How to Install Solr on Linux Using Docker

Installing Apache Solr using Docker on a Linux system can significantly streamline your setup process. Whether you’re a developer, a system administrator, or just dabbling in search technologies, using Docker can help you maintain a clean and manageable working environment. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the entire process, from removing existing packages to creating your very own Solr core.

Prerequisites

Before we get started, you’ll need a Linux system with internet access and sudo privileges. For the purposes of this guide, we will assume you are using a CentOS-based distribution. And same should also work for RHEL as well as AlmaLinux.

Step 1: Remove Existing Podman

First, it’s good practice to remove any existing installations of Podman that might conflict with Docker:

bash

sudo dnf remove -y podman

Step 2: Install Docker Dependencies

Next, install the necessary Docker dependencies:

bash

sudo dnf install -y dnf-plugins-core

Step 3: Add Docker Repository

Add the Docker repository to your system to ensure you get the latest version:

bash

sudo dnf config-manager –add-

repo=https://download.docker.com/linux/centos/docker-ce.repo

Step 4: Install Docker

Install Docker by running:

bash

sudo dnf install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io

Step 5: Start Docker Service

Once Docker is installed, start the Docker service:

bash

sudo systemctl start docker

Step 6: Pull the Solr Docker Image

Now, pull the Solr image from the Docker repository:

bash

sudo docker pull solr:8.11.0

Step 7: Set Up Solr Data Directory

Before running Solr, create a directory for Solr data and ensure it has the appropriate permissions:

bash

cd ~

mkdir solr-data

chmod -R 755 solr-data

chmod -R 777 ~/solr-data

Step 8: Run Solr on Docker

Run the Solr container with the following command:

bash

sudo docker run -d –name my-solr -p 8983:8983 -v ~/solr-

data:/var/solr/data solr:8.11.0

Solr should now be accessible at http://:8983, where should be replaced with the IP address of your Linux machine.

Step 9: Create a New Solr Core

To create a new Solr core, first find the name or ID of your Solr container:

bash

sudo docker ps

Then, execute the following command to create a core named “my-core”:

bash

sudo docker exec -it my-solr bin/solr create_core -c my-core

Conclusion

And there you have it! Your Solr instance should be up and running on Docker, and you’ve successfully created a new Solr core. This setup not only keeps your environment clean but also makes it easy to manage Solr instances across different projects. Feel free to experiment with different Solr configurations and explore its extensive features to enhance your search capabilities.

By following these steps, you can efficiently manage your Solr instances with Docker, ensuring a scalable and reliable search service architecture. If you have any questions or need further assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out or consult the extensive Docker and Solr documentation available online. Happy searching!