Install Docker and Docker Compose on a cloud server

Steps

1. 1Add the Docker repository

   Add the official GPG key and repository. The command detects the server architecture (amd64/arm64).

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

2. 2Install Docker Engine and Compose

   Verify with hello-world afterwards.

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   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin
   sudo docker run --rm hello-world

3. 3Use Docker without sudo

   Add your user to the docker group; log out and back in to apply.

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   sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
   # oturumu kapatıp yeniden aç / log out and back in
   docker ps

4. 4First compose project

   Run a sample Nginx service with compose.yaml.

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   mkdir -p ~/app && cd ~/app
   cat > compose.yaml <<'EOF'
   services:
     web:
       image: nginx:alpine
       ports:
         - "80:80"
       restart: unless-stopped
   EOF
   docker compose up -d
   docker compose ps

Updated: 2026-10-23