Install Docker Compose on Ubuntu 20.04: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you ready to streamline your Docker workflow on Ubuntu 20.04? Docker Compose simplifies managing multi-container applications, making your development and deployment processes much smoother. This guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough on how to install Docker Compose Ubuntu 20.04, set up your first project, and master essential commands.

Why Use Docker Compose?

Docker Compose is a powerful tool for defining and running multi-container Docker applications. Utilizing Docker Compose avoids the complexity of manually managing multiple containers.

Here's why you'll love it:

Simplified Orchestration: Define your entire application stack in a single YAML file.
Easy Management: Start, stop, and rebuild services with single commands.
Reproducible Environments: Ensure consistent environments across development, testing, and production.
Efficiency: Manage linked services all at once.

Prerequisites: Getting Ready for Docker Compose

Before diving into the installation, make sure you have:

An Ubuntu 20.04 server or local machine.
A non-root user with sudo privileges (refer to the Initial Server Setup Guide).
Docker installed (follow Steps 1 and 2 of How To Install and Use Docker on Ubuntu 20.04).

Step 1: Installing Docker Compose on Ubuntu 20.04

This section guides you through downloading and installing Docker Compose.

Download the Latest Version: Check the official releases page for the most current stable version. Then, use the following command to download the desired version:
```
sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/1.29.2/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
```
Remember to replace "1.29.2" with the latest version number.
Set Executable Permissions: Grant execute permissions to the Docker Compose binary:
```
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
```
Verify Installation: Confirm Docker Compose is installed correctly:
```
docker-compose --version
```
This command should output the installed version number.

Step 2: Setting Up a `docker-compose.yml` File

Create a docker-compose.yml file to define your application's services. This file tells Docker Compose how to build and run your multi-container application.

Create a Project Directory: Make a new directory for your project:
```
mkdir ~/compose-demo
cd ~/compose-demo
```
Set Up the Application Folder: Create a folder for your application files:
```
mkdir app
```

Create an index.html File: Add a simple HTML file to serve with Nginx:

nano app/index.html

Paste the following content:




Docker Compose Demo



    This is a Docker Compose Demo Page.
    This content is being served by an Nginx container.

Define the docker-compose.yml File: Create the docker-compose.yml file:
```
nano docker-compose.yml
```
Add the following configuration:
```
version: '3.7'
services:
  web:
    image: nginx:alpine
    ports:
      - "8000:80"
    volumes:
      - ./app:/usr/share/nginx/html
```
This file defines a single service, web, using the nginx:alpine image. It maps port 8000 on your host to port 80 on the container, and shares the ./app directory as the Nginx document root.

Step 3: Running Docker Compose

Now that you have your docker-compose.yml file, it's time to bring your environment to life.

Start the Environment: Run the following command to start your application in detached mode:
```
docker-compose up -d
```
This command pulls the necessary images, creates containers, and starts your application in the background.
Verify the Container is Running: Ensure your container is active:
```
docker-compose ps
```
This will display information about the running containers, including their status and port mappings.
Access Your Application: Open your web browser and go to localhost:8000 (or your_server_ip:8000 if you're using a remote server). You should see your demo page.

Step 4: Docker Compose Basic Commands

Now, let’s explore some fundamental Docker Compose commands.

Check Logs: View the logs produced by your Nginx container:
```
docker-compose logs
```
Pause Execution: Temporarily pause the running environment:
```
docker-compose pause
```
Resume Execution: Continue a paused environment:
```
docker-compose unpause
```
Stop the Environment: Terminate the containers without removing data:
```
docker-compose stop
```
Bring Down the Environment: Remove containers, networks, and volumes:
```
docker-compose down
```
Remove Base Image: Delete the base image from your system:
```
docker image rm nginx:alpine
```

Next steps

Experiment further with Docker Compose capabilities. Begin exploring more complex configurations, such as multi-service applications with databases or message queues. A popular starting point is setting up WordPress with Docker Compose, described in How To Install WordPress With Docker Compose.

Install Docker Compose on Ubuntu 20.04: A Step-by-Step Guide

Why Use Docker Compose?

Docker Compose is a powerful tool for defining and running multi-container Docker applications. Utilizing Docker Compose avoids the complexity of manually managing multiple containers.

Here's why you'll love it:

Simplified Orchestration: Define your entire application stack in a single YAML file.

Easy Management: Start, stop, and rebuild services with single commands.

Reproducible Environments: Ensure consistent environments across development, testing, and production.

Efficiency: Manage linked services all at once.

Step 1: Installing Docker Compose on Ubuntu 20.04

This section guides you through downloading and installing Docker Compose.

Download the Latest Version: Check the official releases page for the most current stable version. Then, use the following command to download the desired version:

sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/1.29.2/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

Remember to replace "1.29.2" with the latest version number.

Set Executable Permissions: Grant execute permissions to the Docker Compose binary:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

Verify Installation: Confirm Docker Compose is installed correctly:

docker-compose --version

This command should output the installed version number.

Step 2: Setting Up a docker-compose.yml File

Create a docker-compose.yml file to define your application's services. This file tells Docker Compose how to build and run your multi-container application.

Create a Project Directory: Make a new directory for your project:

mkdir ~/compose-demo
cd ~/compose-demo

Set Up the Application Folder: Create a folder for your application files:

mkdir app

Create an index.html File: Add a simple HTML file to serve with Nginx:

nano app/index.html

Paste the following content:




Docker Compose Demo



    This is a Docker Compose Demo Page.
    This content is being served by an Nginx container.

Define the docker-compose.yml File: Create the docker-compose.yml file:

nano docker-compose.yml

Add the following configuration:

version: '3.7'
services:
  web:
    image: nginx:alpine
    ports:
      - "8000:80"
    volumes:
      - ./app:/usr/share/nginx/html

This file defines a single service, web, using the nginx:alpine image. It maps port 8000 on your host to port 80 on the container, and shares the ./app directory as the Nginx document root.

Step 3: Running Docker Compose

Now that you have your docker-compose.yml file, it's time to bring your environment to life.

Start the Environment: Run the following command to start your application in detached mode:

docker-compose up -d

This command pulls the necessary images, creates containers, and starts your application in the background.

Verify the Container is Running: Ensure your container is active:

docker-compose ps

This will display information about the running containers, including their status and port mappings.

Access Your Application: Open your web browser and go to localhost:8000 (or your_server_ip:8000 if you're using a remote server). You should see your demo page.

Step 4: Docker Compose Basic Commands

Now, let’s explore some fundamental Docker Compose commands.

Check Logs: View the logs produced by your Nginx container: