> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hivenet.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to install Docker on a Compute VM

> Launch a Compute virtual machine, connect over SSH, install Docker Engine on Ubuntu, Debian, or Fedora, and verify it works.

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](/documentation/essentials/create-instance). (This tutorial assumes you’re using a VM, not a container.)

## 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](/documentation/connectivity/ssh-key-macos)\
[How to generate and add an SSH key on Windows](/documentation/connectivity/ssh-key-windows)\
[How to generate and add an SSH key on Linux](/documentation/connectivity/ssh-key-linux)

## 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.

## 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.

## 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.

### Choose your OS below and run the matching commands.

#### Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (recommended)

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)
```

2. 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
```

3. Install Docker Engine and the Compose plugin:

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

4. Verify:

```
sudo docker run hello-world
```

Docker’s Ubuntu instructions note that the Docker service usually starts automatically after installation.

#### 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)
```

2. 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`).

3. Install Docker Engine and the Compose plugin:

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

4. Verify:

```
sudo docker run hello-world
```

#### 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
```

2. Add Docker’s repository:

```
sudo dnf config-manager addrepo --from-repofile https://download.docker.com/linux/fedora/docker-ce.repo
```

3. Install Docker Engine and the Compose plugin:

```
sudo dnf install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin
```

4. Start Docker:

```
sudo systemctl enable --now docker
```

5. 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.

## 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.)

## Quick sanity checks

These help confirm you have both Docker and Compose working:

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

## 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]].

## See also

* [Compute quickstart](/quickstart)
* [Launch and connect to your first Compute instance](/documentation/essentials/create-instance)
* [Connect using OpenSSH](/documentation/connectivity/ssh-puttygen-openssh)
* [Transfer files with SFTP](/documentation/file-transfer/transfer-files-sftp)