How To Install Minikube on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS

Minikube is an essential tool for developers working with Kubernetes, providing a lightweight, local Kubernetes environment for testing and development purposes. As containerization and microservices architecture continue to gain popularity, the ability to run a local Kubernetes cluster has become increasingly valuable. This guide will walk you through the process of installing Minikube on Ubuntu 24.04, enabling you to set up your own local Kubernetes playground.

By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a fully functional Minikube installation on your Ubuntu 24.04 system, ready for deploying and testing Kubernetes applications. We’ll cover everything from system preparation to troubleshooting common issues, ensuring you have a smooth installation experience.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the installation process, let’s ensure your system meets the necessary requirements for running Minikube effectively.

System Requirements

• CPU: 2 cores or more
• RAM: At least 2GB (4GB recommended)
• Storage: 20GB of free disk space

Software Requirements

• Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Long Term Support) installed and updated
• Docker or another compatible container runtime

User Permissions

You’ll need sudo access to perform various installation steps. Ensure you have the necessary permissions before proceeding.

Preparing the Ubuntu 24.04 Environment

Let’s start by preparing your Ubuntu 24.04 system for Minikube installation.

Updating the System

First, update your system’s package index and upgrade existing packages:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

Installing Essential Packages

Install some essential packages that will be needed during the installation process:

sudo apt install -y curl wget apt-transport-https

Setting Up Docker

If you haven’t already installed Docker, you can do so with the following commands:

sudo apt install docker.io -y
sudo systemctl enable docker
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

After adding your user to the Docker group, log out and log back in for the changes to take effect.

Installing Minikube

Now that our environment is prepared, let’s proceed with installing Minikube.

Downloading the Minikube Binary

Download the latest Minikube binary using curl:

curl -LO https://storage.googleapis.com/minikube/releases/latest/minikube-linux-amd64

Installing Minikube

Move the downloaded binary to a directory in your PATH and make it executable:

sudo install minikube-linux-amd64 /usr/local/bin/minikube

Verifying the Installation

Verify that Minikube has been installed correctly by checking its version:

minikube version

You should see output similar to: minikube version: v1.x.x

Installing kubectl

kubectl is the command-line tool for interacting with Kubernetes clusters. Let’s install it next.

Downloading kubectl

Download the latest stable version of kubectl:

curl -LO "https://dl.k8s.io/release/$(curl -L -s https://dl.k8s.io/release/stable.txt)/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl"

Installing kubectl

Install kubectl and make it executable:

sudo install -o root -g root -m 0755 kubectl /usr/local/bin/kubectl

Verifying kubectl Installation

Check that kubectl is installed correctly:

kubectl version --client

You should see version information for kubectl.

Configuring and Starting Minikube

With Minikube and kubectl installed, it’s time to configure and start your local Kubernetes cluster.

Choosing a Driver

Minikube supports various drivers. For this guide, we’ll use Docker as the driver. Ensure Docker is running before proceeding.

Starting Minikube

Start Minikube with the Docker driver:

minikube start --driver=docker

This command will download the necessary Kubernetes components and configure your local cluster.

Verifying Minikube Status

Check the status of your Minikube cluster:

minikube status

You should see output indicating that Minikube is running, and the Kubernetes components are properly configured.

Basic Minikube Operations

Let’s explore some basic operations you can perform with your newly installed Minikube cluster.

Starting and Stopping Minikube

To stop your Minikube cluster:

minikube stop

To start it again:

minikube start

Accessing the Minikube Dashboard

Minikube comes with a built-in dashboard for managing your cluster. Access it with:

minikube dashboard

This will open the Kubernetes dashboard in your default web browser.

Managing Minikube Addons

Minikube offers various addons to enhance your local Kubernetes experience. List available addons:

minikube addons list

Enable an addon (e.g., metrics-server):

minikube addons enable metrics-server

Deploying a Sample Application

Let’s deploy a simple application to test our Minikube installation.

Creating a Deployment

Deploy a simple Nginx web server:

kubectl create deployment hello-minikube --image=nginx

Exposing the Deployment

Expose the deployment to make it accessible:

kubectl expose deployment hello-minikube --type=NodePort --port=80

Accessing the Application

Get the URL to access your application:

minikube service hello-minikube --url

Open this URL in your web browser to see the Nginx welcome page.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

While installing and using Minikube, you might encounter some common issues. Here are solutions to a few of them:

Driver-related Problems

If you encounter issues with the Docker driver, ensure Docker is running and you have the necessary permissions. You can also try using an alternative driver like VirtualBox:

minikube start --driver=virtualbox

Network Issues

If Minikube fails to pull images or connect to the internet, check your network connection and firewall settings. You may need to configure proxy settings if you’re behind a corporate firewall.

Resource Constraints

If Minikube fails due to insufficient resources, try allocating more CPU and memory:

minikube start --cpus 4 --memory 4096

Best Practices and Tips

To get the most out of your Minikube installation, consider these best practices:

Resource Management

Allocate appropriate resources to Minikube based on your system capabilities and the applications you plan to run.

Regular Updates

Keep Minikube, kubectl, and your container runtime up to date to ensure compatibility and access to the latest features.

Using Profiles for Multiple Clusters

Minikube supports profiles, allowing you to run multiple clusters. Create a new profile with:

minikube start -p mycluster

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Minikube. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing Minikube on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS system. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the Minikube website.