How to Install Docker Compose: A Step-by-Step Guide

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to install Docker Compose on various operating systems, including Ubuntu, Mac, Linux, and even servers.

GeneralBy: Alex M / 26 February, 2025

How to Install Docker Compose: A Step-by-Step Guide

Docker Compose is a powerful tool that simplifies multi-container Docker applications. It allows you to define and run multi-container Docker applications with ease, making it a must-have for developers and system administrators. In this detailed guide, we’ll walk you through how to install Docker Compose on various operating systems, including Ubuntu, Mac, Linux distributions, and even servers.

What is Docker Compose?

Before diving into the installation process, let’s take a quick look at what Docker Compose is and why you need it.

First of all, you should know docker: 'compose' is not a docker command. Docker Compose is a tool that allows you to define and manage multi-container Docker applications using a simple YAML file. The file, called docker-compose.yml, describes the services, networks, and volumes for your application. With Docker Compose, you can easily manage the lifecycle of your containers, including building, starting, stopping, and scaling your application. This makes it an essential tool for managing complex Docker environments, especially when working with microservices.

If you haven’t already, you can learn more about Docker Compose by reading our article on What is Docker Compose.

How to Install Docker Compose on Ubuntu

Installing Docker Compose on Ubuntu is straightforward. Follow these steps to get started.

Before you begin, make sure you have Docker installed on your Ubuntu system. If you haven’t installed Docker yet, you can refer to our guide on How to Install Docker on Ubuntu.

Step 1: Download Docker Compose

To install Docker Compose, first, you need to download the latest version of the Docker Compose binary. You can do this by running the following command:

sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/docker/compose/releases/latest | jq -r .tag_name)/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

This command fetches the latest Docker Compose release and places the binary in /usr/local/bin/, making it globally accessible.

Step 2: Set Permissions

After downloading the binary, you need to give it executable permissions. Run the following command:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

Step 3: Verify Installation

To verify that Docker Compose is installed correctly, run the following command:

docker-compose --version

This should display the version of Docker Compose you installed, confirming that it was successfully installed.

If you're new to Docker and Docker Compose, be sure to check out our detailed guides on how to Install Docker and How to Install Docker on Windows.

How to Install Docker Compose on Other Linux Distributions

How to Install Docker Compose on Kali Linux

To install Docker Compose on Kali Linux, follow the same steps as for Ubuntu. The process is identical, as Kali Linux is based on Debian. Ensure that Docker is already installed on your system and follow the commands mentioned in the Ubuntu section above.

How to Install Docker Compose on Debian 12

For Debian 12, the process is the same as Ubuntu and Kali Linux. Simply use the curl command to download Docker Compose and set the appropriate permissions as shown earlier.

How to Install Docker Compose on CentOS

To install Docker Compose on CentOS, you can follow these steps:

Download Docker Compose:

Set Permissions:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

Verify Installation:

docker-compose –version

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How to Install Docker Compose Mac

Step 1: Install Docker Desktop for Mac

The easiest way to install Docker Compose on Mac is by installing Docker Desktop. Docker Desktop comes with Docker Compose pre-installed. You can download Docker Desktop from the official website.

Step 2: Verify Installation

Once Docker Desktop is installed, open a terminal and verify the installation of Docker Compose by running:

docker-compose --version

If everything is set up correctly, it will display the version of Docker Compose.

How to Install Docker Compose on Amazon Linux

To install Docker Compose on Amazon Linux, follow these steps:

Install Docker: If you haven't installed Docker on Amazon Linux yet, refer to our guide on How to Install Docker on Amazon Linux.
Download Docker Compose: Run the following command to download Docker Compose:

Set Permissions:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

Verify Installation:

docker-compose --version

How to Install Docker Compose Using Ansible

If you are managing multiple servers, you may want to automate the installation of Docker Compose using Ansible. Here’s a basic Ansible playbook to install Docker Compose:

---

- name: Install Docker Compose

hosts: all

become: yes

tasks:

- name: Download Docker Compose binary

get_url:

url: "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/{{ docker_compose_version }}/docker-compose-{{ ansible_system }}-{{ ansible_architecture }}"

dest: /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

mode: '0755'

- name: Verify Docker Compose installation

command: docker-compose --version

This playbook downloads the Docker Compose binary and sets the correct permissions, then verifies the installation.

How to Install Docker Compose on Windows 10

Installing Docker Compose on Windows 10 is relatively simple, especially if you use Docker Desktop, which includes Docker Compose. Here’s a detailed guide for installing Docker Compose on Windows 10.

Step 1: Install Docker Desktop for Windows 10

The most straightforward method to install Docker Compose on Windows 10 is through Docker Desktop, which includes Docker Compose by default. Follow these steps:

Download Docker Desktop
Visit the official Docker Desktop download page and download the Docker Compose latest version for Windows.
Run the Installer
Once the installer is downloaded, run the .exe file to start the installation process. You may need to follow the on-screen prompts and allow the installer to make changes to your system.
Enable WSL 2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux)
Docker Desktop requires WSL 2, so during installation, the Docker installer will prompt you to enable WSL 2. Follow the instructions provided, or refer to the Docker documentation for detailed steps on enabling WSL 2.
Complete Installation and Restart
Once the installation is complete, restart your computer to finalize the process.

Step 2: Verify Docker Compose Installation

After Docker Desktop is installed, Docker Compose is already included. To verify that Docker Compose is installed correctly, follow these steps:

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell.
Run the following command to check the Docker Compose version:

docker-compose --version

If Docker Compose is installed correctly, this command will output the installed version of Docker Compose.

Step 3: Running Docker Compose

Once Docker Compose is installed, you can use it directly from the Command Prompt or PowerShell. Docker Compose commands work the same way as they do on Linux or Mac, so you can use docker-compose up, docker-compose down, and other Docker Compose commands to manage multi-container applications.

Alternative Method: Install Docker Compose Using Windows Package Manager (winget)

If you prefer to install Docker Compose manually or if you're not using Docker Desktop, you can use winget, the Windows package manager, to install Docker Compose:

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator.
Run the following command to install Docker Compose:

winget install Docker.DockerCompose

After the installation is complete, verify the installation by running:

docker-compose --version

Troubleshooting Docker Compose on Windows 10

If you encounter any issues, here are a few tips:

Docker Compose not found: Ensure that Docker Desktop is running and that WSL 2 is properly enabled. Docker Compose is bundled with Docker Desktop, so make sure it is installed correctly.
Unable to start Docker Desktop: If Docker Desktop isn’t starting, check for updates or reinstall it. You might also need to ensure virtualization is enabled in your BIOS settings.
Running Docker Compose commands in PowerShell: If you’re using PowerShell and encountering permission issues, try running it as Administrator.

"Unable to Locate Package docker-compose-plugin" Error

If you're encountering the error "Unable to locate package docker-compose-plugin" while trying to install Docker Compose on a Linux distribution, it typically indicates that the package source or repository does not include the Docker Compose plugin. This can happen due to a variety of reasons, including incorrect package lists or outdated repositories. Here’s how to resolve it:

To efficiently fix the "Unable to Locate Package docker-compose-plugin" error without redundancy, follow these consolidated steps:

Update Your Package List: Begin by updating your package list to ensure the system is aware of the latest repositories and available packages.

sudo apt update

Install Required Dependencies: Install the apt-transport-https package, which is necessary for accessing Docker’s repository securely.

sudo apt install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl software-properties-common

Add Docker’s Official Repository: Download Docker's official GPG key and add Docker's repository to your system.

curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg

Add the Docker repository:

echo "deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

Install Docker Compose Plugin: Finally, install Docker Compose:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install docker-compose-plugin

Conclusion

Installing Docker Compose is a straightforward process that can be accomplished on various platforms such as Ubuntu, Mac, Linux distributions, and more. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you’ll be up and running with Docker Compose in no time. Whether you’re managing a small project or working with complex multi-container applications, Docker Compose will make managing Docker containers much easier.

If you're looking for more Docker-related content, explore our guides on What is Docker Compose and How to Run Docker. Happy Dockerizing!