How to Install Backdrop CMS with Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04

Install Nginx HTTP server on Ubuntu

To install Nginx HTTP server on Ubuntu for your Backdrop CMS Nginx Ubuntu setup, open your terminal and update your package list. Run sudo apt update followed by sudo apt install nginx to download and set up the web server. Once the installation finishes, Nginx starts automatically and handles web requests for your site.

To do that, open the Ubuntu terminal and run the commands below to install the 💿 Nginx web server.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nginx

Once Nginx is installed, the commands below can start, stop, and enable the Nginx web server to start automatically when your server boots up.

sudo systemctl stop nginx
sudo systemctl start nginx
sudo systemctl enable nginx

You can test the Nginx web server by opening your web browser and browsing to the server’s localhost or IP address.

http://localhost

When you see the Welcome to nginx!, it means the Nginx HTTP server is successfully installed.

Additional help on installing Nginx on Ubuntu is in the link below.

How to install Nginx on Ubuntu

Install the MariaDB database server on Ubuntu

To install the MariaDB database server on Ubuntu, open your terminal and run sudo apt install mariadb-server. This database stores all your Backdrop CMS Nginx Ubuntu site content and settings. After the installation completes, start and secure your database service using the built-in security script to protect your stored data.

To install and use the MariaDB database server, use the instructions below.

Open the Ubuntu terminal and run the commands below to install the MariaDB database server.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install mariadb-server

Once the MariaDB database server is installed, use the commands below to stop, start, and enable the MariaDB server to start automatically when the server boots.

sudo systemctl stop mariadb
sudo systemctl start mariadb
sudo systemctl enable mariadb

Run the following commands to validate and test if the MariaDB database server is installed successfully.

sudo mariadb

Once you run the commands above, it will log you onto the MariaDB console and display a message similar to the one below.

Welcome to the MariaDB monitor.  Commands end with ; or g.
Your MariaDB connection id is 32
Server version: 10.11.2-MariaDB-1 Ubuntu 23.04

Copyright (c) 2000, 2018, Oracle, MariaDB Corporation Ab and others.

Type 'help;' or 'h' for help. Type 'c' to clear the current input statement.

MariaDB [(none)]> 

The message tells you that the server is installed successfully.

Additional help on installing MariaDB.

• How to install MariaDB on Ubuntu Linux
• MariaDB without password prompt

Create a Backdrop database

To create a Backdrop database, log into your MariaDB shell using sudo mysql and run the SQL commands to set up your storage. Create a new database named backdropdb and a dedicated user called backdropdbuser with a secure password. Grant this user full privileges to the database so your Backdrop CMS Nginx Ubuntu installation can save and read data properly.

As part of the setup, we will create a backdropdb database and a user account called backdropdbuser.

Finally, we'll grant the backdropdbuser full access to the backdropdb database.

All the database steps above can be done using the commands below:

But first, log on to the MariaDB database server:

sudo mariadb

Then run the commands below to complete the steps:

CREATE DATABASE backdropdb CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_general_ci;
CREATE USER backdropdbuser@localhost IDENTIFIED BY 'type_your_password_here';
GRANT ALL ON backdropdb.* TO backdropdbuser@localhost WITH GRANT OPTION;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
exit

Install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

To install PHP on Ubuntu Linux for your Backdrop CMS Nginx Ubuntu server, update your software repository and install PHP-FPM along with the required modules. Run sudo apt install php-fpm php-mysql php-cli and other necessary extensions to ensure your website functions correctly. PHP processes the dynamic code behind your content management system.

Then, run the commands below to install the latest PHP version.

sudo apt install php-fpm php-intl php-mysql php-curl php-cli php-zip php-xml php-gd php-common php-mbstring php-xmlrpc php-bcmath php-json php-sqlite3 php-soap php-zip

Additional help on installing PHP

How to install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

Download Backdrop files

To download Backdrop files for your Backdrop CMS Nginx Ubuntu setup, visit the official project website to grab the direct link for the latest archive. Use the wget command in your terminal to download the tar.gz file directly to your web root directory. Extract the compressed folder using the tar command to prepare your site files for installation.

To always install the latest version, check the download page for Backdrop. Get the download link and download the archived package to your computer. Then, extract it.

First, navigate to the /tmp/ directory and download the Backdrop files. Next, move the content into the Backdrop folder in the Nginx root directory.

This will allow the Nginx web server to interact safely with the files, ensuring a secure environment for your Backdrop installation.

cd /tmp/
wget https://github.com/backdrop/backdrop/releases/download/1.29.1/backdrop.zip
sudo unzip backdrop.zip
sudo mv backdrop /var/www/backdrop
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/backdrop

Once you have completed all the above steps, continue configuring the Nginx web server below to serve the Backdrop content.

Run the commands below to create a Nginx virtual host file for Backdrop.

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/backdrop.conf

Then, copy and paste the content block below into the Nginx server block.

server {
    listen 80;
    listen [::]:80;
    root /var/www/backdrop;
    index  index.php;
    server_name  backdrop.example.com;

    access_log /var/log/nginx/example.com.access.log;
    error_log /var/log/nginx/example.com.error.log;

    location / {
        try_files $uri @backdrop;
    }

    location @backdrop {
	 rewrite ^(.*)$ /index.php?q=$1 last;
    }

    location ~ .php$ {
         include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
         fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock;
         fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
         include fastcgi_params;
    }
}

Save the file.

You can enable the Backdrop CMS virtual host by running `sudo a2ensite backdrop.conf` and then restart the Nginx web server with `sudo systemctl restart nginx` to apply the changes.

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/backdrop.conf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo systemctl restart nginx

Setup Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS for Backdrop

To set up Let's Encrypt SSL/TLS for Backdrop, install Certbot and the Nginx plugin using your Ubuntu terminal. Run sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx to get the software needed for free security certificates. Execute certbot --nginx to automatically configure HTTPS and secure your Backdrop CMS Nginx Ubuntu web traffic.

Please read the post below for additional resources on installing and creating Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates for Nginx.

How to set up Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate for Nginx on Ubuntu Linux

Once you have restarted the Nginx web server, open your browser and browse to the server hostname or IP address defined in the Nginx server block.

http://backdrop.example.com

A Backdrop installation wizard page should appear. Select the installation language and continue.

Type the database connection details created above and continue.

Create an admin account and continue.

Your Backdrop site should be ready.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

Installing Backdrop CMS with Nginx on Ubuntu is a straightforward process that empowers users to manage their web content efficiently. Here are the key takeaways:

• System Setup: Installing Nginx and MariaDB lays the foundation for a robust web server environment.
• Database Configuration: Creating a dedicated database for Backdrop ensures a clean and organized data storage solution.
• PHP Installation: Utilizing the latest PHP version enhances application performance and security.
• File Management: Proper downloading and extraction of Backdrop files is crucial for seamless operation.
• Nginx Configuration: Setting up a virtual host enables effective handling of user requests for the Backdrop application.
• Security: Implementing an SSL certificate further protects user data and enhances trustworthiness.
• User-Friendly: The Backdrop installation wizard simplifies the final setup steps for a new site.

Installing Backdrop CMS with Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04 allows you to create a secure and efficient website for your content management needs. Following these specific installation steps ensures a robust setup.