Nextcloud is a popular open-source file hosting and collaboration platform that allows users to easily store, access, and share their files securely. Installing Nextcloud on an Ubuntu server is a straightforward process that can be done in just a few steps. In this blog post, we will guide you through the installation process so you can start using Nextcloud on your own server.

Step 1: Update your Ubuntu server

Before installing Nextcloud, it is important to make sure that your Ubuntu server is up to date. You can do this by running the following commands in the terminal:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Step 2: Install Apache and PHP

Nextcloud requires a web server and PHP to function. You can install Apache and PHP on your server by running the following command:

sudo apt install apache2 php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql

Step 3: Install MariaDB

Nextcloud also requires a database to store its data. You can install MariaDB by running the following command:

sudo apt install mariadb-server

During the installation process, you will be prompted to set a root password for the MariaDB server.

Step 4: Configure the database

After installing MariaDB, you need to create a new database and user for Nextcloud. You can do this by logging into the MariaDB server and running the following commands:

sudo mysql -u root -p
CREATE DATABASE nextcloud;
CREATE USER 'nextcloud'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON nextcloud.* TO 'nextcloud'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Step 5: Download and extract Nextcloud

Next, you need to download and extract the Nextcloud archive to the Apache web server root directory. You can do this by running the following commands:

wget https://download.nextcloud.com/server/releases/nextcloud-x.x.x.zip
sudo unzip nextcloud-x.x.x.zip -d /var/www/html/
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/nextcloud

Step 6: Configure Apache

Next, you need to create a virtual host configuration file for Nextcloud in Apache. You can do this by creating a new configuration file in the /etc/apache2/sites-available/ directory with the following content:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerAdmin [email protected]
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/nextcloud/
    ServerName yourdomain.com

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined

    <Directory /var/www/html/nextcloud/>
        Require all granted
        AllowOverride All
        Options FollowSymLinks MultiViews
    </Directory>
</VirtualHost>

Save the file and enable the virtual host by running the following commands:

sudo a2ensite nextcloud.conf
sudo systemctl reload apache2

Step 7: Finish the installation

Finally, you can finish the installation of Nextcloud by visiting your server’s domain in a web browser and following the on-screen instructions. You will be asked to create an admin account and set up the database connection. Once the installation is complete, you can start using Nextcloud to store and share your files securely.

In conclusion, installing Nextcloud on an Ubuntu server is a relatively simple process that can be done in just a few steps. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can set up your own Nextcloud instance and start enjoying its features.