How to Install sysPass Password Manager on Ubuntu

Install the Apache HTTP server

To install the Apache web server on Ubuntu, first update your system’s software list, then install the apache2 package. Finally, ensure Apache starts automatically when your computer boots.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2

Enable Apache to start automatically when your system boots up:

sudo systemctl enable --now apache2

Open your web browser and navigate to your server’s IP address to confirm Apache is running correctly.

Install the MariaDB database server

sysPass requires a database to store your passwords and other sensitive information. For this installation, you will use the MariaDB database server because MariaDB is a free and open-source database system that is widely compatible 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 is a tool used to install additional components for sysPass, acting like a package manager for its various parts. You can install Composer on Ubuntu by downloading its setup script and running it using PHP. This Composer installation process ensures sysPass gets all its necessary software parts.

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

Securing your connection: It’s crucial to never use a password manager over an unencrypted HTTP connection. Let’s install Certbot to get a free SSL certificate:

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

Follow the on-screen prompts to secure your domain. This sets up an encrypted ‘Virtual Host’ for your site. Think of a Virtual Host as a dedicated section on the server specifically for your website.

Create a database for sysPass

Log into MariaDB to create the storage area for sysPass:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Once you’re at the MariaDB prompt, run the following commands:

Install sysPass

Installing sysPass on your Ubuntu system involves cloning the program’s files using Git. After that, you need to give the correct permissions to these files and then run Composer. Composer fetches the remaining software required for sysPass to work properly.

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 your server details here. Then, enable the site and restart Apache:

sudo a2ensite syspass
sudo systemctl restart apache2

To complete the sysPass installation, visit your domain in a web browser. This action opens the sysPass web portal, where you will follow on-screen prompts to finalize your password manager setup, including creating your administrator account and setting initial configurations.

Enter your database credentials, create an administrator account, and click Install. You’re now all set to manage your passwords securely.

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