Mastering Docker Installation on Ubuntu: The One Command You Can't Afford to Miss

Forget multi-step installs and convoluted setups. Discover the single command method that's revolutionizing how professionals get Docker running on Ubuntu—faster, simpler, and more reliable than ever.

If you're a developer or sysadmin, you already know the power Docker brings to containerized applications and rapid deployment. But nothing kills momentum like wrestling through multi-step installation guides filled with repository additions, GPG keys, and awkward package dependencies.

What if I told you there’s one single command that installs everything you need for Docker on Ubuntu—cleanly, efficiently, and ready-to-go?

Why Installing Docker Efficiently Matters

Docker simplifies app development, testing, and deployment by ensuring your environment is consistent across systems. However:

Traditional installs involve multiple steps: adding repositories, updating package indexes, installing prerequisites.
This can lead to errors or version conflicts.
Time wasted on setup translates to less time innovating.

Developers and sysadmins alike crave a seamless installation process that “just works” without configuration headaches.

The Command You Can’t Afford to Miss

Ubuntu 20.04 LTS and newer now officially support snap-based Docker installation through a snap package maintained by Canonical.

Here it is:

sudo snap install docker

That’s it.

What Makes This Command a Game-Changer?

One command install: No need for apt-add-repository commands or manual key imports.
Isolation & Updates: Snap containers run isolated from the system which keeps dependencies clean. Updates happen automatically.
Compatibility: Works with any Ubuntu flavor supported by snapd — from desktops to servers.
Instant usage: Docker CLI commands can be run immediately post install.
User permissions simplified: You can add your user to the docker group easily afterward for non-root usage.

Quick steps after installation:

# Allow your user to execute Docker commands without sudo (replace $USER as needed)
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

# Either logout/login or refresh groups with:
newgrp docker

# Confirm Docker is working:
docker run hello-world

Example: Running Your First Container After Snap Install

Once installed, try spinning up a simple container as a test:

docker run --rm -it alpine sh

You’ll be dropped into a lightweight Alpine Linux shell container immediately — perfect for quick experiments or lightweight application environments.

Why Not Use apt Instead?

You might have seen the longer “official” instructions recommending these steps:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install \
    ca-certificates \
    curl \
    software-properties-common
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo apt-key add -
sudo add-apt-repository \
   "deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable"
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io

While valid, these take multiple commands and require deeper maintenance knowledge.

Snap offers simplicity while staying up-to-date behind the scenes. For many use cases — especially test/development environments — snap's single-command approach saves time and sanity.

Final Thoughts

Installing Docker on Ubuntu doesn't have to be a dreaded multi-step saga anymore. The single command below gets you up and running in seconds:

sudo snap install docker

With this shortcut in your toolkit, focus less on setup confusion and more on building scalable containerized applications fast.

Try it today—you might never want to go back to the old way!

Happy Dockering! 🚢🐳

Command To Install Docker On Ubuntu