Containerization

Install Docker on Ubuntu 24.04 - Production Ready

Step-by-step Docker installation with Docker Compose, security configuration, and best practices for production.

What you'll learn

Install Docker CE from the official Docker repository
Configure Docker daemon with optimal security settings
Install Docker Compose V2
Set up proper user permissions and Docker group management
Implement Docker security best practices
Verify installation and troubleshoot common issues

System Preparation

Bash

1# Update system packages
2sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
3
4# Remove old Docker packages
5sudo apt remove -y docker docker-engine docker.io containerd runc
6
7# Install prerequisites
8sudo apt install -y ca-certificates curl gnupg lsb-release
9
10# Verify system requirements
11uname -r        # Kernel >= 3.10
12df -h           # 20 GB+ free
13free -h         # 2 GB+ RAM

Install Docker Engine

Bash

1# Add Docker GPG key
2sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
3curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | \
4  sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
5sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
6
7# Add Docker repository
8echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] \
9  https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
10  $(. /etc/os-release && echo "$VERSION_CODENAME") stable" | \
11  sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null
12
13# Install Docker
14sudo apt update
15sudo apt install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io \
16  docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin
17
18# Add user to docker group (avoids needing sudo)
19sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
20newgrp docker

Install Docker Compose

Docker Compose V2 is now bundled as a Docker plugin and installed with the command above. Verify it works:

Bash

1docker compose version
2# Docker Compose version v2.x.x

Security Configuration

Bash

1# /etc/docker/daemon.json — production-hardened settings
2sudo tee /etc/docker/daemon.json <<'EOF'
3{
4  "log-driver": "json-file",
5  "log-opts": { "max-size": "100m", "max-file": "3" },
6  "no-new-privileges": true,
7  "userns-remap": "default",
8  "icc": false,
9  "live-restore": true
10}
11EOF
12
13sudo systemctl restart docker

Verify & Test

Bash

1docker --version
2docker compose version
3docker run --rm hello-world
4docker info

Troubleshooting

Permission denied: Run newgrp docker or log out and back in after adding yourself to the docker group.
Cannot connect to daemon: Check sudo systemctl status docker.
Port already in use: Another process owns the port — use sudo ss -tulpn | grep :PORT to find it.