How to install ownCloud with Apache on Ubuntu 24.04

Install Apache HTTP server on Ubuntu

Install the Apache web server on Ubuntu 24.04 to host your ownCloud. Apache is a necessary program that lets your ownCloud work correctly by handling web requests. Open your Ubuntu terminal and use the commands to install it, then you can manage the Apache service to start or stop it.

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 MariaDB database server on Ubuntu Linux

ownCloud needs a database to store all its information, and MariaDB is a good choice for Ubuntu Linux. To install the MariaDB database server, open your Ubuntu terminal and run the commands to update your package list and install MariaDB. This database will store all your important ownCloud data.

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 ownCloud database

After setting up MariaDB, you must create a specific database and user just for ownCloud. This guide shows you how to create a database named ‘ownclouddb’ and a user called ‘ownclouddbuser,’ giving them full access. This dedicated setup is crucial for ownCloud to work and store its data safely.

As part of the setup, we will create a database named ‘ownclouddb‘ and a corresponding user account called ‘ownclouddbuser.’

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

Ensure to replace ‘type_your_password_here ‘with your password.

Install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

ownCloud is built using PHP, so you need to install a compatible version on your Ubuntu Linux system. For ownCloud, PHP version 7.4 is recommended because newer versions like PHP 8.x are not yet supported. Always check the official ownCloud requirements for the exact PHP version needed.

ownCloud runs with PHP version 7.4, but PHP 8.x is not currently supported. Always check the PHP requirements page to ensure you install the latest compatible version.

Run the commands below to install PHP 7.4.

First, add the following repository.

sudo apt-get install software-properties-common
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php

Then, install PHP 7.4 using the command below.

sudo apt install php7.4 libapache2-mod-php7.4 php7.4-intl php7.4-mysql php7.4-curl php7.4-cli php7.4-zip php7.4-xml php7.4-gd php7.4-gmp php7.4-common php7.4-mbstring php7.4-xmlrpc php7.4-json php7.4-sqlite3 php7.4-ldap php7.4-imap php7.4-pgsql php7.4-ssh2 php7.4-soap php7.4-zip

Additional help on installing PHP

How to install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

Download ownCloud files

Download the latest ownCloud software files and put them on your Ubuntu server. Visit the ownCloud download page to get the most current version. The steps will guide you to download the files, unzip them, and move them to the correct folder on your server so ownCloud can be installed.

ownCloud download page

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

wget https://download.owncloud.com/server/stable/owncloud-complete-20240226.zip -P /tmp
sudo unzip /tmp/owncloud-complete-20240226.zip -d /var/www
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/owncloud/

Once all the steps are done, configure the Apache webserver to serve the ownCloud content.

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

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

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

Alias /owncloud "/var/www/owncloud/"

<Directory /var/www/owncloud/>
  Options +FollowSymlinks
  AllowOverride All

 <IfModule mod_dav.c>
  Dav off
 </IfModule>

 SetEnv HOME /var/www/owncloud
 SetEnv HTTP_HOME /var/www/owncloud

</Directory>

Save the file.

Enable the Apache virtual host for ownCloud by running `sudo a2ensite owncloud.conf`. Then, restart the Apache web server to apply the changes by running `sudo systemctl restart apache2`.

sudo a2ensite owncloud.conf
sudo a2enmod env rewrite dir mime headers setenvif ssl
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Setup Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS for ownCloud

Keep your ownCloud data safe by setting up a Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS certificate for Apache on Ubuntu. This encrypts the connection between users and your ownCloud server, making it secure. After installing the certificate and restarting Apache, you can access your ownCloud safely.

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://localhost/owncloud

An ownCloud installation wizard page should appear. Create an administrator account and password, enter the database name, database account name, and password created above, and click Finish setup.

Your ownCloud site should be ready to use.

Set up a reverse proxy for ownCloud

Set up a reverse proxy with Apache to use a custom domain name for your ownCloud server, making it easier to access. This guide provides links to resources that will help you configure Apache as a reverse proxy. Once set up, you can reach your ownCloud using your chosen domain name.

The links below should help you set that up.

• Set up reverse proxy with Nginx
• Set up reverse proxy with Apache

That should do it!

Conclusion:

• 💿 Installing and configuring ownCloud with Apache support on Ubuntu 24.04 ensures enhanced user experience and seamless integration with the popular web server, improving performance, stability, and security.
• The step-by-step guide detailed instructions on 💿 installing the necessary components, including Apache HTTP server, MariaDB database server, and PHP on Ubuntu Linux.
• It thoroughly explained how to create and configure your ownCloud database, download your ownCloud files, set up Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS for yourCloud, and optionally set up a reverse proxy with Nginx or Apache.
• Using the provided resources and following the instructions will result in a fully functional ownCloud site ready for Ubuntu with Apache support.