How to Install EspoCRM with Apache on Ubuntu 24.04

Install Apache HTTP server on Ubuntu

Installing the Apache HTTP server on Ubuntu 24.04 is your first step to getting EspoCRM running. Apache is a popular and reliable web server that will host your EspoCRM application. You can easily install it using simple commands in the Ubuntu terminal.

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

EspoCRM needs a database to store all its important information, and MariaDB is a great choice for your Ubuntu system. Installing MariaDB is a crucial next step to give EspoCRM a secure place for its data. You’ll use straightforward terminal commands to set it up.

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 EspoCRM database

Once MariaDB is installed, you need to create a dedicated database and user specifically for EspoCRM to keep its data organized and secure. We’ll set up a database named ‘espocrmdb’ and a user called ‘espocrmdbuser’, giving them full control over this database.

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

The espocrmdbuser database user gains full privileges on the espocrmdb database, allowing EspoCRM to perform all necessary operations like creating tables and saving data.

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

Install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

EspoCRM is built using PHP, so installing the correct PHP version and necessary extensions on your Ubuntu Linux system is essential for it to work properly. This step involves using terminal commands to install the latest PHP version along with modules like php-mysql and php-curl that EspoCRM requires.

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 php-ldap php-imap

Additional help on installing PHP

How to install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

Download EspoCRM files

Now it’s time to download the EspoCRM application files onto your Ubuntu server. You can find the latest version on the official EspoCRM download page. After getting the download link, you’ll download the files to your server, usually into the /tmp/ directory, and then get them ready for installation.

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

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

The final step is to change the permissions. This will allow the Apache web server to interact safely with the files, ensuring a secure environment for your EspoCRM installation.

EspoCRM requires specific Apache root folder permissions to function correctly. To set these permissions, run the following commands: `sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/espocrm` and `sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/espocrm`.

cd /tmp
wget https://www.espocrm.com/downloads/EspoCRM-9.0.2.zip
unzip EspoCRM-*.zip
sudo cp -rf EspoCRM-9.0.2 /var/www/espocrm
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/espocrm/
sudo chmod 755 /var/www/espocrm/data/

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

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

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

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

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

You enable the EspoCRM virtual host and restart the Apache web server by running two specific commands. This action ensures Apache recognizes the new EspoCRM configuration and makes your EspoCRM installation accessible to users on your network.

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

Setup Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS for EspoCRM

Securing your EspoCRM with a free Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS certificate is vital to protect the data exchanged between your browser and the server. We will use Certbot with Apache to get and set up this certificate, ensuring your EspoCRM site is encrypted and secure.

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://espocrm.example.com

The EspoCRM installation wizard should appear.

Select the installation language and continue.

Next, type in the database name, account name, and password.

Create an admin account and complete the installation.

* * * * * cd /var/www/espocrm; /usr/bin/php -f cron.php > /dev/null 2>&1

EspoCRM should be ready to use.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

• Cost-Effective Solution: 💿 Installing EspoCRM with Apache on Ubuntu provides a budget-friendly CRM solution for small businesses.
• Open Source: Utilizing open-source technologies allows flexibility and customization without licensing costs.
• Comprehensive Features: EspoCRM offers robust features for managing customer relationships, sales, and marketing effectively.
• Scalable Infrastructure: Apache and MariaDB create a scalable environment to grow alongside your business needs.
• Enhanced Security: Implementing SSL/TLS with Let’s Encrypt adds an essential layer of security for your EspoCRM installation.
• Easy Installation Process: The step-by-step guide simplifies the installation process, making it accessible even for those new to server management.

With these points in mind, businesses can harness the power of EspoCRM to improve customer relationship management and operational efficiency.