January 13, 2026Guides

How to Install Docker on Linux Server

Complete guide on installing Docker and Docker Compose on Ubuntu and CentOS servers for containerized applications.

Docker is a platform for developing, shipping, and running applications in containers. Containers allow you to package an application with all its dependencies, ensuring it works consistently across different environments. This guide will help you install Docker on your Hiddence server.

For Ubuntu / Debian

Step 1: Update System Packages

bash

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Prerequisites

bash

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

Step 3: Add Docker Repository and Install

bash

curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg
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
sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io -y

For RHEL / CentOS / Alma Linux / Rocky Linux

Step 1: Install Prerequisites

bash

sudo yum install -y yum-utils

Step 2: Add Docker Repository and Install

bash

sudo yum-config-manager --add-repo https://download.docker.com/linux/centos/docker-ce.repo
sudo yum install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io -y
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

Verify Installation

bash

sudo docker --version
sudo docker run hello-world

Installing Docker Compose

Docker Compose allows you to define and run multi-container Docker applications. On modern systems, it's recommended to install it as a plugin:

bash

# For Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker-compose-plugin -y

# For RHEL / CentOS
sudo yum install docker-compose-plugin -y

# Verify
docker compose version

Basic Docker Commands

bash

# Pull an image
docker pull nginx

# Run a container
docker run -d -p 80:80 --name mynginx nginx

# List running containers
docker ps

# Stop a container
docker stop mynginx

# Remove a container
docker rm mynginx

Useful Tips

Add your user to docker group to run Docker without sudo: sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
Use Docker Compose for multi-container applications
Regularly clean up unused images and containers: docker system prune
Use volumes for persistent data storage
Monitor container resources: docker stats