page_title: Installation on Gentoo page_description: Installation instructions for Docker on Gentoo. page_keywords: gentoo linux, virtualization, docker, documentation, installation # Gentoo Installing Docker on Gentoo Linux can be accomplished using one of two ways: the **official** way and the `docker-overlay` way. Official project page of [Gentoo Docker](https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Project:Docker) team. ## Official way The first and recommended way if you are looking for a stable experience is to use the official `app-emulation/docker` package directly from the tree. If any issues arise from this ebuild including, missing kernel configuration flags or dependencies, open a bug on the Gentoo [Bugzilla](https://bugs.gentoo.org) assigned to `docker AT gentoo DOT org` or join and ask in the official [IRC](http://webchat.freenode.net?channels=%23gentoo-containers&uio=d4) channel on the Freenode network. ## docker-overlay way If you're looking for a `-bin` ebuild, a live ebuild, or a bleeding edge ebuild, use the provided overlay, [docker-overlay](https://github.com/tianon/docker-overlay) which can be added using `app-portage/layman`. The most accurate and up-to-date documentation for properly installing and using the overlay can be found in the [overlay](https://github.com/tianon/docker-overlay/blob/master/README.md#using-this-overlay). If any issues arise from this ebuild or the resulting binary, including and especially missing kernel configuration flags or dependencies, open an [issue](https://github.com/tianon/docker-overlay/issues) on the `docker-overlay` repository or ping `tianon` directly in the `#docker` IRC channel on the Freenode network. ## Installation ### Available USE flags | USE Flag | Default | Description | | ------------- |:-------:|:------------| | aufs | |Enables dependencies for the "aufs" graph driver, including necessary kernel flags.| | btrfs | |Enables dependencies for the "btrfs" graph driver, including necessary kernel flags.| | contrib | Yes |Install additional contributed scripts and components.| | device-mapper | Yes |Enables dependencies for the "devicemapper" graph driver, including necessary kernel flags.| | doc | |Add extra documentation (API, Javadoc, etc). It is recommended to enable per package instead of globally.| | lxc | |Enables dependencies for the "lxc" execution driver.| | vim-syntax | |Pulls in related vim syntax scripts.| | zsh-completion| |Enable zsh completion support.| USE flags are described in detail on [tianon's blog](https://tianon.github.io/post/2014/05/17/docker-on-gentoo.html). The package should properly pull in all the necessary dependencies and prompt for all necessary kernel options. $ sudo emerge -av app-emulation/docker >Note: Sometimes there is a disparity between the latest versions >in the official **Gentoo tree** and the **docker-overlay**. >Please be patient, and the latest version should propagate shortly. ## Starting Docker Ensure that you are running a kernel that includes all the necessary modules and configuration (and optionally for device-mapper and AUFS or Btrfs, depending on the storage driver you've decided to use). To use Docker, the `docker` daemon must be running as **root**. To use Docker as a **non-root** user, add yourself to the **docker** group by running the following command: $ sudo usermod -a -G docker user ### OpenRC To start the `docker` daemon: $ sudo /etc/init.d/docker start To start on system boot: $ sudo rc-update add docker default ### systemd To start the `docker` daemon: $ sudo systemctl start docker To start on system boot: $ sudo systemctl enable docker If you need to add an HTTP Proxy, set a different directory or partition for the Docker runtime files, or make other customizations, read our systemd article to learn how to [customize your systemd Docker daemon options](/articles/systemd/).