Question: I am learning Docker, and I quite like it.

However, I don't understand, why does docker need root privileges for making containers, reading logs, and so on.

I have read some articles like this one

<https://docs.docker.com/articles/security/>

but all I see there is "docker needs root priviledges, because it can have access to root folders". Well, I wouldn't mind running dockers as non-root and give them access only to non-root user-owned folders in the outside system.

Why is that a problem?

Answer: 
Some "cool" docker features like port binding, mounting filesystems etc. strictly requires `docker.io` *daemon* to be run with super-user privileges.

However, you *can* use `docker` *command line tool* without root privileges if `docker.io` daemon is listening to a network port or it's unix socket is accessible for user to read and write.

It's a GREAT security violation and should not normally be used.

Additional details about Docker security: <https://docs.docker.com/articles/security/>
According to those links

* <https://github.com/docker/docker/issues/1034>
* <https://github.com/docker/docker/issues/2919>
* <http://s3hh.wordpress.com/2013/07/19/creating-and-using-containers-without-privilege/> (only slightly related)

dockers could not have networking, if it didn't have root priviledges, if I understand it correctly.

I am not sure if that's all.