Portainer is an open-source container management platform used to simplify the deployment, management, and monitoring of containerized applications by providing a graphical interface, enabling an easier interaction with Docker and Kubernetes environments.
At Hostinger, we have an Ubuntu 22.04 VPS template that comes with pre-installed Portainer CE (Community Edition), enabling you to easily manage and deploy Docker containers through a user-friendly web interface.
If you don't have a VPS yet, you can check the available options here: Portainer hosting 💡
To start using Portainer, install the Portainer template and follow these steps:
Step 1 - Access the Portainer Web Interface
Open a web browser and enter your VPS's IP address followed by the Portainer port - it is 9443 by default:
http://vps_ip:9443
You will be directed to the Portainer login page. Create an admin account by providing a username and password.
After logging in, you'll be guided through the initial setup process. You'll be prompted to select the Docker environment. Choose Docker and select the local environment.
Portainer will display the main dashboard, where you can manage containers, images, networks, and volumes.
Troubleshooting Access Issues
As a security measure during the initial installation of Portainer, a 5-minute period is provided to create an administrator user as part of the setup process. If the admin user is not created within that time, the Portainer Server will stop accepting requests. In this case, to gain access to Portainer, you will need to manually stop and restart the Portainer container.
Step 2 - Deploy Your First Container
Click on the Containers tab in the left sidebar and select Add Container. Provide the necessary information, such as the container name, image to use, and any exposed ports or volumes.
Once configured, click Deploy the container to create and start the container.
Explore Portainer Features
You can use the Portainer interface to manage existing containers, create new ones, pull images from Docker Hub, and manage volumes and networks. The dashboard will provide you with useful information on container details, logs, and statistics to gain insights into your containerized applications.
Step 3 - Manage Your Containers
You can update, scale, stop, or remove a container using Portainer:
To update a container, navigate to the container's page and click Recreate after pulling the latest image version
For scaling, select the container and click Duplicate/Edit to create multiple instances of the same container
To stop or remove a container, select the container and click Stop or Remove. Removing a container will not delete its data. To remove associated volumes, ensure to choose that option
Make sure to check the Portainer Documentation and explore its features to streamline your containerized application deployment and management process 💡