{"id":80014,"date":"2025-05-22T15:31:34","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T10:01:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/?p=80014"},"modified":"2026-03-16T17:19:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T11:49:55","slug":"install-docker-on-an-aws-ec2-instance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/install-docker-on-an-aws-ec2-instance\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Install Docker on an AWS EC2 Instance \u2013 Step-by-Step Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you&#8217;re diving into the world of containers and cloud computing, you must install <strong>Docker<\/strong> with <strong>AWS EC2,<\/strong> which becomes a powerful move. Whether you&#8217;re a developer deploying microservices or just exploring containerization, setting up Docker on EC2 is a must-know skill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this guide, I\u2019ll walk you through installing Docker on an EC2 instance, from scratch. Let&#8217;s get rolling! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Prerequisites<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Prerequisites@2x-1200x630.webp\" alt=\"Prerequisites\" class=\"wp-image-80800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Prerequisites@2x-1200x630.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Prerequisites@2x-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Prerequisites@2x-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Prerequisites@2x-1536x806.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Prerequisites@2x-2048x1075.webp 2048w, https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Prerequisites@2x-150x79.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Before we get started, make sure you\u2019ve got the following lined up:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>An <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/guide-for-amazon-web-services\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AWS<\/a> account<br><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/aws.amazon.com\/pm\/ec2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">EC2 instance<\/a><\/strong> (Amazon <a href=\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/courses\/it-and-software\/introduction-to-linux-shell-scripting-with-bash\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Linux<\/a> 2, Ubuntu, or your preferred <a href=\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/introduction-to-operating-systems\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">OS<\/a>)<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>SSH access<\/strong> to the instance via a .pem key<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 1: Connect to Your EC2 Instance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Step-1_-Connect-to-Your-EC2-Instance@2x-1200x630.webp\" alt=\"Step 1: Connect to Your EC2 Instance\" class=\"wp-image-80801\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Step-1_-Connect-to-Your-EC2-Instance@2x-1200x630.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Step-1_-Connect-to-Your-EC2-Instance@2x-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Step-1_-Connect-to-Your-EC2-Instance@2x-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Step-1_-Connect-to-Your-EC2-Instance@2x-1536x806.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Step-1_-Connect-to-Your-EC2-Instance@2x-2048x1075.webp 2048w, https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Step-1_-Connect-to-Your-EC2-Instance@2x-150x79.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Once your EC2 instance is up and running, connect to it using SSH. Here&#8217;s how you do it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>For Amazon Linux:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>bash<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>ssh -i \/path\/to\/your-key.pem ec2-user@your-ec2-instance-ip<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>For Ubuntu:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>bash<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>ssh -i \/path\/to\/your-key.pem ubuntu@your-ec2-instance-ip<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 2: Update System Packages<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before installing any software, it\u2019s always good practice to update your system:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>For Amazon Linux:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>bash<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>sudo yum update -y<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>For Ubuntu:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>bash<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>sudo apt update -y &amp;&amp; sudo apt upgrade -y<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 3: Install Docker<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Time to bring <a href=\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/courses\/cloud-computing\/docker\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=hyperlink&amp;utm_campaign=install-docker-on-an-aws-ec2-instance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Docker<\/a> on board!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>For Amazon Linux 2:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>bash<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>sudo amazon-linux-extras enable docker<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>sudo yum install docker -y<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>For Ubuntu:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>bash<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>sudo apt install -y docker.io<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/linking-jenkins-and-docker-on-windows-with-wsl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Linking Jenkins and Docker on Windows with WSL<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 4: Start and Enable Docker<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s make sure Docker is running and set to start on boot:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>bash<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>sudo systemctl start docker<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>sudo systemctl enable docker<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 5: Verify Docker Installation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Check if Docker is installed properly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>bash<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>docker --version<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To make sure it&#8217;s functioning, run the classic &#8220;hello-world&#8221; container:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>bash<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>sudo docker run hello-world<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 6: Run Docker Without Sudo (Optional)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>By default, Docker commands need root privileges. If you&#8217;d prefer to run Docker as a regular user:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>bash<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>sudo usermod -aG docker $USER<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>newgrp docker<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Note: You might need to log out and back in for this to take effect.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 7: Enable Docker on Boot (Optional)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want Docker to start when your EC2 instance reboots: automatically<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>bash<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>sudo systemctl enable docker<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You Might Like: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/basic-devops-projects\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Basic DevOps Projects to Kickstart Your Journey<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 8: Use Docker on AWS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Step-8_-Use-Docker-on-AWS@2x-1200x630.webp\" alt=\"Use Docker on AWS\" class=\"wp-image-80803\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Step-8_-Use-Docker-on-AWS@2x-1200x630.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Step-8_-Use-Docker-on-AWS@2x-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Step-8_-Use-Docker-on-AWS@2x-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Step-8_-Use-Docker-on-AWS@2x-1536x806.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Step-8_-Use-Docker-on-AWS@2x-2048x1075.webp 2048w, https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Step-8_-Use-Docker-on-AWS@2x-150x79.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s it! You\u2019ve got Docker running on your EC2 instance. You can now:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Pull images from Docker Hub<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Run and manage containers<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deploy your apps in a scalable and efficient way<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/best-youtube-channels-to-learn-cloud-computing-engineering\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">learn Cloud Computing<\/a> deeply through AWS, consider enrolling in HCL GUVI\u2019s The <br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/courses\/cloud-computing\/aws-fundamentals\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=hyperlink&amp;utm_campaign=install-docker-on-an-aws-ec2-instance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AWS Fundamentals Online Course<\/a> will arm you with the skills and knowledge to engage with the power of AWS cloud services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Installing Docker on an AWS EC2 instance is simpler than you might think. With just a few commands, you unlock the power of containerization in the cloud. Whether you&#8217;re testing locally or deploying production workloads, Docker on EC2 gives you a flexible foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Happy containerizing!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you&#8217;re diving into the world of containers and cloud computing, you must install Docker with AWS EC2, which becomes a powerful move. Whether you&#8217;re a developer deploying microservices or just exploring containerization, setting up Docker on EC2 is a must-know skill. In this guide, I\u2019ll walk you through installing Docker on an EC2 instance, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":80799,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"[]"},"categories":[843],"tags":[],"views":"3359","authorinfo":{"name":"Naveen Kumar","url":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/author\/naveen-kumar-l\/"},"thumbnailURL":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/How-to-Install-Docker-on-an-AWS-EC2-Instance-2-300x116.webp","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/How-to-Install-Docker-on-an-AWS-EC2-Instance-2.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80014"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80014"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80014\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":104016,"href":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80014\/revisions\/104016"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80799"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}