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Docker & Portainer Installation on Fedora & Debian

This guide is for users who are new to Docker and are running Fedora or Debian Linux. We will go through the installation of Docker and Portainer, a web-based GUI for managing Docker containers. This guide is hands-on and will provide step-by-step instructions to ensure a working setup.

Why Use Portainer?

Portainer is a lightweight management UI for Docker, making container management easier, especially for those new to the command line. It provides: - A web-based dashboard to manage containers, images, networks, and volumes. - Ease of use, eliminating the need to remember complex Docker commands. - Support for multiple environments, including standalone Docker, Swarm, and Kubernetes.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have: - Fedora or Debian Linux installed. - A user with sudo privileges. - A stable internet connection.

Step 1: Update System

For Fedora: 

sudo dnf update -y

For Debian: 

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

This will update all system packages to their latest versions.

Step 2: Install Docker

2.1: Add Docker Repository

For Fedora: 

sudo dnf -y install dnf-plugins-core
sudo dnf config-manager --add-repo https://download.docker.com/linux/fedora/docker-ce.repo

For Debian: 

sudo apt install -y ca-certificates curl gnupg
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/debian/gpg | sudo tee /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc > /dev/null
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/debian $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null
sudo apt update

2.2: Install Docker Engine

For Fedora: 

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

For Debian: 

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

2.3: Start and Enable Docker Service

For both Fedora and Debian: 

sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

2.4: Verify Docker Installation

Check if Docker is running:

sudo systemctl status docker

Run a test container to verify installation:

sudo docker run hello-world

If successful, you should see a message confirming that Docker is installed correctly.

2.5: Allow Running Docker Without Sudo (Optional)

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

Log out and log back in to apply the changes, or run: 

newgrp docker

Now you should be able to run docker ps without sudo.

Step 3: Install Portainer

3.1: Create a Directory for Portainer Data

mkdir -p $HOME/portainer_data

3.2: Deploy Portainer Using Docker

docker run -d \
  --name=portainer \
  --restart=always \
  -p 8000:8000 \
  -p 9443:9443 \
  -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock \
  -v $HOME/portainer_data:/data \
  portainer/portainer-ce:latest

3.3: Verify Portainer is Running

docker ps | grep portainer

3.4: Access Portainer Web UI and Login

Now, open a web browser and go to:

https://localhost:9443
  • You will see a security warning since Portainer uses a self-signed certificate. Click "Advanced" → "Proceed".
  • Set up an admin username and password when prompted.
  • Log in with your newly created credentials.
  • Select Local as the environment and click Connect.

Step 4: Using Docker Compose for Portainer

4.1: Install Docker Compose

For Fedora: 

sudo dnf install -y docker-compose

For Debian: 

sudo apt install -y docker-compose

4.2: Create a Docker Compose File

mkdir -p $HOME/portainer_compose && cd $HOME/portainer_compose
nano docker-compose.yml

Add the following content:

version: '3.8'
services:
  portainer:
    image: portainer/portainer-ce:latest
    container_name: portainer
    restart: always
    ports:
      - "8000:8000"
      - "9443:9443"
    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
      - $HOME/portainer_data:/data

4.3: Start Portainer Using Docker Compose

docker compose up -d

4.4: Stopping and Removing Portainer

docker compose down

Step 5: Updating Portainer Using Docker Compose

cd $HOME/portainer_compose

docker compose pull

docker compose up -d --force-recreate

Conclusion

You now have a fully working Docker and Portainer setup on Fedora and Debian. You can manage your Docker environment using either Docker CLI or Docker Compose for a more structured deployment.

If you run into any issues, you can check logs using:

docker logs portainer

Enjoy your Docker journey with Portainer!