Install LimeSurvey on Ubuntu 24.04 using Nginx

Install Nginx HTTP server on Ubuntu

Installing the Nginx web server on Ubuntu is the first step to get your LimeSurvey ready to run. Nginx acts as the main door for your website, handling incoming requests.

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 local host 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

LimeSurvey needs a place to store all your survey data, and installing the MariaDB database server on Ubuntu gives it that storage. MariaDB is like a digital filing cabinet for your information.

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 LimeSurvey database

Now that MariaDB is set up, we’ll create a special database named ‘limesurveydb’ and a user called ‘limesurveydbuser’ just for LimeSurvey. This keeps your survey information safe and tidy.

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

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

Ensure to replace ‘type_your_password_here ‘with your password.

Install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

LimeSurvey is built with PHP, a programming language that makes websites work, so we need to install the right PHP packages on Ubuntu Linux. This is the last piece needed to get your survey application up and running.

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 php-ldap php-imap

Additional help on installing PHP

How to install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

Download LimeSurvey files

To get LimeSurvey onto your Ubuntu server, you’ll download the latest version of its files and get them ready for setup. You can find the most recent download link on the official LimeSurvey website.

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

First, navigate to the /tmp/ directory and download the LimeSurvey files. Next, extract the content into the LimeSurvey 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 LimeSurvey installation.

Next, run the commands below to change Nginx root folder permissions so the LimeSurvey app can function correctly.

cd /tmp
wget https://download.limesurvey.org/latest-5.x/limesurvey5.6.68+240625.zip
sudo unzip limesurvey*.zip -d /var/www/
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/limesurvey/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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/limesurvey.conf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo systemctl restart nginx.service
sudo systemctl restart php8.3-fpm

Setup Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS for LimeSurvey

Adding a free SSL/TLS certificate from Let’s Encrypt makes your LimeSurvey site secure with a padlock icon, protecting visitor data. This is important for safe and private connections to your survey website.

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://limesurvey.example.com

The LimeSurvey installation wizard should appear.

Select the installation language and start the installation.

Type in the database name and password, then click Next.

Create an admin account and continue.

LimeSurvey should be ready to use.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

In summary, installing LimeSurvey on Ubuntu with Nginx involves several key steps:

• Nginx Installation: Set up the Nginx web server to host LimeSurvey efficiently.
• Database Setup: Install MariaDB and create a dedicated database for LimeSurvey.
• PHP Installation: Ensure PHP is installed with the necessary extensions to support LimeSurvey’s functionality.
• Download and Configure LimeSurvey: Obtain the latest LimeSurvey files and configure directory permissions for Nginx access.
• Nginx Configuration: Create a virtual host configuration file, enabling Nginx to serve the LimeSurvey application.
• SSL Setup: Secure your installation with Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate for enhanced security.
• Installation Wizard: Navigate through the LimeSurvey installation wizard to complete the setup.

These steps will result in a fully functional and secure LimeSurvey installation, allowing you to efficiently create and manage online surveys.