How to install October CMS with Apache on Ubuntu 24.04

Install Apache HTTP server on Ubuntu

Apache is a popular web server for Ubuntu, and you’ll need one to run October CMS. Installing Apache on Ubuntu 24.04 is straightforward using the 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

October CMS needs a database to keep its information safe, and MariaDB is a solid choice for Ubuntu. You can install the MariaDB database server on Ubuntu 24.04 using simple terminal commands.

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 an October CMS database

Once MariaDB is ready, you must create a specific database for October CMS to use. This guide shows you how to create the ‘octcmsdb’ database and a user for it.

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

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

Ensure to replace ‘type_your_password_here ‘with your password.

Install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

October CMS is built with PHP, so you need to install it on your Ubuntu system before you can run it. Installing the latest PHP version on Ubuntu 24.04 is done with a simple command.

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 October CMS files

It’s time to get the October CMS application files onto your Ubuntu server. You can download the latest version from the OctoberCMS website and move the files to the correct directory.

To always install the latest version, check the download page for OctoberCMS. If a new version is available, replace the version number in the link below.

First, navigate to the /tmp/ directory and download October CMS files. After unzipping the file, move the content into the October CMS 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 October CMS installation.

cd /tmp/
wget http://octobercms.com/download -O octobercms.zip
sudo unzip octobercms.zip
sudo mv install-master /var/www/octobercms
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/octobercms

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

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

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

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

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

Then, run the commands below to enable the virtual host and restart the Apache server.

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

Setup Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS for October CMS

Securing your October CMS website with a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate is important for HTTPS. This section explains how to set up Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS for Apache on Ubuntu.

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://octobercms.example.com/install.php/

An October CMS installation wizard page should appear. Select the installation language and continue.

Next, type in the database connection details created above and continue.

If you have a license, enter it. Otherwise, install without a license. View this page to obtain a free license.

After a brief moment, the installation should be completed.

Log on to the backend and start using the site.

That should do it!

If you run into trouble and you’re prompted to install Composer to install and configure OctoberCMS, follow the steps below to resolve it.

First, run the command below to install Composer and configure October CMS to function correctly.

You will need a license key to proceed with the steps below. View this page to obtain a free license.

sudo apt install curl git
curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | sudo php -- --install-dir=/usr/local/bin --filename=composer
cd /var/www/octobercms
sudo -u www-data composer install
udo -u www-data php artisan october:install
sudo -u www-data php artisan october:migrate

That should do it!

Conclusion:

In conclusion, installing October CMS on Ubuntu with Apache provides a powerful and flexible platform for building dynamic websites. Here are the key takeaways from the installation process:

• User-Friendly: October CMS is built on the Laravel framework, offering an intuitive interface for content management and customization.
• Robust Environment: The combination of Apache and MariaDB ensures a reliable environment capable of handling multiple visitors.
• Database Setup: Creating a dedicated database for October CMS is crucial for effectively managing your website’s data.
• PHP Support: 💿 Installing the latest version of PHP is essential, as October CMS is a PHP-based application.
• Security: Implementing an SSL/TLS certificate with Let’s Encrypt enhances the security of your site by enabling HTTPS.
• Simple Installation Process: The outlined steps provide a straightforward method to get October CMS up and running on your Ubuntu server.
• Community Support: Access to additional resources and documentation can help troubleshoot any issues encountered during installation.

By following this guide, you’ll be equipped to harness the full potential of October CMS for your web development projects!