How to Install Incus Container in Ubuntu Linux

This article explains installing and using the Incus Container in Ubuntu Linux.

The Incus Container (a fork of LXD) is a lightweight, open-source container runtime that enables users to isolate applications and their dependencies from the underlying infrastructure. Based on LXC for containers and QEMU for virtual machines, it offers a seamless cloud-like experience scaling from a developer’s laptop to a full cluster of up to 50 servers.

You can use simple command line tools directly through the REST API or third-party tools and integrations, making it an easy and efficient way to manage your applications.

There are several reasons to install and use the Incus Container in Ubuntu Linux. First, it is a lightweight, open-source container and virtual machine manager. This means you can run multiple applications on the same server without worrying about them interfering.

Second, the Incus Container is based on LXC for containers and QEMU for virtual machines, which offers a seamless cloud-like experience that can scale from a developer’s laptop to a full cluster of up to 50 servers.

Install Incus container on Ubuntu Linux

As mentioned above, users can install the Incus container in Ubuntu as an alternative to other commercial platforms.

Here’s how to do it.

First, run the command below to install the prerequisites.

sudo apt install curl gnupg software-properties-common

Then, run the command below to download its repository GPG key. You will need this key to install packages from its repository.

sudo curl -fsSL https://pkgs.zabbly.com/key.asc -o /etc/apt/keyrings/zabbly.asc

Next, run the command below to create a repository file.

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/zabbly-incus-stable.sources

Then, copy the content below and paste it into the file created above.

Enabled: yes
Types: deb
URIs: https://pkgs.zabbly.com/incus/stable
Suites: jammy
Components: main
Signed-By: /etc/apt/keyrings/zabbly.asc

Replace the highlighted codename (jammy) for the version of Ubuntu installed on your machine. You can find the codename in the /etc/os-release file.

Finally, run the command below to update your system and install Incus.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install incus

Once installed, you can use the command below to verify that Incus is available on Ubuntu.

incus version
incus --help

If you wish to remove the Incus container, run the command below.

sudo apt remove --autoremove incus
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/zabbly-incus-stable.sources
sudo rm /etc/apt/keyrings/zabbly.asc

That should do it!

For more information and help creating instances, follow the link below.

Incus Containers

Conclusion:

• The Incus Container provides a lightweight, open-source solution for managing containers and virtual machines in Ubuntu Linux.
• Its seamless cloud-like experience enables scaling from a developer’s laptop to a cluster of up to 50 servers.
• Following the steps, users can easily install and utilize the Incus Container for efficient application management.
• For additional guidance on creating instances and further information, visit the Incus Containers page.

Frequently Asked Questions