How to Install Vanilla Forum on FreeBSD 12
Vanilla is a simple discussion forum written in PHP. Vanilla source code is publicly hosted on Github. This guide will walk you through the Vanilla installation process on a fresh FreeBSD 12 Vultr server instance using PHP, MariaDB as a database, and Nginx as a web server.
Requirements
Vanilla Forum recommended software stack:
- PHP version 7.2 or greater with the following extensions:
mbstringcurlgdPDOmysqliopenssl- MySQL version 5.7 or greater, or MariaDB equivalent. This guide will use MariaDB
- Web server software such as Nginx or Apache. This guide will use Nginx
- SSL encryption is optional but recommended
Before you begin
Check the FreeBSD version.
uname -ro
# FreeBSD 12.0-RELEASEEnsure that your FreeBSD system is up to date.
freebsd-update fetch install
pkg update && pkg upgrade -yInstall some basic system administration packages if they are not present on your system.
pkg install -y sudo vim unzip wget curl bash socat git unzipCreate a new user account with your preferred username (we will use johndoe).
adduser
# Username: johndoe
# Full name: John Doe
# Uid (Leave empty for default): <Enter>
# Login group [johndoe]: <Enter>
# Login group is johndoe. Invite johndoe into other groups? []: wheel
# Login class [default]: <Enter>
# Shell (sh csh tcsh nologin) [sh]: bash
# Home directory [/home/johndoe]: <Enter>
# Home directory permissions (Leave empty for default): <Enter>
# Use password-based authentication? [yes]: <Enter>
# Use an empty password? (yes/no) [no]: <Enter>
# Use a random password? (yes/no) [no]: <Enter>
# Enter password: your_secure_password
# Enter password again: your_secure_password
# Lock out the account after creation? [no]: <Enter>
# OK? (yes/no): yes
# Add another user? (yes/no): no
# Goodbye!Run the visudo command and uncomment the %wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL line to allow members of the wheel group to execute any command.
visudo
# Uncomment by removing hash (#) sign
# %wheel ALL=(ALL) ALLNow, switch to your newly created user with su command.
su - johndoeNOTE: Replace johndoe with your username.
Set up the timezone.
sudo tzsetupInstall PHP
Install PHP and PHP extensions.
sudo pkg install -y php72 php72-mbstring php72-curl php72-gd php72-pdo php72-mysqli php72-pdo_mysql php72-json php72-openssl php72-ctype php72-dom php72-hash php72-iconv php72-tokenizer php72-calendar php72-fileinfo php72-session php72-simplexml php72-xml php72-filterCheck the version.
php --version
# PHP 7.2.14 (cli) (built: Jan 15 2019 01:14:39) ( NTS )
# Copyright (c) 1997-2018 The PHP Group
# Zend Engine v3.2.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2018 Zend TechnologiesSoft-link php.ini-production to php.ini.
sudo ln -s /usr/local/etc/php.ini-production /usr/local/etc/php.iniCheck installed PHP extensions.
php -m
# mbstring
# curl
# gd
# PDO
# mysqli
# openssl
# . . .Enable and start PHP-FPM.
sudo sysrc php_fpm_enable=yes
sudo service php-fpm startInstall MariaDB
Install MariaDB.
sudo pkg install -y mariadb102-client mariadb102-serverCheck the version.
mysql --version
# mysql Ver 15.1 Distrib 10.2.19-MariaDB, for FreeBSD12.0 (amd64) using readline 5.1Start and enable MariaDB.
sudo sysrc mysql_enable="yes"
sudo service mysql-server startRun the mysql_secure_installation script to improve the security of your installation.
sudo mysql_secure_installationLog into MariaDB as the root user.
mysql -u root -p
# Enter password:Create a new database and user. Remember the credentials for this new user.
CREATE DATABASE dbname;
GRANT ALL ON dbname.* TO 'username' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
exit;Install Nginx
Install Nginx.
sudo pkg install -y nginxCheck the version.
nginx -v
# nginx version: nginx/1.14.2Enable and start Nginx.
sudo sysrc nginx_enable=yes
sudo service nginx startConfigure Nginx for use with Vanilla forum.
sudo vim /usr/local/etc/nginx/vanilla.confPopulate the file with the following.
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com;
root /usr/local/www/vanilla;
index index.php;
location ~* /\.git { deny all; return 403; }
location /build/ { deny all; return 403; }
location /cache/ { deny all; return 403; }
location /cgi-bin/ { deny all; return 403; }
location /uploads/import/ { deny all; return 403; }
location /conf/ { deny all; return 403; }
location /tests/ { deny all; return 403; }
location /vendor/ { deny all; return 403; }
location ~* ^/index\.php(/|$) {
fastcgi_split_path_info ^(.+\.php)(/.+)$;
try_files $fastcgi_script_name =404;
set $path_info $fastcgi_path_info;
fastcgi_param PATH_INFO $path_info;
fastcgi_index index.php;
include fastcgi_params;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_NAME /index.php;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $realpath_root/index.php;
fastcgi_param X_REWRITE 1;
fastcgi_pass 127.0.0.1:9000;
}
location ~* \.php(/|$) {
rewrite ^ /index.php$uri last;
}
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ @vanilla;
}
location @vanilla {
rewrite ^ /index.php$uri last;
}
}Save the file and exit with Colon+W+Q.
Now we need to include the vanilla.conf file in the main nginx.conf file.
Run sudo vim /usr/local/etc/nginx/nginx.conf and add the following line to the http {} block.
include vanilla.conf;Test the configuration.
sudo nginx -tReload Nginx.
sudo service nginx reloadInstall Vanilla forum
Create a document root directory.
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/www/vanillaChange ownership of the /usr/local/www/vanilla directory to johndoe.
sudo chown -R johndoe:johndoe /usr/local/www/vanillaNavigate to the document root directory.
cd /usr/local/www/vanillaDownload the latest Vanilla forum.
wget https://open.vanillaforums.com/get/vanilla-core-2.6.4.zipUnzip it and remove the zip archive.
unzip vanilla-core-2.6.4.zip
rm vanilla-core-2.6.4.zipChange ownership of the /usr/local/www/vanilla directory to www.
sudo chown -R www:www /usr/local/www/vanillaRestart PHP-FPM.
sudo service php-fpm restartNavigate to the folder where you uploaded Vanilla in your web browser and follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup.