Installation and Engine Setup

This module walks you through setting up Docker Engine on a Linux server -- from the initial package installation through daemon tuning, upgrades, and clean reinstalls.

Scope

This module covers Docker Engine on Linux servers. If you are using Docker Desktop on macOS or Windows, the installation process is different (download the GUI installer from docker.com).

What You Will Learn

Lesson	What It Covers
Install Docker Engine on Linux	Adding the official repository, installing packages, and verifying the installation
Post-Install User and Permissions	Configuring non-root access and enabling Docker at boot
Docker Daemon Configuration	Tuning daemon.json for log rotation, networking, storage, and security defaults
Upgrade and Version Management	Upgrading Docker safely with rollback preparation
Uninstall, Reset, and Clean Reinstall	Removing Docker, backing up data, and rebuilding from a clean state

Prerequisites

Before starting this module, you should:

• Have sudo access on a Linux server (Ubuntu/Debian or RHEL/CentOS/Alma)
• Understand basic Linux commands (apt, yum, systemctl)
• Have completed Module 1: Introduction and Core Concepts or already understand what Docker images and containers are

Quick Checklist

Use this as a progress tracker as you work through the module:

• Install Docker Engine from the official repository
• Add your user to the docker group
• Enable Docker and containerd to start at boot
• Configure log rotation in daemon.json
• Verify everything works after a reboot