How to Install Cockpit Web Console on Ubuntu Linux

The Cockpit web console lets you manage an Ubuntu Linux server directly from your web browser using a visual dashboard instead of the command line.

Cockpit is a free tool that turns complicated server tasks into simple point-and-click menus, making it easy to check CPU usage, manage storage drives, and update software.

You can install Cockpit on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and newer releases with a single command in your terminal.

Install Cockpit web interface

Terminal commands handle the entire installation process. Because the necessary packages reside in Ubuntu’s standard software sources, setup requires minimal configuration.

Let’s get it installed.

Default repositories include all required Cockpit packages, eliminating the need for external software sources.

Install Cockpit with the commands below.

sudo apt update
sudo apt-get install cockpit
sudo apt-get install cockpit-podman

Systemd services require activation to ensure background daemons launch automatically on system boot.

sudo systemctl start cockpit
sudo systemctl enable cockpit

Confirm that Cockpit runs properly by executing the following status check.

systemctl status cockpit

Port 9090 serves as the default network listener for Cockpit. Active Ubuntu firewalls require an explicit rule to permit inbound traffic on this port before the dashboard loads.

Use this command to open the port.

sudo ufw allow 9090
sudo ufw allow 80
sudo ufw reload

Browser navigation points to the server hostname or IP address appended with port 9090.

http://localhost:9090

The login portal materializes immediately. Authenticate using administrative server credentials to access the interface.

Manage server operations directly from the dashboard.

This completes the setup.

Conclusion:

• Cockpit provides an easy and intuitive way to manage Ubuntu Linux servers using a web-based interface, making it accessible to novice and experienced users.
• With Cockpit, users can start containers, configure networks, manage storage, inspect logs, and handle most system settings across servers from a user-friendly interface.
• Installing and enabling Cockpit on Ubuntu Linux involves running a few straightforward commands in the terminal. Once set up, users can access it through a web browser to start managing their servers efficiently.