Podman is a container management tool that is similar to Docker but runs containers as non-root users. It is designed to be a drop-in replacement for Docker and offers a simple way to manage containers and images. In this guide, we will walk you through the installation of Podman on Ubuntu 22.04. Whether you're deploying it on a local server or using a Windows VPS UK, this tutorial will cover everything you need to get started.
Step 1: Update Your System
Before installing Podman, ensure your system is up to date. Run the following commands:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
Keeping your system updated is crucial for security and performance, whether you're setting it up locally or on a VPS Windows Servers platform.
Step 2: Install Podman
Podman can be installed directly from the official Ubuntu repository. Run the following command to install Podman:
sudo apt install podman -y
After the installation is complete, you can verify it by checking the Podman version:
podman --version
Step 3: Configure Podman
By default, Podman runs containers in rootless mode, which means you can run containers without root privileges. To test Podman, you can run a simple container:
podman run hello-world
This command will pull the "hello-world" image from the registry and run it, confirming that Podman is working correctly.
Step 4: Manage Containers
You can manage your containers using various Podman commands. For example, to list running containers, use:
podman ps
To view all containers (running and stopped), use:
podman ps -a
To stop a running container, use:
podman stop
Replace <container_id>
with the actual ID of your container.
Step 5: Configure Podman for Systemd (Optional)
If you want to manage your Podman containers with systemd, you can create a systemd service file. Here is an example:
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/podman.service
Add the following configuration:
[Unit]
Description=Podman container
After=network.target
[Service]
Restart=always
ExecStart=/usr/bin/podman start -a my-container
ExecStop=/usr/bin/podman stop -t 10 my-container
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
Save the file and enable the service:
sudo systemctl enable podman.service
Step 6: Accessing Podman Remotely (Optional)
If you want to access Podman remotely, you need to enable the remote API. To do this, create or edit the Podman configuration file:
sudo nano /etc/containers/containers.conf
Add the following lines:
[engine]
remote = true
Save the file and restart Podman to apply the changes.