Massed Compute

Docker Engine provides the core container runtime for building, shipping, and running applications in lightweight, portable containers. This guide walks through installing Docker Engine, the docker-compose plugin, and essential configuration on Ubuntu 22.04.

We’ll provision a fresh Ubuntu VM, install Docker from the official repository, configure user permissions, and verify the installation with a test container. The entire process takes about 8 minutes from start to finish.

Massed Compute VM Pricing

Based on the requirements above (2+ vCPU, 2GB+ RAM, Ubuntu 22.04), here are the matching VM options:

Step-by-Step Docker Installation

curl -X POST "https://massedcompute.com/api/v1/instances" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer MC_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "sku_class": "cpu",
    "image": "ubuntu-22.04",
    "ssh_keys": ["your-key-name"]
  }'

ssh ubuntu@YOUR_VM_IP

for p in docker.io docker-doc docker-compose podman-docker containerd runc; do
    sudo apt-get remove -y $p 2>/dev/null || true
done

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y ca-certificates curl gnupg
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings

curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | \
  sudo gpg --batch --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(. /etc/os-release && echo "$VERSION_CODENAME") stable" | \
  sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null
sudo apt-get update

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

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

sudo systemctl is-active docker
sudo docker version
sudo docker run --rm hello-world

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Docker Service Not Starting

If systemctl is-active docker returns inactive or failed, check the service logs:

sudo journalctl -u docker -n 30

Common causes include insufficient disk space, permission issues with /var/lib/docker, or conflicting container runtimes.

Permission Denied Errors

If you get permission errors when running Docker commands:

• Verify you’re in the docker group: groups $USER
• Log out and back in to refresh group membership
• Use sudo docker commands as a temporary workaround

Container Pull Failures

If docker run hello-world fails to pull the image:

• Check internet connectivity: ping 8.8.8.8
• Verify DNS resolution: nslookup docker.io
• Check for proxy settings in /etc/systemd/system/docker.service.d/

Skip All of This: Deploy with an AI Agent

This entire Docker Engine setup exists as a tested, machine-readable recipe in the Massed Compute MCP. Instead of running the steps manually, connect your AI assistant and let it handle the provisioning and configuration.

Add this configuration to your MCP settings:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "massed-compute": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://vm.massedcompute.com/api/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer MC_TOKEN" }
    }
  }
}

Then say:

The agent matches your request against the recipe catalog, provisions the right VM shape, runs the installation and verification steps above, and reports back with the result. If any step fails, it stops and provides the error details rather than continuing with a broken setup.

Recipe last tested: June 2, 2026

Quick Setup Reference

For experienced users, here’s the complete installation in one script block:

# Remove conflicting packages
for p in docker.io docker-doc docker-compose podman-docker containerd runc; do
    sudo apt-get remove -y $p 2>/dev/null || true
done

# Install prerequisites
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y ca-certificates curl gnupg
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings

# Add Docker GPG key and repository
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | \
  sudo gpg --batch --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

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

# Install Docker Engine
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io \
  docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

# Configure user permissions
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

# Verify installation
sudo systemctl is-active docker
sudo docker version
sudo docker run --rm hello-world

Frequently Asked Questions