Deploying Portainer on Raspberry Pi

Ben
Ben
@benjislab

Docker on Raspberry Pi opens up a world of possibilities for running lightweight containers efficiently, but managing these containers from the command line can be daunting for some. Portainer simplifies Docker management, offering a graphical user interface that makes it easy to deploy, monitor, and manage containers directly from a web browser. This guide will walk you through the steps to install Portainer on your Raspberry Pi, enhancing your Docker experience with powerful, yet user-friendly management tools.

Why Use Portainer on Raspberry Pi?

Portainer is designed to help users manage Docker environments with ease. It provides a comprehensive overview of your containers, images, networks, and volumes, along with user-friendly tools to control them. On a Raspberry Pi, Portainer can help you:

  • Manage Containers Visually: Easily start, stop, and inspect containers using a web-based dashboard.
  • Simplify Volume Management: Quickly create and manage Docker volumes to store and persist data.
  • Monitor Docker Resources: Keep track of your Docker resources with detailed, real-time insights.
  • Deploy Stacks: Use Portainer's stack management features to deploy complex applications from Docker Compose files.

Requirements

  • A Raspberry Pi running Raspberry Pi OS or another compatible Linux distribution.
  • Docker installed on your Raspberry Pi (see guides on installing Docker on Raspberry Pi if needed).
  • An internet connection for downloading Portainer.

Installing Docker (If Not Already Installed)

If Docker isn't already installed on your Raspberry Pi, you can install it with the following commands:

curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh sudo sh get-docker.sh

Once Docker is installed, add your user to the Docker group to manage Docker as a non-root user:

sudo usermod -aG docker  $USER  newgrp docker

Installing Portainer on Raspberry Pi

Step 1: Pull the Portainer Docker Image

Portainer is delivered as a Docker container, so installation is as straightforward as pulling the official Portainer image designed for ARM architectures, like that of the Raspberry Pi:

docker pull portainer/portainer-ce:linux-arm
Step 2: Run the Portainer Container

Once the image is pulled, you can start Portainer by running it as a Docker container:

docker run -d -p 9000:9000 --name=portainer --restart=always -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock -v portainer_data:/data portainer/portainer-ce:linux-arm

This command does the following:

  • -d runs the container in detached mode.
  • -p 9000:9000 maps port 9000 on the Raspberry Pi to port 9000 on the container, which is Portainer's default web access port.
  • --restart=always ensures the container restarts automatically if it stops.
  • -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock mounts the Docker socket into the container, allowing Portainer to interact with the Docker API.
  • -v portainer_data:/data creates a persistent volume for Portainer's data.

Accessing Portainer

After starting the container, open a web browser and navigate to http://<raspberry-pi-ip-address>:9000 to access the Portainer web interface. On your first visit, you'll set up an admin user and connect Portainer to your local Docker environment.

Conclusion

With Portainer installed on your Raspberry Pi, you have a powerful yet simple tool to manage your Docker containers. Whether you're running a single Raspberry Pi at home or managing multiple devices, Portainer offers a clear and manageable approach to container administration. This setup not only enhances your Docker workflow but also helps you efficiently deploy and monitor applications on your Raspberry Pi.