Portainer is an open source tool that simplifies the management of Docker containers thanks to a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI). Whether you’re an experienced system administrator or new to the world of Docker, Portainer makes it easy to manage and orchestrate your containers with an intuitive interface. This article explores the key benefits of Portainer and provides a step-by-step guide to installing it using Docker Compose.
Why choose Portainer?
1. User-friendly graphical interface
Portainer offers an easy-to-use graphical interface for managing your Docker containers. You can view, deploy and manage your services, volumes and networks from a centralised dashboard.
2. Multi-host management
Portainer allows you to manage multiple Docker hosts from a single interface. This is particularly useful for production environments or clustered deployments, where you can monitor and control several Docker servers at the same time.
3. Image and container management
With Portainer, you can easily pull, delete and manage Docker images. It also makes it easy to deploy new containers and manage those already running.
4. Ease of installation
Installing Portainer is quick and easy, especially when using Docker Compose. You can configure and start up Portainer in just a few minutes.
5. Security and User Management
Portainer allows you to manage users and permissions, giving you granular control over access and authorised operations in your Docker environment.
Installing Portainer with Docker Compose
Installing Portainer via Docker Compose is a simple process. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you set up Portainer on your server.
Prerequisites
Before you start, make sure that Docker and Docker Compose are installed on your server. You can install them using the following commands:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker.io docker-compose -y
Creating the Docker Compose file
Create a docker-compose.yml file in a directory of your choice. This file will contain the configuration required to deploy Portainer. Use the following code to configure Portainer:
version: '3'
services:
portainer:
image: portainer/portainer-ce:latest
container_name: portainer
ports:
- "9000:9000"
volumes:
- /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
- portainer_data:/data
restart: always
volumes:
portainer_data:
Explanations
- image: Indicates the official Portainer Docker image.
- container_name: Name of the container for easy identification.
- ports: Maps port 9000 on the container to port 9000 on the host to access the web interface.
- volumes: Mounts the Docker socket and a volume for storing persistent Portainer data.
- restart: Configures the container to restart automatically in the event of a problem.
Launch Portainer
Once you have created the docker-compose.yml file, run Portainer with the following command:
sudo docker-compose up -d
This command downloads the Docker image, creates the container and starts Portainer in the background. You can access the Portainer web interface by opening a browser and navigating to http://:9000.
Initial configuration
When you first connect to the Portainer interface, you will need to create an administrator user and configure access to your Docker hosts. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the initial configuration.
Conclusion
Portainer is an essential tool for anyone working with Docker. With its user-friendly graphical interface and powerful features, it makes it easy to manage Docker containers and hosts. Installation with Docker Compose is quick and easy, allowing you to deploy Portainer in no time.
Useful links
Share your experiences with Portainer and ask your questions in the comments section!
