How to Install FreeScout with Nginx on Ubuntu Linux

Install Nginx on Ubuntu Linux

Nginx is the web server that will show your FreeScout help desk to people visiting your site. Installing Nginx on Ubuntu is straightforward: first, update your package list, then use a simple command to install the nginx package.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nginx

You can manage the Nginx service (start, stop, restart it) with these commands:

sudo systemctl start nginx
sudo systemctl enable nginx

Open your web browser and go to your server’s IP address. You should see the “Welcome to nginx!” page.

Additional help on installing Nginx: How to install Nginx on Ubuntu

Install MariaDB on Ubuntu Linux

MariaDB is where all your FreeScout help desk information, like tickets and user data, will be stored. To install MariaDB on Ubuntu, you’ll first update your system’s package list and then install the mariadb-server package using a command.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install mariadb-server

Ensure it starts automatically:

sudo systemctl enable mariadb
sudo systemctl start mariadb

Test the connection:

sudo mariadb

You should see a welcome message showing the version. Additional help on installing MariaDB: How to install MariaDB on Ubuntu Linux

Create FreeScout database

FreeScout requires a dedicated database named 'freescoutdb' to securely store all its data. You will create this database after running a command to secure your MariaDB setup. Then, you will log into MariaDB and create the 'freescoutdb' database.

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Now, log back into MariaDB to create your database:

sudo mariadb

Run these commands inside the MariaDB console:

CREATE DATABASE freescoutdb CHARSET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;
CREATE USER freescoutdbuser@localhost IDENTIFIED BY 'your_secure_password';
GRANT ALL ON freescoutdb.* TO freescoutdbuser@localhost WITH GRANT OPTION;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
exit

Install PHP and Required Extensions

FreeScout needs PHP to process logic, and we’ll use PHP 8.3, which is the standard version for Ubuntu 24.04.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php
sudo apt update
sudo apt install php8.3-fpm php8.3-mysql php8.3-curl php8.3-gd php8.3-imap php8.3-mbstring php8.3-xml php8.3-zip php8.3-intl

Download and Configure FreeScout

Create the directory and download the files:

sudo mkdir -p /var/www/freescout
cd /var/www/freescout
sudo git clone https://github.com/freescout-helpdesk/freescout .
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/freescout

Nginx Server Block and SSL

You need to tell Nginx how to handle requests for your FreeScout site by setting up a server block. This involves creating a new file in the Nginx configuration area and adding the correct settings that point to your FreeScout files.

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/freescout

Enable the site:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/freescout /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo systemctl restart nginx

Secure with Certbot:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
sudo certbot --nginx

Follow the prompts to secure your domain with a free SSL certificate.

Installation Wizard

The FreeScout installation wizard guides you through the final setup steps directly in your web browser. When you visit your domain, you’ll check that your system meets the requirements, enter the database details you just created, and then set up your administrator account.

• Check requirements
• Enter database details
• Create your admin account

Once finished, set up the background tasks by running sudo crontab -u www-data -e and adding the line provided by the FreeScout installer. You are now ready to log in and start your dashboard.

Conclusion: By self-hosting, you keep your data private and save money. You now have a fully functional help desk ready for use.

Reference: FreeScout