How to Fix Docker: Got Permission Denied Issue

By default, the docker command can only be run by the root user or by a user in the docker group, which is automatically created during Docker’s installation process. If you attempt to run the docker command without prefixing it with sudo or without being in the docker group, you’ll get an output like this:

Error:

docker: Got permission denied while trying to connect to the Docker daemon socket at unix:///var/run/docker.sock: Post http://%2Fvar%2Frun%2Fdocker.sock/v1.35/containers/create: dial unix /var/run/docker.sock: connect: permission denied. See ‘docker run –help’.

Resolution:

add your username to the docker group

sudo usermod -aG docker ${USER}

To apply the new group membership, log out of the server and back in, or type the following:

su - ${USER}

You will be prompted to enter your user’s password to continue.
Confirm that your user is now added to the docker group by typing:

groups

If you need to add a user to the docker group that you’re not logged in as, declare that username explicitly using:
sudo usermod -aG docker <username>