Install Docker and Docker Compose

What this is

Docker runs applications in containers. Docker Compose helps you run multi-container apps using a YAML file.

What it is for

Deploy apps consistently
Run services like databases, caches, web apps

Prerequisites

SSH + sudo
64-bit Linux VPS

Step-by-step

Ubuntu/Debian (recommended official method)

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y ca-certificates curl gnupg
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

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

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

Start and enable Docker

sudo systemctl enable --now docker

Verify Docker works

docker --version
docker compose version
sudo docker run --rm hello-world

(Optional) Run docker without sudo (recommended)

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker

Warning: Docker group has root-like privileges. Use only for trusted users.

Conclusion

Docker and Docker Compose are installed and verified. Next step: deploy your first compose stack.