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Create EC2 Instance and Install Docker

In this demo, we'll launch an AWS EC2 instance using Amazon Linux 2023 and install Docker manually.
This cloud-based setup will be used to run all Docker CLI and Compose demos — no Docker Desktop needed!

Step-00: Docker Concepts Covered

  • Do You Want to Know What Docker Concepts Power This Real-World Retail Store Microservices Application?

Docker Concepts Covered

Step-01: What You’ll Learn

  • Launch an EC2 instance on AWS
  • Connect via SSH
  • Install Docker on Amazon Linux 2023
  • Run a test container Install Docker on EC2 Instance

Step-02: Prerequisites

  • AWS account
  • IAM user with EC2 access
  • SSH key pair
  • Basic terminal knowledge

Step-03: EC2 Instance Configuration

Setting Value
AMI Amazon Linux 2023
Instance Type t3.large
Storage 30 GB (default is fine)
Key Pair Select or create one
Security Group Allow SSH (port 22) and ALL TCP or atleast (port 80, 8080, 8080)
Region Any (e.g., us-east-1)

Step-04: Setup Instructions

1. Launch EC2 Instance

Use the AWS Console to launch a new EC2 instance with the above settings.

2. Connect via SSH

ssh -i your-key.pem ec2-user@<your-ec2-public-ip>
````

---

### 3. Install Docker on Amazon Linux 2023

```bash
sudo dnf update -y
sudo dnf install docker -y
sudo systemctl enable docker
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo usermod -aG docker ec2-user

Logout and reconnect to apply the docker group permissions.

4. Test Docker

  • docker version should print both client and server details
  • docker run hello-world should pull the image and print a welcome message
  • docker images shows what’s cached locally
# Check Docker version
docker version

# List Docker images (should be empty initially)
docker images

# Run a test container
docker run hello-world

# List images again (should now include hello-world)
docker images

5. What Happens in the Background?

When you run:

Docker Terminology

docker run hello-world
````

Docker performs the following steps behind the scenes:

---

#### Step-by-Step:

1. **Checks Local Image Cache**

   * Docker looks for the `hello-world` image on your EC2 instance.
   * If it's **not found locally**, it automatically pulls it from **Docker Hub**.

2. **Downloads the Image**

   * Docker downloads the image in **layers** (compressed segments).
   * These layers are stored under `/var/lib/docker/`.

3. **Creates a Container**

   * Docker uses the image to create a **new container**.
   * Each container is an isolated environment with its own filesystem, network, and process space.

4. **Runs the Container**

   * The container runs a small program that prints:

     > “Hello from Docker! This message shows that your installation appears to be working correctly.”

5. **Container Exits**

   * Since the program completes immediately, the container stops.
   * You can confirm this with:

```bash
# docker ps command
docker ps -a

Before & After

# Before running (empty list)
docker images

# Run test container
docker run hello-world

# After running (image now appears)
docker images
docker ps -a

Optional: Clean Up

# Remove the stopped container
docker rm $(docker ps -aq)

# Remove the image
docker rmi hello-world

Step-05: Cleanup

To avoid AWS charges:

  • Stop or terminate the EC2 instance when not in use

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