2. How to Install Docker on Ubuntu 24.04

Docker is a popular containerization platform that simplifies application deployment by packaging applications and their dependencies into portable containers. This guide provides a step-by-step approach to installing Docker on Ubuntu 24.04, focusing on both implementation and the reasoning behind each step.

Why Use Docker?

Docker provides:

• Consistent environments across different systems.

• Lightweight, isolated containers for applications.

• Simplified deployment and scalability.

Installing Docker on Ubuntu 24.04

Follow these steps to install and configure Docker properly:

Step 1: Install Docker Using Snap

Docker is available as a Snap package, making installation quick and straightforward:

sudo snap install docker

Snap ensures automatic updates and a secure installation process.

Step 2: Create the Docker Group

By default, Docker requires sudo to run. Creating a docker group allows non-root users to manage containers without sudo:

sudo groupadd docker

Step 3: Add Your User to the Docker Group

Grant your user access to Docker by adding it to the docker group (replace username with your actual username). So if the username is “arun” then simply run sudo usermod -aG docker arun:

sudo usermod -aG docker <username>

This prevents the need for sudo when running Docker commands.

Step 4: Apply the New Group Membership

Apply the updated group permissions without logging out:

newgrp docker

Alternatively, logging out and back in ensures the changes take effect.

Step 5: Fix Docker Socket Permissions

Ensure the Docker socket (/var/run/docker.sock) has the correct ownership:

sudo chown root:docker /var/run/docker.sock

This step allows the docker group to access Docker’s communication socket.

Step 6: Verify the Installation

Check if Docker is installed correctly by listing running containers:

docker ps

If no error occurs, Docker is set up correctly, and you can start using it without sudo.

Conclusion

With Docker installed, you can now create and manage containers efficiently. Consider exploring Docker Compose for multi-container applications or configuring persistent storage for data management. This setup ensures a smooth development workflow with minimal overhead.