How To Install Joomla on a Virtual Server Running Ubuntu 24.04

Joomla is a powerful and flexible content management system (CMS) that can be used to build websites and online applications. If you’re looking to set up Joomla on a virtual server running Ubuntu 24.04, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we will guide you through the step-by-step process of installing Joomla on your Ubuntu server.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure that you have the following:

1. Virtual Server: A virtual server running Ubuntu 24.04.
2. Root Access: Ensure you have root or sudo access to your server.
3. Domain Name: A domain name that you want to point to your Joomla site (optional, but recommended).
4. Software Packages: Apache (or Nginx), MySQL (or MariaDB), PHP, and the necessary PHP extensions.

Step 1: Update Your Server

Start by updating your server to ensure that all your packages are up-to-date. Open your terminal and execute the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Required Software

Next, you need to install Apache, MySQL (or MariaDB), and PHP. Use the following command to install these packages:

sudo apt install apache2 mysql-server php php-mysql php-xml php-mbstring php-zip php-gd libapache2-mod-php -y

Start and Enable Apache and MySQL Services

Once the installation is complete, start the Apache and MySQL services and enable them to launch on boot:

sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2
sudo systemctl start mysql
sudo systemctl enable mysql

Step 3: Secure Your MySQL Installation

To enhance the security of your MySQL installation, run the following command:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Follow the prompts to set a root password and secure your database server.

Step 4: Create a Database for Joomla

Now, log in to your MySQL server to create a database for Joomla:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Once logged in, run the following commands:

CREATE DATABASE joomla_db DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;
CREATE USER 'joomla_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON joomla_db.* TO 'joomla_user'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Make sure to replace 'your_password' with a secure password of your choice.

Step 5: Download Joomla

Navigate to the web directory and download the latest version of Joomla:

cd /var/www/html
sudo wget https://downloads.joomla.org/cms/joomla3/3-10-11/Joomla_3.10.11-Stable-Full_Package.zip

(You can check for the latest version on the official Joomla website.)

Step 6: Extract Joomla Files

Extract the downloaded Joomla package:

sudo apt install unzip
sudo unzip Joomla_3.10.11-Stable-Full_Package.zip

Then, remove the downloaded zip file for cleanliness:

sudo rm Joomla_3.10.11-Stable-Full_Package.zip

Step 7: Set Permissions

Change the ownership of the Joomla directory to the Apache user:

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html

Set the appropriate permissions:

sudo find /var/www/html -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
sudo find /var/www/html -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;

Step 8: Configure Apache

Create a new virtual host file for your Joomla site:

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

Add the following configuration, replacing your_domain.com with your actual domain name:

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

    <Directory /var/www/html>
        Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

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

Enable the new site and the rewrite module:

sudo a2ensite joomla.conf
sudo a2enmod rewrite

Finally, restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 9: Complete the Joomla Installation via Web Interface

Now that everything is set up, you can complete the installation through Joomla’s web interface. Open your web browser and navigate to your domain (or your server’s IP address).

Follow the prompts to set up your site details, administrator account, and database connection information. Use the following settings for the database connection:

• Database Type: MySQLi
• Host Name: localhost
• Username: joomla_user
• Password: your_password
• Database Name: joomla_db

Complete the installation, and once you see the confirmation message, make sure to delete the installation folder for security reasons:

sudo rm -rf /var/www/html/installation

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Joomla on your virtual server running Ubuntu 24.04. You can now log into the Joomla admin panel and start creating your website. Remember to keep your Joomla installation, extensions, and server updated for security.

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