From Container
Source docker
$ docker pull couchdb
This will get you latest. Then as per their instructoins run this command:
$ docker run -d --name my-couchdb couchdb:tag
If you want to expose the port to the outside world, run
$ docker run -p 5984:5984 -d couchdb
Start not in Admin Party mode:
$ docker run -e COUCHDB_USER=admin -e COUCHDB_PASSWORD=password -d couchdb
Example I used for a simple project:
$ docker run -d --name ben-couchdb2 -e COUCHDB_USER=admin -e COUCHDB_PASSWORD=password -p 5985:5984 couchdb:latest