How to Install Shopware with Apache on Ubuntu 24.04

Install Apache HTTP server on Ubuntu

Installing the Apache web server on Ubuntu is the first step to getting Shopware up and running.

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

Shopware needs a database to store its data, so we’ll install MariaDB on 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 a Shopware database

With MariaDB ready, we’ll create a specific database named ‘shopwaredb’ and a user ‘shopwaredbuser’ to manage it for Shopware.

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

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

Ensure to replace ‘type_your_password_here ‘with your password.

Install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

Shopware is built with PHP, so we need to install it on your Ubuntu system, along with the essential extensions it requires to function properly.

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 Shopware files

Now that the server is set up, we’ll download the Shopware application files to your Ubuntu machine and get them ready for installation.

To always install the latest version, check the download page for Shopware. Get the download link and download the archived package to your computer. Then, extract it.

First, create a Shopware root folder and download the Shopware files.

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 Shopware installation.

sudo mkdir -p /var/www/shopware
cd /var/www/shopware
sudo wget https://github.com/shopware/web-recovery/releases/latest/download/shopware-installer.phar.php
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/shopware/

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

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

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

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

<VirtualHost *:80>
  ServerName shopware.example.com
  ServerAlias www.shopware.example.com
  ServerAdmin admin@example.com
  DocumentRoot /var/www/shopware
    
  <Directory /var/www/shopware/>
       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 shopware.conf
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Setup Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS for Shopware

To make your Shopware site secure, we will set up a free SSL/TLS certificate using Let’s Encrypt with your Apache web server 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://shopware.example.com/shopware-installer.phar.php

Shopware installation wizard should appear.

Select the installation language and continue.

Select the default PHP library path and continue.

Download the latest version.

After downloading, start the installation and type in the database details created above.

Next, configure your store name and create an admin account.

Shopware should be installed and ready to use.

After the installation, reopen the Apache virtual host file and change the DocumentRoot path from /var/www/shopware to /var/www/shopware/public.

Reload Apache to apply the changes.

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/shopware.conf
sudo systemctl reload apache2

That should do it!

Conclusion:

• 💿 Installing Shopware on Ubuntu with Apache provides a robust platform for managing online stores.
• Integrating Apache, MariaDB, and PHP ensures optimal performance and reliability.
• Following the installation steps ensures that your Shopware application is configured correctly.
• Securing your site with SSL/TLS from Let’s Encrypt adds an essential layer of protection for your e-commerce activities.
• With Shopware successfully installed, you can now leverage its features to enhance your online business experience.
• Regular updates and maintenance will help keep your Shopware installation secure and efficient.