER_HOST via Docker Engine API-compatible endpoint in WSLC

Description

WSLC (WSL Container) currently operates only through its own CLI (wslc.exe) and API (Microsoft.WSL.Containers NuGet package). There is no way for tools that expect the Docker Engine API (via the DOCKER_HOST environment variable) to connect to WSLC. This prevents using WSLC as a drop-in replacement for Docker Desktop.

Many tools in the container ecosystem rely on DOCKER_HOST / Docker Engine API, including:

• nektos/act — run GitHub Actions locally
• docker CLI — the standard Docker client
• Docker Compose — multi-container orchestration
• Testcontainers — integration testing with containers
• Podman (with podman.socket) — already exposes a Docker-compatible API
• buildx / buildkit — advanced image building

Current Workaround

Users must keep Docker Desktop installed alongside WSLC, defeating the purpose of a built-in container runtime. For example, running ct locally requires Docker Desktop's socket (//./pipe/docker_engine). There is no way to point DOCKER_HOST at a WSLC endpoint.

Proposed Solution

Add a Docker Engine API-compatible endpoint to WSLC, configurable in settings.yaml. Similar to how Podman exposes podman.socket:

`yaml

settings.yaml

session:
cpuCount: default
memorySize: default

New: Docker-compatible API endpoint

docker:
socket: true # Enable Docker-compatible socket
socketPath: "//./pipe/wslc_docker" # Windows named pipe (default)

or

tcp: "127.0.0.1:2375" # TCP endpoint (optional)
`

Then users could set:

`powershell
= "npipe:////./pipe/wslc_docker"

or

= "tcp://127.0.0.1:2375"
`

And tools like ct, docker, compose would work transparently.

Environment

• WSLC version: Latest (Preview)
• Windows version: Windows 11
• Use case: Running
  ektos/act for local CI testing, replacing Docker Desktop

Additional Context

Both Podman and Docker Desktop already support this pattern. Adding Docker Engine API compatibility to WSLC would make it a true Docker Desktop alternative and significantly broaden its adoption in the development ecosystem.

Start by reviewing WSLC's existing wslc.exe and Microsoft.WSL.Containers API, along with the proposed settings.yaml configuration. Done means WSLC exposes a Docker Engine API-compatible endpoint that tools can reach through DOCKER_HOST using the documented named-pipe or TCP configuration.