Uninstall Docker from Ubuntu

Uninstalling Docker from your Ubuntu system is a straightforward process. Follow these friendly steps to ensure a clean removal:

Step 1: Stop Docker

Before uninstalling Docker, make sure it’s not running. You have to stop the Docker daemon with the following command:

sudo systemctl stop docker

Step 2: Remove Docker Packages

Now it’s time to remove the Docker packages. To remove Docker packages, use the following command. This will uninstall Docker while preserving configuration files:

sudo apt-get purge docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io

Step 3: Remove Docker Images, Containers, and Volumes

Docker stores images, containers, and volumes in /var/lib/docker. Remove these files and directories with caution:

sudo rm -rf /var/lib/docker

Step 4: Remove Docker Compose (if installed)

If Docker Compose is installed, remove it with:

sudo rm /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

Step 5: Remove Docker Group (optional)

If you created a Docker group, remove it with:

sudo groupdel docker

Step 6: Remove Docker Configuration Files (optional)

Remove the Docker configuration directory, if it exists:

sudo rm -rf /etc/docker

Step 7: Remove Docker User (optional)

If you created a Docker user, remove it with:

sudo deluser docker

Step 8: Update GRUB (optional)

If you want to remove Docker from the GRUB boot menu, update GRUB:

sudo update-grub

Step 9: Restart Your System

To apply all changes, restart your system:

sudo reboot

After completing these steps, Docker should be completely uninstalled from your Ubuntu system. Confirm the uninstallation by checking if docker --version and docker-compose --version no longer return recognized commands.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully uninstalled Docker from your Ubuntu system.

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