How to install OpenCart with Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04

Install Nginx HTTP server on Ubuntu

Nginx is a popular web server that works well with OpenCart, and installing it on Ubuntu 24.04 is simple using the terminal.

To do that, open the Ubuntu terminal and run the commands below to install the Nginx web server.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nginx

Once Nginx is installed, the commands below can start, stop, and enable the Nginx web server to start automatically when your server boots up.

sudo systemctl stop nginx
sudo systemctl start nginx
sudo systemctl enable nginx

You can test the Nginx web server by opening your web browser and browsing to the server’s localhost or IP address.

http://localhost

When you see the Welcome to nginx!, it means the Nginx HTTP server is successfully installed.

Additional help on installing Nginx on Ubuntu is in the link below.

How to install Nginx on Ubuntu

Install the MariaDB database server on Ubuntu

OpenCart needs a database to store its information, and MariaDB is a great choice for your Ubuntu system.

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 OpenCart database

With MariaDB set up, you’ll need to create a specific database for OpenCart to use, like ‘opencartdb’, and a user to manage it.

As part of the setup, we will create an opencartdb database and a corresponding user account called opencartdbuser.

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

Ensure to replace ‘type_your_password_here ‘with your password.

Install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

OpenCart is built with PHP, so you need to install the correct PHP packages on your Ubuntu system for it to work.

Run the commands below to install PHP.

sudo apt install php-fpm php-intl php-mysql php-curl php-cli php-zip php-xml php-gd php-common php-mbstring php-xmlrpc php-json php-sqlite3 php-soap php-zip

Additional help on installing PHP

How to install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

Download OpenCart files

You’ll need to download the OpenCart software files to your server to begin the installation process.

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

First, navigate to the /tmp/ directory and download OpenCart files. After unzipping the file, move the content into the OpenCart folder in the Nginx root directory.

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

cd /tmp
wget https://github.com/opencart/opencart/releases/download/4.0.2.3/opencart-4.0.2.3.zip
unzip opencart-4.0.2.3.zip
sudo mv opencart-*/upload/ /var/www/opencart

Next, create the config files and allow Nginx to use them.

sudo cp /var/www/opencart/config-dist.php /var/www/opencart/config.php
sudo cp /var/www/opencart/admin/config-dist.php /var/www/opencart/admin/config.php
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/opencart

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

Run the commands below to create a Nginx virtual host file for OpenCart.

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/opencart.conf

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

server {
    listen 80;
    listen [::]:80;
    root /var/www/opencart;
    index  index.php;
    server_name  opencart.example.com;

    access_log /var/log/nginx/example.com.access.log;
    error_log /var/log/nginx/example.com.error.log;

    location / {
        try_files $uri @opencart;
    }

    location /admin {
        index index.php;
    }

    location @opencart {
	 rewrite ^/(.+)$ /index.php?_route_=$1 last;
    }

    location ~ .php$ {
         include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
         fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock;
         fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
         include fastcgi_params;
    }
}

Save the file.

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

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/opencart.conf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo systemctl restart nginx.service

Setup Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS for OpenCart

Securing your OpenCart site with a free Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS certificate is important for trust and uses HTTPS.

Please read the post below for additional resources on installing and creating Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates for Nginx.

How to set up Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate for Nginx on Ubuntu Linux

Once you have restarted the Nginx web server, open your browser and browse to the server hostname or IP address defined in the Nginx server block.

http://opencart.example.com

An OpenCart installation wizard page should appear. Ensure all requirements are met and continue.

Next, enter the database name, create an account and password, and continue.

Your OpenCart site should be set up and ready to use.

Don’t forget to delete your installation directory!

sudo rm -rf /var/www/opencart/install/

That should do it!

Conclusion:

Installing OpenCart with Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04 provides a solid foundation for your e-commerce site. Here are key takeaways from the installation process:

• Choose the Right Components: Using Nginx for its performance and security features paired with Ubuntu’s user-friendly environment enhances reliability.
• Database Setup: MariaDB is a robust database solution that enables efficient data management for your OpenCart application.
• PHP Compatibility: Ensure you have the necessary PHP extensions installed to support OpenCart’s functionality.
• Easy Configuration: The virtual host setup simplifies Nginx’s management for serving OpenCart efficiently.
• SSL Security: Implementing Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates secures your site, reinforcing customer trust.
• Finalization: Deleting the installation directory post-setup is crucial for maintaining security.

Following these steps, you can establish a secure and functional OpenCart e-commerce platform on your Ubuntu server.