How to Install LimeSurvey with Apache on Ubuntu 24.04

Install Apache HTTP server on Ubuntu

You need to install the Apache web server to run LimeSurvey on Ubuntu 24.04. Apache is a very common and reliable choice for web servers, especially on Ubuntu systems. Open your terminal and run a couple of simple commands to get Apache installed and ready to go.

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

LimeSurvey requires a database to keep all your survey data safe, and MariaDB is an excellent option for Ubuntu. Installing MariaDB is straightforward and just involves opening your terminal and running a few commands. This will set up the necessary database server for LimeSurvey.

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 LimeSurvey database

Once MariaDB is installed, you need to create a special database for LimeSurvey to hold all your survey results and settings. We will create a database named ‘limesurveydb’ and a user called ‘limesurveydbuser’ to manage it. This user will have all the necessary permissions for the database.

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

The limesurveydbuser gains complete access privileges to the limesurveydb database, a necessary step for LimeSurvey to manage survey data and configurations without encountering permission errors during operation.

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

Install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

LimeSurvey is built using PHP, so installing PHP on your Ubuntu system is essential for it to function properly. You’ll need to install PHP along with some specific extensions that LimeSurvey relies on. Run the command in your terminal to get the latest PHP version and these required modules.

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 LimeSurvey files

To start setting up LimeSurvey, you need to download its files onto your Ubuntu computer. You can always find the most recent version on the official LimeSurvey download page. Once you have the download link, get the compressed file and extract it so it’s ready for installation.

First, navigate to the /tmp/ directory and download the LimeSurvey files. Next, extract the content into the LimeSurvey 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 LimeSurvey installation.

To ensure the LimeSurvey application functions correctly, you must change Apache's root folder permissions. Run the following commands in your terminal to grant the necessary access to the web server, allowing LimeSurvey to write and manage its files effectively within the designated directory.

cd /tmp
wget https://download.limesurvey.org/latest-5.x/limesurvey5.6.68+240625.zip
sudo unzip limesurvey*.zip -d /var/www/
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/limesurvey/

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

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

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

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

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

To make LimeSurvey accessible, run these commands: `sudo a2ensite limesurvey.conf` turns on the virtual host file, and `sudo systemctl restart apache2` restarts the Apache web server, allowing LimeSurvey to be viewed in your browser.

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

Setup Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS for LimeSurvey

Setting up a free SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt is important to secure your LimeSurvey installation with HTTPS. This helps protect all the data shared through your surveys. Follow a guide for installing Let’s Encrypt certificates with Apache on Ubuntu to ensure your LimeSurvey site is safe 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://limesurvey.example.com

The LimeSurvey installation wizard should appear.

Select the installation language and start the installation.

Type in the database name and password, then click Next.

Create an admin account and continue.

LimeSurvey should be ready to use.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

In summary, installing LimeSurvey with Apache on Ubuntu 24.04 involves several key steps:

• Apache Installation: Successfully set up the Apache webserver to handle HTTP requests.
• MariaDB Setup: Installed MariaDB and created a dedicated database for LimeSurvey.
• PHP Installation: Ensured PHP is installed with all necessary extensions to support LimeSurvey functionality.
• LimeSurvey Files: Downloaded and configured the LimeSurvey application in the Apache root directory.
• Apache Configuration: Created a virtual host for LimeSurvey to ensure it runs smoothly on the server.
• SSL Security: Enhanced security for LimeSurvey using Let’s Encrypt for HTTPS support.

Installing LimeSurvey with Apache on Ubuntu 24.04 deploys survey software for stable and efficient management of your surveys. This installation process ensures your survey projects launch and are managed without technical issues, allowing you to handle your survey data effectively.