Introduction

Akaunting is a free, open-source accounting software that enables businesses to manage their finances effectively. In this guide, you will learn how to install Akaunting on Ubuntu 22.04 using Apache as the web server and securing it with a free Let's Encrypt SSL certificate. This setup can be efficiently hosted on a Windows VPS UK.

Prerequisites

• An Ubuntu 22.04 server with root access
• Basic knowledge of Linux commands
• A registered domain name pointed to your server's IP address

Step 1: Update Your System

Start by updating your package index and upgrading existing packages:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Required Packages

Install Apache, MySQL, PHP, and necessary PHP extensions:

sudo apt install apache2 mysql-server php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql php-zip php-curl php-gd php-mbstring php-xml -y

Step 3: Configure MySQL for Akaunting

Log in to MySQL to create a database for Akaunting:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Run the following SQL commands:

CREATE DATABASE akaunting;
CREATE USER 'akauntinguser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON akaunting.* TO 'akauntinguser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Replace your_password with a strong password of your choice.

Step 4: Download Akaunting

Download the latest version of Akaunting:

wget https://akaunting.com/download/akaunting.zip

Unzip the downloaded file:

unzip akaunting.zip -d /var/www/html/

Change the ownership of the Akaunting directory:

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/akaunting

Step 5: Configure Apache for Akaunting

Create a new Apache configuration file for Akaunting:

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

Add the following configuration:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerAdmin admin@yourdomain.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/akaunting/public
    ServerName yourdomain.com

    <Directory /var/www/html/akaunting/public>
        AllowOverride All
    </Directory>

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/akaunting-error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/akaunting-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain name.

Step 6: Enable the Akaunting Site and Rewrite Module

Enable the Akaunting site and the Apache rewrite module:

sudo a2ensite akaunting
sudo a2enmod rewrite

Restart Apache to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 7: Install Let's Encrypt SSL Certificate

Install Certbot for obtaining Let's Encrypt SSL certificates:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache -y

Run Certbot to obtain your SSL certificate:

sudo certbot --apache -d yourdomain.com

Follow the prompts to complete the installation of the SSL certificate.

Step 8: Complete Akaunting Installation

Open your web browser and navigate to https://yourdomain.com. You should see the Akaunting installation wizard. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

Step 9: Conclusion

You have successfully installed Akaunting on Ubuntu 22.04 with Apache and Let's Encrypt SSL. This accounting solution can greatly benefit from being hosted on a Windows VPS. For additional options, explore various VPS UK Windows solutions, including Windows Virtual Private Server Hosting and Windows VPS Hosting UK for optimal performance and security.