How to Install Cerb on Ubuntu 24.04

Cerb on Ubuntu 24.04 – Scalable, Flexible Work Automation and Team Inbox Platform

Cerb is a powerful, open-source platform for collaborative communication, automated workflows, and enterprise-grade helpdesk operations. With a modular architecture and browser-based UI, it serves as a unified platform for managing support emails, bots, CRM tasks, workflows, and integrations.

Running Cerb on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat) offers a modern, secure, and long-term supported environment — ideal for both on-premise and cloud deployments.

Core Features of Cerb

Shared inboxes for team email handling
Bots & automations via scripting (CerbBot)
Custom records and workspace dashboards
Scheduler and task manager
Granular ACLs and roles
Multi-channel communications (email, chat, API)
Extensive plugin/integration system

Cerb is designed for high concurrency and flexibility, making it suitable for customer service, DevOps collaboration, HR task routing, or marketing automation workflows.

Compatibility with Ubuntu 24.04

Component	Status
PHP 8.3	Fully supported (Cerb requires 8.1+)
MariaDB/MySQL	Fully supported (Cerb prefers MySQL 8.x)
Nginx/Apache	Compatible (Apache officially recommended)
PHP-FPM	Works natively with systemd
Systemd Services	Can be used to manage cron, queue workers
SSL/TLS	Integrates well with Let’s Encrypt

Ubuntu 24.04’s newer system libraries, OpenSSL 3.0, and improved PHP 8.3 support provide excellent performance for Cerb’s PHP-based backend.

Server Requirements for Cerb

Cerb is resource-efficient but scales with usage:

User Load	Recommended Specs
Small team (5–10 users)	2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 20 GB SSD
Medium team (10–30)	4 vCPU, 8–16 GB RAM, 50 GB SSD
Enterprise (>50 users)	8+ vCPU, 32+ GB RAM, dedicated DB node

For optimal performance:

Use PHP OPcache
Enable MySQL query cache
Serve Cerb behind Nginx + Apache as a reverse proxy if needed

Security Capabilities

Ubuntu 24.04’s security stack (AppArmor, UFW, nftables) complements Cerb’s own access controls and API token system.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) with TOTP
OAuth integrations with external services
Encrypted storage of secrets and credentials
Role-based access control (RBAC) for records and automations
Audit logs for accountability

Optional: Isolate Cerb in a systemd-nspawn or LXD container for tighter control.

Automation and Bot Framework

Cerb’s bot scripting engine is one of its defining features, allowing non-technical users to create powerful:

Email parsers
Auto-responders
Workflow engines
API triggers and callbacks
Scheduled maintenance tasks

Scripts are written using Cerb’s DSL (Domain Specific Language) and can be triggered from cron jobs, webhooks, or user actions.

Integration and API Capabilities

Cerb integrates well with:

Slack, MS Teams, Twilio, Discord
JIRA, GitHub, Bitbucket
CRM tools like HubSpot or Salesforce via REST
Custom APIs using HTTP/Webhook or GraphQL plugins
Zapier and IFTTT for no-code automation

Ubuntu 24.04’s ecosystem allows deploying Cerb with these services in Docker containers or virtual networks for controlled environments.

Cerb vs. Other Helpdesk & Workflow Tools

Feature	Cerb	Freshdesk	Zammad	osTicket	Zendesk
Open Source	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Self-hosted	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Workflow Automation	Strong	Limited	Moderate	Weak	Good
Email Management	Native	Native	Native	Native	Native
Integration Options	Extensive	Moderate	Moderate	Basic	Advanced
Customization	Deep (DSL)	Limited	Moderate	Minimal	Moderate
License Cost	Free (OSS)	Paid	Free	Free	Paid

Cerb stands out for organizations that need programmable logic, custom records, and a high level of automation and ownership.

Cerb on Ubuntu 24.04 is a strategic choice for teams and companies that want full control over their helpdesk and workflow automation platform.

Compatible with PHP 8.3, MySQL 8, Apache/Nginx
Easy to secure and monitor on Ubuntu LTS
Excellent for extensibility and scripting automation
Self-hosted, with no vendor lock-in
Suitable for everything from support desks to operational automation

Step 1: Deploy a VPS with Ubuntu 24.04 on Shape.Host

Start by creating a fresh server using Shape.Host:

Go to https://shape.host and log in.

Click “Create”, then “Instance”.

Choose a data center near your users.

Choose Ubuntu 24.04 (64-bit) as the operating system.

Select a plan with at least 2 CPUs, 4 GB RAM, and 40 GB SSD.

Click “Create Instance”.

Once ready, save your instance’s IP address and root credentials.

Step 2: Connect to Your Server via SSH

From a terminal on Linux/macOS:

ssh root@your-server-ip

From Windows, use PuTTY.

Step 3: Install Required Packages

3.1 Update and Upgrade Packages

apt update
apt upgrade

3.2 Install Nginx, MySQL, PHP 8.3, and PHP Extensions

apt install nginx mysql-server php8.3 php8.3-fpm php8.3-mysql \
php8.3-mbstring php8.3-curl php8.3-gd php8.3-yaml php8.3-gmp \
php8.3-zip php8.3-mailparse php8.3-xml php8.3-dom git unzip curl

Step 4: Configure MySQL

mysql -u root

Create your database and user:

CREATE DATABASE cerb DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;
CREATE USER 'cerbuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'StrongPassword123!';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON cerb.* TO 'cerbuser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Replace 'StrongPassword123!' with a secure password.

Step 5: Download and Prepare Cerb

cd /usr/share/nginx/html
git clone https://github.com/cerb/cerb-release.git cerb
chown -R www-data:www-data cerb

Step 6: Configure Nginx

6.1 Create Cerb Site Configuration

nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/cerb.conf

Paste the following config (replace your-domain.com):

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name your-domain.com;

    root /usr/share/nginx/html/cerb;
    index index.php;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
    }

    location ~ \.php$ {
        include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
        fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock;
        fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
        include fastcgi_params;
    }

    location ~ /\.ht {
        deny all;
    }
}

6.2 Enable the Site and Restart Services

ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/cerb.conf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
nginx -t && systemctl restart nginx php8.3-fpm

Step 7: Enable HTTPS with Certbot

7.1 Install Snap and Certbot

apt install snapd
snap install core
snap install --classic certbot
ln -s /snap/bin/certbot /usr/bin/certbot

7.2 Obtain and Install SSL Certificate

certbot --nginx -d your-domain.com

Follow prompts to complete the certificate setup.

Step 8: Access Cerb in Your Browser

Visit:

http://your-domain.com

https://your-domain.com

Follow the web-based setup wizard to configure your admin user, connect the database (cerb, cerbuser, and your password), and complete the installation.

Conclusion

You’ve now installed Cerb on Ubuntu 24.04 with Nginx, PHP 8.3, MySQL, and HTTPS. Cerb provides a robust foundation for modern team collaboration, task automation, and customer support.

For stable, scalable, and secure Cloud Vps infrastructure, run your Cerb instance on Shape.Host.

Start hosting with Shape.Host — fast and developer-friendly cloud VPS.

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