Home
»
How To Install Koha Library Software On Ubuntu 24.04

How To Install Koha Library Software On Ubuntu 24.04

Welcome to the Greenhost.cloud blog! Today, we’ll walk you through the installation of Koha, one of the world’s most popular open-source Integrated Library Systems (ILS), on Ubuntu 24.04. Koha is a powerful tool for managing library operations, from cataloging and circulation to reporting and acquisitions. Whether you are setting up a public library, a school library, or a personal collection, Koha has the features you need to streamline your library processes.

Prerequisites

Before we begin the installation process, ensure you have the following:

Ubuntu 24.04: Make sure your system is up to date. You can check this by running:

   sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Sudo Access: You need to have administrative privileges to install packages.
Basic Knowledge of the Terminal: Familiarity with the command line will be helpful throughout this process.

Step 1: Install Required Dependencies

First, we need to install some essential packages that Koha depends on. Open your terminal and run the following command:

sudo apt install apache2 mariadb-server mariadb-client libapache2-mod-php php php-mysql php-xml php-mbstring php-curl php-gd php-xmlrpc php-soap php-intl git

This command will install Apache web server, MariaDB database server, and the PHP extensions required by Koha.

Step 2: Configure MariaDB

Next, we need to secure the MariaDB installation and create a database for Koha. Run the following command:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Follow the prompts to set a root password and secure your installation. After that, log into MariaDB:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Once logged in, create a Koha database and user:

CREATE DATABASE koha_library CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON koha_library.* TO 'kohauser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Note: Replace your_password with a strong password of your choice.

Step 3: Download and Install Koha

Now, we will download the latest version of Koha. Navigate to the /usr/local directory and clone the Koha repository:

cd /usr/local
sudo git clone https://git.koha-community.org/koha-community/koha.git

After cloning, navigate to the Koha directory:

cd koha

Next, checkout the latest stable version of Koha (you can find the latest version on the Koha GitHub page):

sudo git checkout master

Step 4: Configure Apache

We need to configure Apache to serve the Koha application. Create a new Apache configuration file:

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

Copy and paste the following configuration into the file:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName koha.example.com
    DocumentRoot /usr/local/koha/koha

    <Directory /usr/local/koha/koha>
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/koha_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/koha_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Make sure to replace koha.example.com with your actual domain name or server IP address. Save and exit the editor.

Enable the new site and the necessary Apache modules:

sudo a2ensite koha.conf
sudo a2enmod rewrite

Then restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 5: Install Koha

Now we can proceed to install Koha. Run the installation script with the following command:

sudo perl installer.pl

Follow the prompts in the installer to complete the setup. You will be asked about the database settings we configured earlier.

Step 6: Access Koha

After the installation is complete, you can access the Koha interface by navigating to http://koha.example.com (or your server IP address) in your web browser. You should see the Koha setup screen, where you will configure your library settings.

Step 7: Finalizing the Installation

Create an Admin User: During the setup process, you will create an administrator account for managing your library.
Configure Settings: After logging in, take a moment to explore the settings and configure your library’s preferences.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Koha on Ubuntu 24.04. You are now ready to manage your library efficiently with this powerful open-source software.

Stay tuned for more tutorials and tips on maximizing your library management experience with Greenhost.cloud.