How to Install sysPass Password Manager on Ubuntu

Install the Apache HTTP server

Start by updating the system’s software list before installing 💿 the Apache web server package. Finally, ensure Apache starts automatically when the computer boots.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2

Enable Apache to start automatically when the system boots up:

sudo systemctl enable --now apache2

Open a web browser and navigate to the server's IP address to confirm Apache runs correctly.

Install the MariaDB database server

sysPass requires a database to store passwords and other sensitive information. MariaDB handles the database backend here, offering free, open-source storage that pairs well with sysPass.

sudo apt install mariadb-server
sudo systemctl enable --now mariadb

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Install PHP

sysPass 2026 requires PHP 8.2 or 8.3. Run these commands to install the necessary modules:

sudo apt install php8.3 php8.3-mysql php8.3-xml php8.3-mbstring php8.3-curl php8.3-gd php8.3-intl php8.3-bcmath libapache2-mod-php8.3 git

General: Composer and SSL Configuration

Composer acts as a package manager, fetching the extra PHP components that sysPass requires to function. Installing Composer on Ubuntu involves downloading a setup script and executing it via PHP. This process guarantees the application receives all required dependencies.

php -r "copy('https://getcomposer.org/installer', 'composer-setup.php');"
sudo php composer-setup.php --install-dir=/usr/local/bin --filename=composer

Securing the connection: Running a password manager over an unencrypted HTTP connection poses a major security risk. Install Certbot to obtain a free SSL certificate:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache
sudo certbot --apache

Follow the on-screen prompts to secure the domain. This configures an encrypted Virtual Host (a dedicated server section configured specifically for a single website).

Create a database for sysPass

Log into MariaDB to create the storage area for sysPass:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Once at the MariaDB prompt, run the following commands:

Install sysPass

Installing sysPass on an Ubuntu system involves cloning program files using Git. Afterward, assign correct permissions to these directories before running Composer to fetch the remaining application files.

git clone https://github.com/nuxsmin/sysPass.git /var/www/html/syspass
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/syspass
cd /var/www/html/syspass
sudo composer install --no-dev

Now, create the Apache configuration file for sysPass:

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

Add server details here, then enable the site and restart Apache:

sudo a2ensite syspass
sudo systemctl restart apache2

To complete the sysPass installation, visit the configured domain in a web browser. This action opens the sysPass web portal, where on-screen prompts finalize the password manager setup, including administrator account creation and initial configurations.

Enter database credentials, create an administrator account, and click Install. The password manager is now ready for secure use.

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