How to install Textpattern CMS with Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04

Install Nginx HTTP server on Ubuntu

You’ll need a web server to run Textpattern, and this guide uses Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04. Installing Nginx is simple using your terminal; just run a couple of commands to get it set up.

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

Textpattern needs a database to store its information, so we’ll install MariaDB on your Ubuntu system. Open your terminal and use the commands provided to install the necessary packages for MariaDB.

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 Textpattern database

With MariaDB installed, you need to create a specific database for Textpattern. We’ll set up a database named ‘tpdb’ and a user called ‘tpdbuser’ who will have full control over it, using simple commands in your terminal.

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

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

Ensure to replace ‘type_your_password_here ‘with your password.

Install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

Textpattern is built with PHP, so you must install it on your Ubuntu system for the CMS to work. The commands below will install the latest PHP version and all the extensions Textpattern needs.

Then, run the commands below to install the latest PHP version.

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-bcmath php-json php-sqlite3 php-soap php-zip

Additional help on installing PHP

How to install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

Download Textpattern files

Now it’s time to get the Textpattern CMS files onto your Ubuntu server. You can find the latest version on the official Textpattern website; download the archive, then extract it and move the files to the correct directory.

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

First, navigate to the /tmp/ directory and download the Textpattern files. Next, move the content into the Textpattern folder in the Nginx root directory.

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

cd /tmp/
wget https://textpattern.com/file_download/118/textpattern-4.8.8.zip
sudo unzip textpattern-*.zip
sudo mv textpattern-4.8.8 /var/www/textpattern
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/textpattern

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

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

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

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

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

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

    location / {
        index index.php;
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;
    }

    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;
    }

    location ^~ /themes/.txp$ {
      return 403;
    }

}

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/textpattern.conf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo systemctl restart nginx

Setup Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS for Textpattern

Securing your Textpattern website with an SSL/TLS certificate is important, and Let’s Encrypt provides a free way to do this for Nginx on Ubuntu. This guide links to detailed instructions on how to set up Let’s Encrypt for your Nginx server.

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://textpattern.example.com/textpattern/setup/

A Textpattern installation wizard page should appear. Select the installation language and continue.

Type in the database details created above and continue.

Before you proceed: Create a file called config.php in the /var/www/textpattern/textpattern/ directory and paste the following inside.

sudo nano /var/www/textpattern/textpattern/config.php

Paste the content below into the file and save.

<?php
$txpcfg['db'] = 'tpdb';
$txpcfg['user'] = 'tpdbuser';
$txpcfg['pass'] = 'type_your_password_here';
$txpcfg['host'] = 'localhost';
$txpcfg['table_prefix'] = '';
$txpcfg['txpath'] = '/var/www/textpattern/textpattern';
$txpcfg['dbcharset'] = 'utf8mb4';
// For more customization options, please consult config-dist.php file.

Create your admin account.

You should remove the setup directory from your /textpattern/ directory for security reasons. Please check the Admin Diagnostics panel from time to time for update announcements or troubleshooting hints.

sudo rm -rf /var/www/textpattern/textpattern/setup

Your site should be ready to use.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

Installing Textpattern CMS on Ubuntu 24.04 with Nginx offers a streamlined way to set up a powerful content management system. Here are the key takeaways:

• Lightweight and Elegant: Textpattern is a user-friendly CMS suitable for publishers, designers, and developers.
• Robust Infrastructure: Utilizing Nginx as your web server provides a stable and efficient hosting environment.
• Database Support: MariaDB is a reliable database server that manages your content securely.
• PHP Compatibility: The latest PHP installation ensures that Textpattern functions optimally with its features.
• Secure Installation: Implementing Let’s Encrypt SSL ensures your site is secure and trustworthy for your visitors.
• Easy Configuration: The installation involves clear steps and commands, making it accessible even for beginners.
• Final Steps: Don’t forget to create the config.php file and remove the setup directory to enhance security once the setup is complete.

Following these steps will create a versatile and secure website tailored to your needs using Textpattern CMS.