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How to install InvoicePlane with Apache on Ubuntu Linux

Richard

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This article explains how to install InvoicePlane, an open-source invoicing and payment platform, on Ubuntu Linux with Apache support. Detailed steps are provided to install Apache2 and MariaDB, secure the database, upgrade PHP from a third-party repository, create an InvoicePlane database, configure the servers, and setup Apache2 virtual host configuration. A step-by-step installation guide follows…

This article describes the steps to install InvoicePlane on Ubuntu Linux with Apache support.

InvoicePlane is an open-source, self-hosted application based on PHP for managing quotes, invoices, and payments. To run it, a web server and a database server are required.

Apache is one of the most popular web servers widely used to host PHP applications. Therefore, installing InvoicePlane with Apache on Ubuntu Linux is a popular choice for those who want to manage their business quotes, invoices, and payments using an open-source application.

Additionally, Ubuntu is a popular Linux distribution that is easy to use and widely supported, making it a great choice for hosting the InvoicePlane application.

This post covers installing the latest version of InvoicePlane, which is  v1.5.5.

How to install InvoicePlane on Ubuntu Linux with Apache support

As described above, InvoicePlane is an open-source, self-hosted application based on PHP for managing quotes, invoices, and payments.

Install Apache

InvoicePlane requires a webserver to function, and the most popular web server today is Apache. So, go and install Apache2 on Ubuntu by running the commands below:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2

Next, run the commands below to 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

Install MariaDB

InvoicePlane also requires a database server to function, and the MariaDB database server is a great place to start.

To install it, run the commands below.

sudo apt-get install mariadb-server mariadb-client

After installation, the commands below can stop, start, and enable the MariaDB service to start up when the server boots.

sudo systemctl stop mysql.service
sudo systemctl start mysql.service
sudo systemctl enable mysql.service

After that, run the commands below to secure the MariaDB server.

sudo mysql_secure_installation

When prompted, answer the questions below by following the guide.

  • Enter current password for root (enter for none): Press the Enter
  • Set root password? [Y/n]: Y
  • New password: Enter password
  • Re-enter new password: Repeat password
  • Remove anonymous users? [Y/n]: Y
  • Disallow root login remotely? [Y/n]: Y
  • Remove test database and access to it? [Y/n]:  Y
  • Reload privilege tables now? [Y/n]:  Y

Install PHP 7.1 and Related Modules

PHP 7.1 isn’t available on Ubuntu’s default repositories. So, to install it, you will have to get it from third-party repositories.

Run the commands below to add the below third party repository to upgrade to PHP 7.1

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

Then update and upgrade to PHP 7.1

sudo apt update

Run the commands below to install PHP 7.1 and related modules.

sudo apt install php7.1 libapache2-mod-php7.1 php7.1-common php7.1-mbstring php7.1-xmlrpc php7.1-soap php7.1-gd php7.1-xml php7.1-intl php7.1-mysql php7.1-cli php7.1-mcrypt php7.1-zip php7.1-curl

After installing PHP 7.1, run the commands below to open the PHP-FPM default file.

sudo nano /etc/php/7.1/apache2/php.ini

Then change to the following lines below in the file and save.

file_uploads = On
allow_url_fopen = On
memory_limit = 256M
upload_max_filesize = 64M
max_execution_time = 360
date.timezone = America/Chicago

Create InvoicePlane Database

Now that you’ve installed all the required packages continue below to start configuring the servers.

First, create a blank InvoicePlane database.

Run the commands below to log on to the database server. When prompted for a password, type the root password you created above.

sudo mysql -u root -p

Then, create a database called invplanedb

CREATE DATABASE invplanedb;

Create a database user called invplaneuser with a new password

CREATE USER 'invplaneuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'new_password_here';

Then, grant the invplaneuser full access to the database.

GRANT ALL ON invplanedb.* TO 'invplaneuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'user_password_here' WITH GRANT OPTION;

Finally, save your changes and exit.

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Download InvoicePlane Latest Release

Next, visit the InvoicePlane site and download the latest version.

After downloading, run the commands below to create a root directory for InvoicePlane and extract the downloaded file into the Apache2 root directory.

cd /tmp && wget -c -O v1.5.5.zip https://invoiceplane.com/download/v1.5.5
unzip v1.5.5.zip
sudo mv ip /var/www/html/invoiceplane

Next, run the commands below to create the InvoicePlane default configuration and .htaccess files.

sudo cp /var/www/html/invoiceplane/ipconfig.php.example /var/www/html/invoiceplane/ipconfig.php
sudo cp /var/www/html/invoiceplane/htaccess /var/www/html/invoiceplane/.htaccess

Then, run the commands below to set the correct permissions for InvoicePlane to function.

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

Configure Apache2

Finally, configure the Apahce2 virtual host configuration file for InvoicePlane. This file will control how users access InvoicePlane content.

Run the commands below to create a new configuration file called invoice plane.conf

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/invoiceplane.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/invoiceplane
     ServerName example.com
     ServerAlias www.example.com

     <Directory /var/www/html/invoiceplane/>
        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 InvoicePlane

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

sudo a2ensite invoiceplane.conf
sudo a2enmod rewrite

Restart Apache2 by running the commands below to load all the settings above.

sudo systemctl restart apache2.service

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

http://example.com/setup/

Then, follow the on-screen instructions. You will be asked to input your database configuration, administrative details, and other configuration settings.

When complete, you may sign in and start using InvoicePlane.

Richard Avatar
Richard
Richard, the owner and lead writer at Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast passionate about simplifying complex IT topics. His years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations have honed his ability to provide practical insights and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He’s deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions. He enjoys watching football, cheering for the Minnesota Vikings, and spending time with his family when he’s not writing or managing Geek Rewind.
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