Linux Server Initial Setup

Installing Docker and Setting Up the System

This guide introduces setting up a server with Docker and organizing sections to help users get started with development environments.

Sections

• From Source on a Computer: Direct installation on a local system.
• Within a Dockerfile: Create a base Dockerfile for repeatable setups.
• Remotely with Ansible: Automate Docker setup across multiple servers.
• Without Docker: General system preparation without Docker.

From Source on a Computer

Source: Docker Official Documentation

# Step 1: Install sudo and update the system
apt install -y sudo
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

# Step 2: Enable unattended-upgrades
sudo apt install -y unattended-upgrades
sudo sh -c 'echo "APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists \"1\"; APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade \"1\";" > /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades'

# Step 3: Install basic tools
sudo apt install -y git ca-certificates curl rsync pass p7zip-full unzip fail2ban ufw
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings

# Step 4: Set up Docker
sudo curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/debian/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc

# Add the Docker repository to Apt sources
echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc] https://download.docker.com/linux/debian \
$(. /etc/os-release && echo "$VERSION_CODENAME") stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

# Step 5: Install Docker
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

# Step 6: Add current user to the Docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

Remotely Setting Up with Ansible

Automate Docker setup on remote servers using this Ansible playbook:

---
- name: Install Docker on remote servers
  hosts: all
  become: yes

  tasks:
    - name: Update and upgrade the system
      apt:
        update_cache: yes
        upgrade: dist

    - name: Install essential packages
      apt:
        name:
          - sudo
          - git
          - ca-certificates
          - curl
          - rsync
          - p7zip-full
          - unzip
        state: present

    - name: Add Docker GPG key
      command: >
        curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/debian/gpg -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker.gpg

    - name: Add Docker repository
      lineinfile:
        path: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list
        line: >
          deb [arch={{ ansible_architecture }} signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/docker.gpg]
          https://download.docker.com/linux/debian {{ ansible_distribution_release }} stable

    - name: Install Docker
      apt:
        name:
          - docker-ce
          - docker-ce-cli
          - containerd.io
        state: present

    - name: Add user to Docker group
      user:
        name: "{{ ansible_user }}"
        groups: docker
        append: yes

Without Docker

If Docker is not needed, follow these steps for a basic system setup:

# Step 1: Install sudo and update the system
apt install -y sudo
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

# Step 2: Install basic tools
sudo apt install -y git ca-certificates curl rsync pass p7zip-full unzip fail2ban ufw

# Step 3: Enable unattended-upgrades
sudo apt install -y unattended-upgrades
sudo sh -c 'echo "APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists \"1\"; APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade \"1\";" > /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades'

# Step 4: Reload necessary services
systemctl reload postfix