In today’s digital age, effective and organized communication is key, especially for teams and communities. A powerful platform that stands out in this sphere is Zulip, an open-source messaging application. Its unique threading model allows users to manage multiple topics within the same chat room, making it an ideal choice for many. This article will guide you through the installation of Zulip on AlmaLinux 9.

Prerequisites

Before you proceed with the installation, there are a few preconditions to meet:

• You need a server running AlmaLinux 9.
• A fresh OS install is recommended to prevent potential issues.
• You should have SSH access to the server (or simply open Terminal if you’re on a desktop).
• An active internet connection is required to download necessary packages and dependencies for Zulip.
• Zulip requires special permissions only granted to a superuser or a user with sudo privileges. Ensure you have the necessary administrative access.

Installing Zulip: A Step-by-Step Guide

To install Zulip on AlmaLinux 9, follow the steps outlined below:

Step 1: Update Your System

Before installing any new software, always ensure your system is up-to-date. You can use either yum or dnf to update your system:

sudo dnf clean all
sudo dnf update

Step 2: Install Dependencies

Next, install the required dependencies for Zulip:

sudo dnf install wget nano firewalld python3-devel libffi-devel openssl-devel gcc redhat-rpm-config

Step 3: Install Zulip

Now, let’s proceed with installing Zulip on your system. Download and unpack the latest Zulip Server release using the following commands:

cd /tmp
wget https://download.zulip.com/server/zulip-server-latest.tar.gz
tar -xf zulip-server-latest.tar.gz 

Navigate to the extracted directory and start setting up Zulip with the most common configuration. Run the installer as follows:

sudo -s
./zulip-server-*/scripts/setup/install --certbot --email=YOUR_EMAIL --hostname=YOUR_HOSTNAME

Replace YOUR_EMAIL with your email address and YOUR_HOSTNAME with your domain name.

Step 4: Configure Zulip

After installation, you can tailor Zulip to your preferences. Most configuration changes can be performed by a realm administrator through the web interface. For additional configuration, a system administrator needs to edit the /etc/zulip/settings.py file on the Zulip server.

sudo nano /etc/zulip/settings.py

Step 5: Configure Firewall

Zulip requires HTTP (port 80) and HTTPS (port 443) for web access. Allow traffic on these ports:

sudo systemctl start firewalld
sudo systemctl enable firewalld
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=https
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

After adding the necessary rules, reload firewalld to apply the changes. To ensure that the rules have been applied correctly, you can list all active rules:

sudo firewall-cmd --list-all

Step 6: Access Zulip Web UI

Once installed, open your web browser and navigate to https://YOUR_HOSTNAME to access the Zulip server. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the initial setup, including creating an organization and user account.

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