How to Install Doptor CMS with Apache on Ubuntu Linux

This brief tutorial shows students and new users how to install Doptor CMS on Ubuntu 18.04 | 16.04 with an Apache2 HTTP server.

Doptor CMS is an open-source, responsive Content Management System (CMS) based on the Laravel framework; it comes with cross-browser and bootstrap support that you’ll want to power your following websites or blogs.

This new, lightweight blogging platform provides an end user with the tools to build and maintain a sustainable web presence for professionals and businesses alike.

Doptor CMS also has built-in modules that extend its functionality, and the platform is actively being developed.

For more about Doptor CMS, please check its homepage

To get started with installing Doptor CMS, follow the steps below:

Install Apache2 HTTP Server on Ubuntu

Apache2 HTTP Server is the most popular web server in use. Install it since Doptor CMS needs it.

To install Apache2 HTTP on the Ubuntu server, run the commands below.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2

After installing Apache2, the commands below can stop, start, and enable the Apache2 service to always start up with the server boots.

sudo systemctl stop apache2.service
sudo systemctl start apache2.service
sudo systemctl enable apache2.service

To test the Apache2 setup, open your browser and browse to the server hostname or IP address. You should see the Apache2 default test page, as shown below. When you see that, then Apache2 is working as expected.

http://localhost

Install MariaDB Database Server

Doptor CMS also needs a database server to store its content. The MariaDB database server is a great place to start when looking at open-source database servers with Doptor CMS.

To install MariaDB, run the commands below.

sudo apt-get install mariadb-server mariadb-client

After installing MariaDB, the commands below can stop, start, and enable the service to start when the server boots.

Run these on Ubuntu

sudo systemctl stop mariadb.service
sudo systemctl start mariadb.service
sudo systemctl enable mariadb.service

After that, run the commands below to secure the MariaDB server by creating a root password and disallowing remote root access.

sudo mysql_secure_installation

When prompted, answer the questions below by following the guide.

Enter current password for root (enter for none): Just press the Enter
Set root password? [Y/n]: Y
New password: Enter password
Re-enter new password: Repeat password
Remove anonymous users? [Y/n]: Y
Disallow root login remotely? [Y/n]: Y
Remove test database and access to it? [Y/n]: Y
Reload privilege tables now? [Y/n]: Y

Restart MariaDB server

To test if MariaDB is installed, type the commands below to log on to the MariaDB server.

sudo mysql -u root -p

Then, type the password you created above to sign on. If successful, you should see a MariaDB welcome message.

Install PHP 7.1 and Related Modules

PHP 7.1 may not be available in Ubuntu default repositories. To install it, you will have to get it from third-party repositories.

Run the commands below to add the below third party repository to upgrade to PHP 7.1

sudo apt-get install software-properties-common
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php

Then update and upgrade to PHP 7.1

sudo apt update

Next, run the commands below to install PHP 7.1 and related modules.

sudo apt install php7.1 libapache2-mod-php7.1 php7.1-common php7.1-gmp php7.1-curl php7.1-sqlite php7.1-intl php7.1-mbstring php7.1-xmlrpc php7.1-mysql php7.1-gd php7.1-mcrypt php7.1-xml php7.1-cli php7.1-zip

After installing PHP 7.2, run the commands below to open the PHP default config file for Apache2.

sudo nano /etc/php/7.1/apache2/php.ini

Then, save the changes on the following lines below in the file. The value below is an ideal setting to apply in your environment.

file_uploads = On
allow_url_fopen = On
short_open_tag = On
memory_limit = 256M
upload_max_filesize = 100M
max_execution_time = 360
max_input_vars = 1500
date.timezone = America/Chicago

After making the change above, please save the file and close it.

Create a Doptor CMS Database

Now that you’ve installed all the required packages continue below to start configuring the servers. First, create a Doptor CMS database.

Run the commands below to log on to MariaDB. When prompted for a password, type the root password you created above.

sudo mysql -u root -p

Then, create a database called doptor

CREATE DATABASE doptor;

Create a database user called doctor user with a new password

CREATE USER 'doptoruser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'new_password_here';

Then, grant the user full access to the doptor database.

GRANT ALL ON doptor.* TO 'doptoruser'@'localhost' WITH GRANT OPTION;

Finally, save your changes and exit.

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

After installing PHP and related modules, you must restart Apache2 to reload PHP configurations.

To restart Apache2, run the commands below

sudo systemctl restart apache2.service

To test PHP 7.2 settings with Apache2, create a phpinfo.php file in the Apache2 root directory by running the commands below

sudo nano /var/www/html/phpinfo.php

Then, type the content below and save the file.

<?php phpinfo( ); ?>

Save the file. Then browse to your server hostname followed by /phpinfo.php

http://localhost/phpinfo.php

You should see the PHP default test page.

Download Doptor CMS Latest Release

To get Doptor CMS’s latest release, you may want to use the GitHub repository. Install Composer, Curl, and other dependencies to get started.

sudo apt install curl git
curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | sudo php -- --install-dir=/usr/local/bin --filename=composer

After installing curl and Composer above, change into the Apache2 root directory and download Doptor CMS packages from Github.

cd /var/www/
sudo git clone https://github.com/Doptor/Doptor.git doptor
cd /var/www/doptor
sudo composer install --no-dev

After that, run the commands below to set the correct permissions for Doptor to function.

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/doptor/
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/doptor/

Configure Apache2

Finally, configure the Apahce2 site configuration file for Doptor CMS. This file will control how users access Doptor CMS content. Run the commands below to create a new configuration file called doptor. conf

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

Then copy and paste the content below into the file and save it. Replace the highlighted line with your domain name and directory root location.

<VirtualHost *:80>
     ServerAdmin admin@example.com
     DocumentRoot /var/www/doptor
     ServerName example.com
     ServerAlias www.example.com

     <Directory /var/www/doptor/>
        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 and exit.

Enable the Doptor CMS and Rewrite Module

After configuring the VirtualHost above, please enable it by running the commands below.

sudo a2ensite doptor.conf
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo systemctl restart apache2.service

Then open your browser and browse to the server domain name. You should see the Doptor CMS default home page.

http://example.com/

Start building your site

Conclusion:

You have learned how to install Doptor CMS on Ubuntu with an Apache2 HTTP server. If you find any error above, please leave a comment below.

Thanks,