Install Docker on Ubuntu VPS


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Here is the latest guide to install Docker on an Ubuntu VPS:

1. Update System Packages

Always start by updating your system packages to ensure everything is up to date:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

2. Install Dependencies

Install some necessary packages for Docker:

sudo apt install ca-certificates curl gnupg lsb-release -y

3. Add Docker GPG Key

Add the official Docker GPG key to ensure security:

sudo mkdir -p /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

4. Add Docker Repository

Add the Docker repository to your sources list to get the latest version:

echo \
  "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
  $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

5. Update Package Index

Update your package index after adding the Docker repository:

sudo apt update

6. Install Docker Engine

Install Docker Engine, CLI, containerd, Buildx, and Compose plugin:

sudo apt install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin -y

7. Verify Docker Installation

Check if Docker is installed correctly by verifying the version:

docker --version

Example output:

Docker version 24.0.6, build ed223bc

8. Enable and Start Docker

Ensure Docker starts automatically after system boot:

sudo systemctl enable docker
sudo systemctl start docker

9. Optional: Run Docker Without sudo

To run Docker without needing to use sudo, add your user to the Docker group:

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

Log out and log back in to apply the changes.


Docker is now installed on your Ubuntu VPS! You can start running containers or Docker-based applications.