Install Docker on Raspberry Pi

Docker on Raspberry Pi

Install Docker on Raspberry Pi OS (Bookworm)

Docker is a popular platform for developing, shipping, and running applications in containers. This guide covers installing Docker on Raspberry Pi OS (Bookworm) for both 32-bit and 64-bit versions, referencing official Docker documentation:

What is Docker-CE?

docker-ce stands for Docker Community Edition, the free, open-source version of Docker. It includes essential components such as:

  • Docker Engine: Core service for running containers.
  • Docker CLI: Command-line tool for managing containers.
  • Containerd: Handles container lifecycle management.
  • Docker Buildx: Advanced build capabilities.
  • Docker Compose Plugin: Manages multi-container applications. Docker-CE is ideal for individual developers and small teams, providing a lightweight solution with strong community support.

Prerequisites

  • Raspberry Pi 4B or 5B with Raspberry Pi OS (Bookworm)
  • Internet connection
  • Terminal access with sudo privileges

Check OS Version and Architecture

cat /etc/os-release
uname -m

uname -m outputs armv7l for 32-bit and aarch64 for 64-bit.

Update System Packages

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Install Required Dependencies

sudo apt-get install ca-certificates curl gnupg lsb-release -y

Add Docker’s Official GPG Key and Repository

sudo mkdir -p /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/debian/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/debian $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

Install Docker Engine

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

Verify Docker Installation

docker --version
sudo docker run hello-world

Post-Installation (Optional)

Allow Docker commands without sudo:

sudo groupadd docker
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker

Differences Between 32-bit and 64-bit Versions

  • Performance: 64-bit offers better performance for memory-intensive tasks.
  • Compatibility: Some Docker images only support 64-bit architectures.
  • Memory Access: 64-bit can access over 4GB RAM efficiently.

Conclusion

You’ve successfully installed Docker-CE on Raspberry Pi OS (Bookworm). Now you can start deploying containers and building applications efficiently with Docker.

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