ElkArte is a modern, powerful, and feature-rich open-source forum software that can be easily set up on your Ubuntu 22.04 server. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process to install and configure ElkArte on your server.

Step 1: Initiating Instance Creation

• Creating a New Instance
  • To create a new instance, click on the blue “Create” button located in the top-right corner of the page.
  • Select “Add New Instance” to begin setting up a new virtual machine.

Step 2: Choosing a Location

• Select a Data Center
  • On the “Create New Instance” page, choose your preferred data center location. For example, you might select “Amsterdam, Netherlands”.

Step 3: Selecting a Plan

• Choose a Plan
  • Pick a plan that meets your requirements. Options vary in specifications and price, from $3.5 to $22 per month, offering different CPU, memory, storage, and bandwidth.
• Choose an Operating System
  • Scroll to the “Choose an image” section and select Ubuntu 22.04 from the list of available distributions.

Step 4: Authentication Method

• Select an Authentication Method
  • Choose between SSH keys (recommended for better security) or a password for root access. In this guide, we’ll proceed with the password option.
• Complete Instance Creation
  • Click the “Create Instance” button at the bottom of the page to finalize the setup.

Step 5: Connecting to Your Instance

• Retrieve SSH Credentials
  • Note the IP address of your newly created instance from the Shape.host dashboard.
• Connect via SSH
• Open a terminal on your local machine and use the following command to connect to your instance:

ssh root@your_instance_ip

Replace your_instance_ip with the actual IP address of your instance.

Step 6: Update Your Server

Before installing any new software, it’s always a good idea to update your server to ensure all packages are up-to-date. Run the following command:

apt update && apt upgrade -y

Step 7: Install Apache Web Server

ElkArte requires a web server to function, and Apache is a popular and reliable choice. Install Apache with the following command:

apt install apache2 -y

Once installed, ensure Apache is running:

systemctl start apache2
systemctl enable apache2

Step 8: Install PHP and Required Extensions

ElkArte is built with PHP, so you’ll need to install PHP and a few necessary extensions. Execute the following command:

apt install php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql php-gd php-mbstring php-xml php-curl php-unzip php-zip -y

Step 9: Install MySQL Database Server

ElkArte requires a database to store its data. We’ll use MySQL, which can be installed with the following command:

apt install mysql-server -y

After installation, secure your MySQL installation:

mysql_secure_installation

Step 10: Create a Database for ElkArte

Next, log in to the MySQL shell as the root user:

mysql -u root -p

Once logged in, create a new database and user for ElkArte:

CREATE DATABASE elkarte_db;
CREATE USER 'elkarte_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'strong_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON elkarte_db.* TO 'elkarte_user'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Replace 'strong_password' with a secure password.

Step 11: Download and Extract ElkArte

Navigate to the web root directory and download the latest version of ElkArte:

cd /var/www/html
wget https://github.com/elkarte/ElkArte/releases/download/v1.1.9/ElkArte_v1-1-9_install.zip

Extract the downloaded zip file:

unzip ElkArte_v1-1-9_install.zip -d elkarte

Ensure the extracted files are owned by the Apache user:

chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/elkarte
chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/elkarte

Step 12: Configure Apache for ElkArte

Create a new Apache configuration file for ElkArte:

nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/elkarte.conf

Add the following configuration:

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

    <Directory /var/www/html/elkarte/>
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/elkarte_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/elkarte_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Enable the site and the mod_rewrite module, then restart Apache:

a2ensite elkarte.conf
a2enmod rewrite
systemctl restart apache2

Step 13: Complete ElkArte Installation via Web Browser

Now that everything is set up, open your web browser and navigate to:

http://your-server-ip/elkarte/install.php

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. You will be prompted to enter the database details you configured earlier.

Once the installation is complete, remove the install.php file for security reasons:

rm /var/www/html/elkarte/install.php

Your ElkArte forum software is now successfully installed and ready for use on your Ubuntu 22.04 server.

For reliable and scalable hosting solutions, consider using Shape.host services, particularly their Cloud VPS offerings, to host your ElkArte forum. Their services provide excellent performance and flexibility, ensuring your forum runs smoothly.