# How to install Docker on Ubuntu 22.04 in 5 simple steps [Ubuntu](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/server/know-how/ubuntu-the-linux-system-for-everyone/ "Ubuntu: the Linux system for everyone") 22.04 is the current LTS version of the popular Linux distribution and can be used for many applications. Installing the virtualisation software [Docker](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/server/know-how/what-is-docker/ "What is Docker?") is also simple on Ubuntu 22.04 and can be done in **just a few steps**. ## What are the system requirements? To successfully install Docker, your Linux system running Ubuntu 22.04 needs to meet a few **requirements**. Since Docker is an off-the-shelf software that is especially popular in software development, the requirements aren’t very high: - 64-bit kernel and CPU support for virtualisation - KVM virtualisation support - QEMU version 5.2 or newer - Gnome, KDE or MATE desktop environment - At least 4 GB [RAM](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/server/know-how/what-is-ram/ "What is RAM?") (especially important if you want to install Docker on a Linux virtual machine) ## What types of servers can you use for a Linux server? If you want to install Docker on Ubuntu 22.04, you don’t have to use your local computer or a virtual machine. You can also set up a Docker environment on your very **own Linux server**. Here, you need to make a choice between different server types. A basic distinction is made between cloud-based and dedicated server solutions. [Cloud servers](https://www.ionos.co.uk/cloud/cloud-servers "IONOS Cloud Server") and virtual private servers (vServer) are both cloud based. The former is billed by the minute and according to usage. With a [vServer](https://www.ionos.co.uk/servers/vps "IONOS vServer"), you can choose between different monthly packages. Both server types offer highly scalable resources, allowing for flexible adaptability to changing resource needs. A [dedicated server](https://www.ionos.co.uk/servers/dedicated-servers "IONOS Dedicated Server") is also billed by the minute but isn’t a cloud-based system. It provides **dedicated enterprise hardware** that meets the highest system requirements. No matter what type of server you choose, you get to decide which operating system you use. With IONOS, you have the choice between Windows and different [Linux distributions](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/server/configuration/linux-server-distributions/ "Linux Server Distributions"). Additionally, each server comes with excellent availability and a broadband connection of up to 400 Mbps. ### Which IONOS package is right for you? In order to determine which server is the right one for you, you need to think about **what the server will be used for**. Below are three common usage scenarios for a Linux server with Docker. Taking a look at these scenarios can help you to figure out which option will be best for you:
Scenario Server recommendation
A server to implement and develop your own projects. Cloud Server XL
Deploy various applications to clients using your Linux server. VPS Linux L
A server for deploying virtual environments. VPS Linux XL
Tip If you’re not satisfied with your Ubuntu version, you can [install Docker on Ubuntu 20.04](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/server/configuration/install-docker-on-ubuntu-2004/). The virtualisation software is compatible with different Linux distributions. ## How to install Docker on Ubuntu 22.04: a step-by-step tutorial You can install Docker on Ubuntu 22.04 **directly in the terminal**. As long as you have basic knowledge of writing terminal commands, you shouldn’t encounter any problems. ### Step 1: prepare system First, make sure that all packages and your system are **up to date**. You can do this by using the following two commands: ```bash sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get upgrade ``` ### Step 2: remove Docker residue If you’ve previously used beta versions of Docker or installed previews of the virtualisation software, you need to remove them before installing Docker. Not removing them can cause errors. ```bash sudo apt remove docker-desktop rm -r $HOME/.docker/desktop sudo rm /usr/local/bin/com.docker.cli sudo apt purge docker-desktop ``` ### Step 3: download Docker repository Docker uses an installation repository, so you need to store it in your system. To work with the repository, install the following packages: ```bash sudo apt-get install \ ca-certificates \ curl \ gnupg \ lsb-release ``` You can then add Docker’s **GPG key** to your system: ```bash sudo mkdir -p /etc/apt/keyrings curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg ``` Set up the Docker repository with the following command: ```bash echo \ "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \ $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null ``` ### Step 4: install Docker Engine You can download Docker Engine directly in the terminal in Ubuntu 22.04. The commands you need to do this differ depending on whether you need a specific Docker version or the current one. To download a specific version of Docker, use the following command to list all available versions: ```bash apt-cache madison docker-ce | awk '{ print $3 }' ``` Pick a version from the list and enter the version as the version string. Then install it as follows: ```bash VERSION_STRING=5:20.10.13~3-0~ubuntu-jammy sudo apt-get install docker-ce=$VERSION_STRING docker-ce-cli=$VERSION_STRING containerd.io docker-compose-plugin ``` Installing the current Docker version is even easier: ```bash apt-cache madison docker-ce | awk '{ print $3 }' ``` ### Step 5: check installation After the installation, you can use the following command to start a ‘Hello World’ [Docker container](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/server/know-how/docker-container/ "Docker container") and check if the installation was successful: ```bash sudo docker run hello-world ``` If everything worked correctly, you should see the following output: [![Image: Terminal output after running ‘docker run hello-world’.](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/3/4/csm_terminal-output-docker-run-hello-world-ubuntu-22-04_5cdc0aa4a2.webp "Terminal output after running ‘docker run hello-world’.")](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2023/terminal-output-docker-run-hello-world-ubuntu-22-04.png) After running ‘docker run hello-world’, you should get a brief explanation of how Docker works. ### Step 6 (Optional): run Docker as a non-root user To run Docker, you need **root privileges**. That’s why you need to start all your commands with ‘sudo’. If you want to run Docker as a user without root privileges, you need to create a Docker group. #### Step 6.1: create a group named ‘Docker’ Create a group named ‘docker’ that you can assign users to with the following command: ```bash sudo groupadd docker ``` #### Step 6.2: add users With a simple command, you can add users to the Docker group you created, allowing them to run Docker without root privileges: ```bash sudo usermod -aG docker $USER ``` Remember that $USER is just a placeholder and must be replaced with a user’s name. For the changes to take effect, you need to log out and then log back in. After you have done this, you can access Docker without using sudo. Tip Using Windows, too? We have further manuals for installing [Docker on Windows 10](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/server/configuration/docker-on-windows-10/) and [Docker on Windows 11](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/server/configuration/docker-windows-11/). This is a markdown version of: [https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/server/configuration/install-docker-on-ubuntu-2204/](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/server/configuration/install-docker-on-ubuntu-2204/) for AI/LLM consumption.