diff --git a/README.MD b/README.MD
index c6e9c21f..d9b91db0 100644
--- a/README.MD
+++ b/README.MD
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ Here are a few key differences compared to the original Valet:
 - Rabbitmq (on/off mode)
 - Xdebug (on/off mode)
 - Memcache (on/off mode)
-- Elasticsearch v6, ~~v7~~, ~~v8~~ (on/off mode) 
+- Elasticsearch v6, v7, ~~v8~~ (on/off mode) using Docker 
 - Opensearch (on/off mode)
 - ~~Ioncube~~
 - Rewrite/unrewrite public domain to local environment
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ Here are a few key differences compared to the original Valet:
 - Use command `valet-plus elasticsearch|es use <version>` instead of `valet-plus use elasticsearch|es <version>`.
 - Use `127.0.0.1` as Redis host instead of `/tmp/redis.sock`.
 - Choose which binaries to install (default all) and self-update on `valet-plus install` command.
+- Adds dependency on Docker for Elasticsearch, see https://docs.docker.com/desktop/install/mac-install/
 
 
 
diff --git a/cli/ValetPlus/AbstractDockerService.php b/cli/ValetPlus/AbstractDockerService.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..388de3b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/ValetPlus/AbstractDockerService.php
@@ -0,0 +1,202 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace WeProvide\ValetPlus;
+
+use DomainException;
+use Illuminate\Support\Collection;
+use Valet\CommandLine;
+use Valet\Filesystem;
+use function Valet\info;
+use function Valet\output;
+
+/**
+ * Docker container service. Please note that container names are restricted to the following characters [a-zA-Z0-9][a-zA-Z0-9_.-].
+ * Obviously this has a dependency on the installation of Docker. For convenience install Docker Desktop.
+ */
+abstract class AbstractDockerService
+{
+    /** @var string */
+    const DOCKER_COMPOSE_STUB = __DIR__ . '/../stubs/%s/%s/docker-compose.yml';
+    /** @var string */
+    const DOCKER_COMPOSE_PATH = VALET_HOME_PATH . '/Docker/%s/%s/docker-compose.yml';
+
+    /** @var CommandLine */
+    protected $cli;
+    /** @var Filesystem */
+    protected $files;
+    /** @var string */
+    protected $serviceName;
+
+    /**
+     * @param CommandLine $cli
+     * @param Filesystem $files
+     */
+    public function __construct(
+        CommandLine $cli,
+        Filesystem  $files
+    ) {
+        $this->cli   = $cli;
+        $this->files = $files;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns a collection of names of the running docker containers.
+     *
+     * @return Collection
+     */
+    public function getAllRunningContainers(): Collection
+    {
+        $command = 'docker ps --format=\'{{.Names}}\'';
+        $onError = function ($exitCode, $errorOutput) {
+            output($errorOutput);
+
+            throw new DomainException('Docker was unable to check which containers are running.');
+        };
+
+        return collect(array_filter(explode(PHP_EOL, $this->cli->runAsUser($command, $onError))));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Runs a docker command from the path where the docker-compose.yml is located.
+     *
+     * @param $command
+     * @param $dir
+     * @return $this
+     */
+    public function runCommand($command, $dir)
+    {
+        $cwd = getcwd();
+        @chdir($dir);
+        $this->cli->runAsUser($command);
+        @chdir($cwd);
+
+        return $this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Starts the docker container by the service's name. Creates the container first, if it doesn't exist yet.
+     *
+     * @param $name
+     * @return $this
+     */
+    public function upContainer($name)
+    {
+        info("Docker up version {$name}...");
+        $installPath = $this->getComposeInstallPath($name);
+        $installDir  = $this->getComposeInstallDir($name);
+
+        // Copy docker-compose.yml stub to installation/running path
+        if (!$this->files->isDir($installDir)) {
+            $this->files->mkdirAsUser($installDir);
+        }
+        $this->files->copyAsUser(
+            $this->getComposeStubPath($name),
+            $installPath
+        );
+
+        // Start the container the directory where the docker-compose.yml exists.
+        $this->runCommand(
+            'docker compose up --detach',
+            $installDir
+        );
+
+        return $this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Stops the docker container by the service's name.
+     *
+     * @param $name
+     * @return $this
+     */
+    public function stopContainer($name)
+    {
+        info("Docker stop version {$name}...");
+        $this->runCommand(
+            'docker compose stop',
+            $this->getComposeInstallDir($name)
+        );
+
+        return $this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Stop and remove containers, networks, images and volumes by the service's name.
+     *
+     * @param $name
+     * @return $this
+     */
+    public function downContainer($name)
+    {
+        info("Docker down version {$name}...");
+        $this->runCommand(
+            'docker compose down --volumes --rmi all',
+            $this->getComposeInstallDir($name)
+        );
+
+        return $this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the short class name in lowercase.
+     *
+     * @return string
+     */
+    protected function getServiceName(): string
+    {
+        if (!$this->serviceName) {
+            try {
+                // We store the service's name in a property to prevent a lot of reflection (which is slow).
+                $this->serviceName = strtolower((new \ReflectionClass($this))->getShortName());
+            } catch (\ReflectionException $reflectionException) {
+                echo 'Ohoh reflection exception';
+                die();
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $this->serviceName;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns path of the docker-compose.yml stub file for the service.
+     *
+     * @param $name
+     * @return string
+     */
+    protected function getComposeStubPath($name): string
+    {
+        return sprintf(
+            static::DOCKER_COMPOSE_STUB,
+            $this->getServiceName(),
+            $name
+        );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns installation path of the docker-compose.yml stub file for the service.
+     *
+     * @param $name
+     * @return string
+     */
+    protected function getComposeInstallPath($name): string
+    {
+        return sprintf(
+            static::DOCKER_COMPOSE_PATH,
+            $this->getServiceName(),
+            $name
+        );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the directory of the installation path of the docker-compose.yml stub file for the service.
+     *
+     * @param $name
+     * @return string
+     */
+    protected function getComposeInstallDir($name): string
+    {
+        return dirname($this->getComposeInstallPath($name));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/cli/ValetPlus/AbstractService.php b/cli/ValetPlus/AbstractService.php
index 6977d05e..3eb5bc0a 100644
--- a/cli/ValetPlus/AbstractService.php
+++ b/cli/ValetPlus/AbstractService.php
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ public function getConfigClassName(): string
     {
         if (!$this->configClassName) {
             try {
+                // We store the service's name in a property to prevent a lot of reflection (which is slow).
                 $this->configClassName = strtolower((new \ReflectionClass($this))->getShortName());
             } catch (\ReflectionException $reflectionException) {
                 echo 'Ohoh reflection exception';
diff --git a/cli/ValetPlus/Elasticsearch.php b/cli/ValetPlus/Elasticsearch.php
index 8ad0fe65..c45a1453 100644
--- a/cli/ValetPlus/Elasticsearch.php
+++ b/cli/ValetPlus/Elasticsearch.php
@@ -10,38 +10,38 @@
 use Valet\Filesystem;
 use function Valet\info;
 
-class Elasticsearch
+class Elasticsearch extends AbstractDockerService
 {
     /** @var string */
-    const NGINX_CONFIGURATION_STUB = __DIR__ . '/../stubs/elasticsearch.conf';
+    const NGINX_CONFIGURATION_STUB = __DIR__ . '/../stubs/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.conf';
     /** @var string */
     const NGINX_CONFIGURATION_PATH = VALET_HOME_PATH . '/Nginx/elasticsearch.conf';
 
     /** @var string */
-    protected const ES_DEFAULT_VERSION = 'opensearch';
+    protected const ES_DEFAULT_VERSION = 'opensearch'; // which is v2 in Brew, @todo; maybe support v1.2 using docker?
     /** @var string[] */
-    protected const ES_SUPPORTED_VERSIONS = ['opensearch', 'elasticsearch@6'];
+    protected const ES_SUPPORTED_VERSIONS = ['opensearch', 'elasticsearch6', 'elasticsearch7'];
+    /** @var string[] */
+    protected const ES_DOCKER_VERSIONS = ['elasticsearch6', 'elasticsearch7'];
+    /** @var string[] */
+    protected const ES_EOL_VERSIONS = ['elasticsearch@6'];
 
     /** @var Brew */
     protected $brew;
-    /** @var CommandLine */
-    protected $cli;
-    /** @var Filesystem */
-    protected $files;
 
     /**
-     * @param Brew $brew
      * @param CommandLine $cli
      * @param Filesystem $files
+     * @param Brew $brew
      */
     public function __construct(
-        Brew        $brew,
         CommandLine $cli,
-        Filesystem  $files
+        Filesystem  $files,
+        Brew        $brew
     ) {
-        $this->brew  = $brew;
-        $this->cli   = $cli;
-        $this->files = $files;
+        parent::__construct($cli, $files);
+
+        $this->brew = $brew;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -54,15 +54,46 @@ public function getSupportedVersions()
         return static::ES_SUPPORTED_VERSIONS;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns supported elasticsearch versions running in Docker.
+     *
+     * @return string[]
+     */
+    public function getDockerVersions()
+    {
+        return static::ES_DOCKER_VERSIONS;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns end-of-life elasticsearch versions.
+     *
+     * @return string[]
+     */
+    public function getEolVersions()
+    {
+        return static::ES_EOL_VERSIONS;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns if provided version is supported.
      *
      * @param $version
      * @return bool
      */
-    public function isSupportedVersion($version)
+    public function isSupportedVersion($version): bool
     {
-        return in_array($version, static::ES_SUPPORTED_VERSIONS);
+        return in_array($version, $this->getSupportedVersions());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns is provided version is running as Docker container. If not, it's running natively (installed with Brew).
+     *
+     * @param $version
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function isDockerVersion($version): bool
+    {
+        return in_array($version, $this->getDockerVersions());
     }
 
     /**
@@ -70,11 +101,13 @@ public function isSupportedVersion($version)
      *
      * @return string|null
      */
-    public function getCurrentVersion()
+    public function getCurrentVersion(): ?string
     {
-        $runningServices = $this->brew->getAllRunningServices()->filter(function ($service) {
-            return $this->isSupportedVersion($service);
-        });
+        $runningServices = $this->brew->getAllRunningServices()
+            ->merge($this->getAllRunningContainers())
+            ->filter(function ($service) {
+                return $this->isSupportedVersion($service);
+            });
 
         return $runningServices->first();
     }
@@ -120,6 +153,12 @@ public function stop($version = null)
         if (!$version) {
             return;
         }
+
+        if ($this->isDockerVersion($version)) {
+            $this->stopContainer($version);
+            return;
+        }
+
         if (!$this->brew->installed($version)) {
             return;
         }
@@ -139,6 +178,13 @@ public function restart($version = null)
         if (!$version) {
             return;
         }
+
+        if ($this->isDockerVersion($version)) {
+            $this->stopContainer($version);
+            $this->upContainer($version);
+            return;
+        }
+
         if (!$this->brew->installed($version)) {
             return;
         }
@@ -157,31 +203,38 @@ public function install($version = self::ES_DEFAULT_VERSION, $tld = 'test')
     {
         if (!$this->isSupportedVersion($version)) {
             throw new DomainException(
-                sprintf('Invalid Elasticsearch version given. Available versions: %s', implode(', ', static::ES_SUPPORTED_VERSIONS))
+                sprintf(
+                    'Invalid Elasticsearch version given. Available versions: %s',
+                    implode(', ', static::ES_SUPPORTED_VERSIONS)
+                )
             );
         }
 
-        // todo; install java dependency? and remove other java deps? seems like there can be only one running.
-        // opensearch requires openjdk (installed automatically)
-        // elasticsearch@6 requires openjdk@17 (installed automatically)
-        //      seems like there can be only one openjdk when installing. after installing it doesn't matter.
-        //      if this dependency is installed we need to launch es with this java version, see https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-core/issues/100260
+        if (!$this->isDockerVersion($version)) {
+            // For Docker versions we don't need to anything here.
 
-        $this->brew->ensureInstalled($version);
+            // todo; install java dependency? and remove other java deps? seems like there can be only one running.
+            // opensearch requires openjdk (installed automatically)
+            // elasticsearch@6 requires openjdk@17 (installed automatically)
+            //      seems like there can be only one openjdk when installing. after installing it doesn't matter.
+            //      if this dependency is installed we need to launch es with this java version, see https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-core/issues/100260
 
-        // todo: switch config still needed? > not between opensearch and elasticsearch@6
-        // ==> opensearch
-        //Data:    /usr/local/var/lib/opensearch/
-        //Logs:    /usr/local/var/log/opensearch/*.log
-        //Plugins: /usr/local/var/opensearch/plugins/
-        //Config:  /usr/local/etc/opensearch/
-        // ==> elasticsearch@6
-        //Data:    /usr/local/var/lib/elasticsearch/
-        //Logs:    /usr/local/var/log/elasticsearch/*.log
-        //Plugins: /usr/local/var/elasticsearch/plugins/
-        //Config:  /usr/local/etc/elasticsearch/
+            $this->brew->ensureInstalled($version);
 
-        // todo; add support for adding plugins like 'analysis-icu' and 'analysis-phonetic'?
+            // todo: switch config still needed? > not between opensearch and elasticsearch@6
+            // ==> opensearch
+            //Data:    /usr/local/var/lib/opensearch/
+            //Logs:    /usr/local/var/log/opensearch/*.log
+            //Plugins: /usr/local/var/opensearch/plugins/
+            //Config:  /usr/local/etc/opensearch/
+            // ==> elasticsearch@6
+            //Data:    /usr/local/var/lib/elasticsearch/
+            //Logs:    /usr/local/var/log/elasticsearch/*.log
+            //Plugins: /usr/local/var/elasticsearch/plugins/
+            //Config:  /usr/local/etc/elasticsearch/
+
+            // todo; add support for adding plugins like 'analysis-icu' and 'analysis-phonetic'?
+        }
 
         $this->restart($version);
         $this->updateDomain($tld);
@@ -195,12 +248,17 @@ public function uninstall()
         // Remove nginx domain listen file.
         $this->files->unlink(static::NGINX_CONFIGURATION_PATH);
 
-        foreach ($this->getSupportedVersions() as $version) {
+        $versions = array_merge($this->getSupportedVersions(), $this->getEolVersions());
+        foreach ($versions as $version) {
             $this->stop($version);
-            $this->brew->uninstallFormula($version);
+            if ($this->isDockerVersion($version)) {
+                $this->downContainer($version);
+            } else {
+                $this->brew->uninstallFormula($version);
+            }
         }
 
-        // Elasticsearch files
+        // Legacy elasticsearch files
         if (file_exists(BREW_PREFIX . '/var/elasticsearch')) {
             $this->files->rmDirAndContents(BREW_PREFIX . '/var/elasticsearch');
         }
diff --git a/cli/includes/facades.php b/cli/includes/facades.php
index 6021c486..472e53e2 100644
--- a/cli/includes/facades.php
+++ b/cli/includes/facades.php
@@ -62,3 +62,6 @@ class Binary extends ValetPlusFacade
 class DriverConfigurator extends ValetPlusFacade
 {
 }
+class Docker extends ValetPlusFacade
+{
+}
diff --git a/cli/stubs/elasticsearch.conf b/cli/stubs/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.conf
similarity index 100%
rename from cli/stubs/elasticsearch.conf
rename to cli/stubs/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.conf
diff --git a/cli/stubs/elasticsearch/elasticsearch6/docker-compose.yml b/cli/stubs/elasticsearch/elasticsearch6/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..358dbb7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/stubs/elasticsearch/elasticsearch6/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+version: '3'
+services:
+  elasticsearch:
+    image: docker.elastic.co/elasticsearch/elasticsearch:6.8.23
+    container_name: elasticsearch6
+    ports:
+      - 9200:9200
+      - 9300:9300
+    environment:
+      - discovery.type=single-node
+      - xpack.security.enabled=false
+    volumes:
+      - esdata:/usr/share/elasticsearch/data
+volumes:
+  esdata:
+    driver: local
diff --git a/cli/stubs/elasticsearch/elasticsearch7/docker-compose.yml b/cli/stubs/elasticsearch/elasticsearch7/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e85a36b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/stubs/elasticsearch/elasticsearch7/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+version: '3'
+services:
+  elasticsearch:
+    image: docker.elastic.co/elasticsearch/elasticsearch:7.17.15
+    container_name: elasticsearch7
+    ports:
+      - 9200:9200
+      - 9300:9300
+    environment:
+      - discovery.type=single-node
+      - xpack.security.enabled=false
+    volumes:
+      - esdata:/usr/share/elasticsearch/data
+volumes:
+  esdata:
+    driver: local
diff --git a/cli/valet.php b/cli/valet.php
index cb9201dc..cada3456 100755
--- a/cli/valet.php
+++ b/cli/valet.php
@@ -534,10 +534,12 @@
      * Elasticsearch/opensearch services.
      */
     $esVersions = Elasticsearch::getSupportedVersions();
+    $esDockerVersions = Elasticsearch::getDockerVersions();
+    $esCurrentVersion = Elasticsearch::getCurrentVersion();
     $app
         ->command('elasticsearch', function (InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output, $mode, $targetVersion = null) {
             $modes         = ['install', 'use', 'on', 'enable', 'off', 'disable', 'uninstall'];
-            $targetVersion = $targetVersion ?? 'opensearch';
+            $targetVersion = $targetVersion ?? 'opensearch'; //@todo only when we don't have any installed versions, if we do pick the first installed?
 
             if (!in_array($mode, $modes)) {
                 throw new Exception('Mode not found. Available modes: ' . implode(', ', $modes));
@@ -568,7 +570,11 @@
             PhpFpm::restart();
             Nginx::restart();
         })
-        ->descriptions('Enable/disable/switch Elasticsearch')
+        ->descriptions(
+                'Enable/disable/switch Elasticsearch. ' .
+                'The versions [' . implode(', ', $esDockerVersions) . '] require Docker. ' .
+                ($esCurrentVersion !== null ? "\n  " . 'Current running version: ' . $esCurrentVersion : '')
+        )
         ->setAliases(['es'])
         ->addArgument('mode', InputArgument::REQUIRED, 'Available modes: ' . implode(', ', ['install', 'use', 'on', 'enable', 'off', 'disable', 'uninstall']))
         ->addArgument('targetVersion', InputArgument::OPTIONAL, "Version to use, supported versions: " . implode(', ', $esVersions), null);