How to Install FlatPress CMS with Apache on Ubuntu Linux

This article explains how to install FlatPress on Ubuntu Linux.

FlatPress is a flat-file content management system (CMS) based on PHP that is easy to install and set up. No database, just PHP — plain and simple!

Installing FlatPress CMS with Apache on Ubuntu Linux is a great way to manage your website content without needing a database. FlatPress is a lightweight and easy-to-install CMS that only requires PHP, making it ideal for small websites or personal blogs.

By using Apache as the web server, you can ensure that your website is secure and reliable while also taking advantage of the many features that Apache provides.

Additionally, the installation process for FlatPress with Apache on Ubuntu Linux is straightforward and well-documented, making it an accessible option for experienced and beginner users.

For more about FlatPress, please check their Homepage

Install Apache2 HTTP Server

FlatPress requires a web server, and the Apache2 HTTP server is the most popular open-source web server available today. To install the Apache2 server, run the commands below:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2

After installing Apache2, the commands below can stop, start, and enable the Apache2 service to always start up with the server boots.

sudo systemctl stop apache2.service
sudo systemctl start apache2.service
sudo systemctl enable apache2.service

Now that Apache2 has been installed browse your browser to the URL below to test whether the web server works.

http://localhost

If you see the page above, then Apache2 is successfully installed.

Install PHP 7.2 and Related Modules

FlatPress is a PHP-based CMS, and PHP is required. However, PHP 7.2 may not be available in Ubuntu’s default repositories. To run PHP 7.2 on Ubuntu 16.04 and previous, you may need to run the commands below:

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

Then update and upgrade to PHP 7.2

sudo apt update

Next, run the commands below to install PHP 7.2 and related modules.

sudo apt install php7.2 libapache2-mod-php7.2 php7.2-common php7.2-sqlite3 php7.2-mysql php7.2-gmp php7.2-curl php7.2-intl php7.2-mbstring php7.2-xmlrpc php7.2-gd php7.2-bcmath php7.2-xml php7.2-cli php7.2-zip

After installing PHP 7.2, run the commands below to open the PHP default configuration file for Apache2.

sudo nano /etc/php/7.2/apache2/php.ini

The lines below are a good setting for most PHP-based CMS. Update the configuration file with these and save.

file_uploads = On
allow_url_fopen = On
short_open_tag = On
memory_limit = 256M
upload_max_filesize = 100M
max_execution_time = 360
date.timezone = America/Chicago

Every time you change the PHP configuration file, you should restart the Apache2 web server. To do so, run the commands below:

sudo systemctl restart apache2.service

Once PHP is installed, create a test file called phpinfo.php in the Apache2 default root directory to test whether it’s functioning. ( /var/www/html/)

sudo nano /var/www/html/phpinfo.php

Then, type the content below and save the file.

<?php phpinfo( ); ?>

Next, open your browser and browse to the server’s hostname or IP address, followed by phpinfo.php

http://localhost/phpinfo.php

You should see the PHP default test page.

Download FlatPress’s Latest Release

After installing the server and packages above, go to the FlatPress download page and get the latest. Or use the commands below to download version 1.1 from its Github site.

cd /tmp
wget https://github.com/flatpressblog/flatpress/archive/1.1.zip
unzip 1.1.zip
sudo mv flatpress-1.1 /var/www/html/flatpress

Then, run the commands below to set the correct permissions for the FlatPress root directory and give Apache2 control.

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/flatpress/
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/flatpress/

Configure Apache2

Finally, configure the Apahce2 site configuration file for FlatPress. This file will control how users access FlatPress content. Run the commands below to create a new configuration file called flat press.conf

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

Then copy and paste the content below into the file and save it. Replace the highlighted line with your domain name and directory root location.

<VirtualHost *:80>
     ServerAdmin admin@example.com
     DocumentRoot /var/www/html/flatpress
     ServerName example.com
     ServerAlias www.example.com

     <Directory /var/www/html/flatpress/>
          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 and exit.

Enable the FlatPress and Rewrite Module

After configuring the VirtualHost above, please enable it by running the commands below.

sudo a2ensite flatpress.conf
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo systemctl restart apache2.service

Then open your browser and browse to the server domain name. You should see the complete FlatPress setup wizard. Please follow the wizard carefully.

http://example.com/

Then, follow the on-screen instructions.

Since there is no database, create an admin account and continue.

After that, the site should be created and ready to use.

Enjoy~

Congratulation! You have successfully installed FlatPress CMS on Ubuntu 16.04 | 18.04 and 18.10.

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