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Docker is easiest when it runs on a normal Linux host. On Compute, that means using a virtual machine (VM). This tutorial walks you through launching a VM, connecting over SSH, installing Docker Engine, and verifying everything works. If you don’t have a VM yet, start here: Launch and connect to your first Compute instance. (This tutorial assumes you’re using a VM, not a container.)

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What you’ll need

  • A Compute VM instance (Ubuntu, Debian, or Fedora)
  • An SSH public key added when you created the VM
  • SSH access from your computer
  • A user account with sudo access on the VM
If you need an SSH key first, use one of these:
How to generate and add an SSH key on macOS
How to generate and add an SSH key on Windows
How to generate and add an SSH key on Linux

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Step 1 – Launch a VM

  1. In the Compute console, select Create.
  2. Choose Virtual machine.
  3. Pick a location and your setup (GPU or vCPU).
  4. Pick an OS (Ubuntu is usually the simplest choice if you don’t have a preference).
  5. Under Connectivity, add your SSH public key.
  6. Create the VM and wait until Status is Running.

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Step 2 – Connect over SSH

  1. Go to Instances.
  2. Open your VM and select Connectivity options.
  3. Copy the SSH command and run it in your terminal.

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Step 3 – Install Docker Engine

These commands follow Docker’s official installation steps for each Linux distribution. If you’re on Ubuntu/Debian, we use the apt repository method. If you’re on Fedora, we use the rpm repository method.

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Choose your OS below and run the matching commands.

  1. Remove conflicting packages (safe if they’re not installed):
sudo apt remove $(dpkg --get-selections docker.io docker-compose docker-compose-v2 docker-doc podman-docker containerd runc | cut -f1)
  1. Add Docker’s GPG key and repository:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ca-certificates curl

sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
sudo curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc

sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.sources <<EOF
Types: deb
URIs: https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu
Suites: $(. /etc/os-release && echo "${UBUNTU_CODENAME:-$VERSION_CODENAME}")
Components: stable
Signed-By: /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
EOF

sudo apt update
  1. Install Docker Engine and the Compose plugin:
sudo apt install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin
  1. Verify:
sudo docker run hello-world
Docker’s Ubuntu instructions note that the Docker service usually starts automatically after installation.

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Debian (Bookworm/Trixie)

  1. Remove conflicting packages:
sudo apt remove $(dpkg --get-selections docker.io docker-compose docker-doc podman-docker containerd runc | cut -f1)
  1. Add Docker’s GPG key and repository:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ca-certificates curl

sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
sudo curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/debian/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc

sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.sources <<EOF
Types: deb
URIs: https://download.docker.com/linux/debian
Suites: $(. /etc/os-release && echo "$VERSION_CODENAME")
Components: stable
Signed-By: /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
EOF

sudo apt update
If you’re on a Debian derivative and that codename value is missing or wrong, replace it with the Debian release codename (for example bookworm).
  1. Install Docker Engine and the Compose plugin:
sudo apt install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin
  1. Verify:
sudo docker run hello-world

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Fedora

  1. Remove conflicting packages:
sudo dnf remove docker \
  docker-client \
  docker-client-latest \
  docker-common \
  docker-latest \
  docker-latest-logrotate \
  docker-logrotate \
  docker-selinux \
  docker-engine-selinux \
  docker-engine
  1. Add Docker’s repository:
sudo dnf config-manager addrepo --from-repofile https://download.docker.com/linux/fedora/docker-ce.repo
  1. Install Docker Engine and the Compose plugin:
sudo dnf install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin
  1. Start Docker:
sudo systemctl enable --now docker
  1. Verify:
sudo docker run hello-world
Docker’s Fedora instructions call out that installing packages doesn’t start Docker automatically, so you need the systemctl step.

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Optional – Run Docker without sudo

By default, Docker commands require sudo. If you want to run Docker as your normal user, add yourself to the docker group, then refresh your session. 
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker
Important: being in the docker group effectively grants root-level power on the machine. Only do this if you trust the users who have access to the VM. (This is standard Docker behavior.)

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Quick sanity checks

These help confirm you have both Docker and Compose working: 
docker --version
docker compose version
docker run --rm hello-world

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What’s next

  • If you’re running a web UI inside Docker and can’t reach it from your browser, you’ll usually need one of these:
    • open ports in Connectivity, or
    • SSH port forwarding
      See: [[Docs: How to forward ports to reach your web app]].
  • If you want the non-technical “when Docker is worth it” overview, read:
    [[Interlink: Run Docker the normal way on a Compute VM]].

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See also