In the modern DevOps landscape, Docker has transitioned from a “nice-to-have” to an absolute industry standard. Whether you are a developer looking for environment consistency or a sysadmin aiming for resource efficiency, Docker is your go-to tool for packaging applications into lightweight, portable containers.
Unlike traditional Virtual Machines (VMs), Docker containers share the host’s OS kernel. This architectural choice makes them incredibly fast, resource-friendly, and easy to scale.
Why Choose Docker?
Before we dive into the terminal, let’s look at why Docker is the preferred choice for millions of developers:
- Environmental Consistency: “It works on my machine” is a thing of the past. Apps run identically across dev, staging, and production.
- Resource Efficiency: Since containers don’t need a full guest OS, they consume significantly less CPU and RAM than VMs.
- Rapid Deployment: Launch applications in seconds rather than minutes.
- Isolation: Run multiple apps with conflicting dependencies on the same host without any “DLL hell” or version friction.
Prerequisites
To ensure a smooth installation on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat), verify your system meets these specs:
- RAM: 4GB minimum (8GB recommended for production).
- Disk Space: At least 20GB of free space.
- Privileges: A user account with
sudoaccess. - Architecture: 64-bit version of Ubuntu.
Check your version quickly with:
lsb_release -aMethod 1: The Pro Way (Official Docker Repository)
This is the recommended method. By linking directly to Docker’s official repository, you ensure that you receive the latest stable releases and critical security patches automatically.
Step 1: Refresh Your System
Start with a clean slate by updating your local package index:
Bash
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
Step 2: Install Essential Dependencies
Install the tools needed for Ubuntu to communicate with external repositories over HTTPS:
Bash
sudo apt install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl software-properties-common -y
Step 3: Secure the Source (GPG Key)
Add Docker’s official GPG key to ensure the software you’re downloading is authentic:
Bash
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg
Step 4: Add the Docker Repository
Now, tell your system where to find the Docker packages:
Bash
echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null
Step 5: Install Docker Engine
Update your package list one last time and install the Docker suite:
Bash
sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin -y
Method 2: The Fast Way (Convenience Script)
Short on time? Docker provides an automated script for testing and development environments.
Note: This is great for a quick lab setup but is generally avoided in production for security reasons.
Bash
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
sudo sh get-docker.sh
Post-Installation Polish
1. Enable Autostart
Ensure Docker kicks in every time your system boots:
Bash
sudo systemctl enable docker
sudo systemctl start docker
2. Run Docker without Sudo
If you’re tired of typing sudo before every command, add your user to the Docker group:
Bash
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker
The Moment of Truth: Verify the Setup
Let’s see if everything is working correctly. First, check the version: docker --version
Then, run the “Hello World” container—the rite of passage for every Docker user:
Bash
docker run hello-world
If you see a message saying “Hello from Docker!”, congratulations! You are officially ready to start containerizing your applications.
