How to Install CubeCart with Apache on Ubuntu 24.04

Install Apache HTTP server on Ubuntu

You can install Apache, the web server that shows your CubeCart store to visitors, on Ubuntu 24.04 using simple terminal commands. Running a few commands in the terminal is all it takes to get Apache up and running on your Ubuntu system, making your website accessible online.

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

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2

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

sudo systemctl stop apache2
sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2

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

http://localhost

When you see the Apache2 Default Page, it means the Apache HTTP server is successfully installed.

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

How to install Apache on Ubuntu

Install the MariaDB database server on Ubuntu

CubeCart needs a database to store all its important information, and MariaDB is a great choice for this on Ubuntu 24.04. You can install the MariaDB database server using simple terminal commands. This database server will hold all the data for your CubeCart online store, keeping it organised and accessible.

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 CubeCart database

After installing MariaDB, you must create a dedicated database for CubeCart to use for storing its data. This involves setting up a database, assigning it a username, and giving it a secure password. We’ll create a database named ‘abcartdb’ and a user called ‘abcartdbuser’ to keep things organised for your store.

As part of the setup, we will create an abcartdb database and a user account called abcartdbuser.

Finally, we’ll grant the abcartdbuser full access to the abcartdb 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 cubecartdb CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_general_ci;
CREATE USER cubecartdbuser@localhost IDENTIFIED BY 'type_your_password_here';
GRANT ALL ON cubecartdb.* TO cubecartdbuser@localhost WITH GRANT OPTION;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
exit

Ensure to replace ‘type_your_password_here ‘with your password.

Install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

CubeCart is built using PHP, a programming language that makes websites interactive and functional, so you need to install PHP on your Ubuntu 24.04 system. A straightforward terminal command will install the necessary PHP components. This ensures your CubeCart installation can run smoothly and all its features work correctly.

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

sudo apt install php libapache2-mod-php 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 CubeCart files

To begin setting up your online store, download the latest CubeCart files directly from their official website. These files contain the core software needed for your e-commerce site. Once downloaded, you’ll place them in the correct folder so your Apache web server can find them and make your store visible online.

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

cd /tmp/
wget https://www.cubecart.com/download/CubeCart-6.5.6.zip
sudo unzip CubeCart-*.zip -d /var/www/cubecart
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/cubecart

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

Run the commands below to create an Apache virtual host file for CubeCart.

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/cubecart.conf

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

<VirtualHost *:80>
  ServerName cubecart.example.com
  ServerAlias www.cubecart.example.com
  ServerAdmin admin@example.com
  DocumentRoot /var/www/cubecart
    
  <Directory /var/www/cubecart/>
       Options FollowSymlinks
       AllowOverride All
       Require all granted
  </Directory>

       ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
       CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Save the file.

After setting up your CubeCart website's Apache virtual host, you must run specific commands to activate this virtual host configuration and then restart the Apache web server for the changes to take effect.

sudo a2ensite cubecart.conf
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Setup Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS for CubeCart

To make your CubeCart store secure and trustworthy for visitors, set up a free SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt. This is a crucial step for online security, as it encrypts data exchanged between your visitors and your website. Setting up Let’s Encrypt with Apache on Ubuntu ensures your customers’ information is protected.

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

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

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

http://cubecart.example.com

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

Type in the database details created above and create an admin account.

Your CubeCart site should be ready.

That should do it!

Conclusion

This article provides steps to install and configure CubeCart on your Ubuntu 24.04 server using Apache. By following these instructions, you can successfully set up the CubeCart e-commerce platform.

• Prerequisites: Ensure your server has Apache, MariaDB, and PHP installed for a smooth CubeCart installation.
• Database Setup: Create a dedicated database for CubeCart and assign a user with relevant permissions.
• Installation Steps: Download and configure the CubeCart files, ensuring proper permissions for the Apache web server.
• Virtual Host Configuration: Set up an Apache virtual host to serve your CubeCart site effectively.
• SSL/TLS Security: Consider 💿 installing an SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt to secure your online store with HTTPS.
• Installation Wizard: Follow the CubeCart installation wizard to complete the setup and create your admin account.

With these steps, you can start managing your online store with CubeCart!