Steps to Fix “Bash Docker Command Not Found” In Linux

Install Docker:

If Docker is not installed on your system, you’ll need to install it first. Follow these steps based on your Linux distribution:

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker.io

CentOS/RHEL:

sudo yum install docker

Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S docker

Add Docker to PATH:

After installing Docker, you need to ensure that its executable is included in the system’s PATH environment variable. You can do this by adding the Docker binary directory to your PATH. Edit the .bashrc or .bash_profile file in your home directory and add the following line:

export PATH="$PATH:/usr/bin/docker"

Save the file and reload the shell configuration:

source ~/.bashrc

Verify Docker Installation:

To verify that Docker is installed correctly and accessible from the command line, run the following command:

docker --version

Check Docker Permissions:

Ensure that your user account has the necessary permissions to execute Docker commands. You can add your user to the Docker group to grant the required permissions:

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

Log out and log back in for the changes to take effect.

Restart Docker Service:

If Docker was installed but not running, you may encounter the “Command Not Found” error. Restart the Docker service to resolve this:

sudo systemctl restart docker

Docker has become an essential tool for developers and system administrators to manage and deploy applications efficiently. However, encountering the error message “Bash: Docker: Command Not Found” can be frustrating, especially when you’re trying to work with Docker containers. In this guide, we’ll explore the potential causes of this error and provide step-by-step solutions to resolve it on Linux systems.