Introduction

Discourse is an open-source discussion platform designed for modern community interactions. This guide will walk you through the installation of Discourse using Docker on Ubuntu 22.04. Hosting your Discourse forum on a Windows VPS UK can provide the reliability and scalability you need.

Prerequisites

• An Ubuntu 22.04 server with root access
• Basic knowledge of Linux commands
• Docker and Docker Compose installed on your server
• An active internet connection

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 Docker

If you haven't installed Docker yet, run the following commands:

sudo apt install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl software-properties-common -y
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo apt-key add -
sudo add-apt-repository "deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable"
sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker-ce -y

Verify the Docker installation:

docker --version

Step 3: Install Docker Compose

Install Docker Compose using the following command:

sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/latest/download/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

Verify the installation:

docker-compose --version

Step 4: Create a Directory for Discourse

Create a directory where you will store your Discourse installation files:

mkdir ~/discourse
cd ~/discourse

Step 5: Download Discourse Docker Image

Use the following command to download the Discourse Docker image:

git clone https://github.com/discourse/discourse_docker.git .

Step 6: Configure Discourse

Copy the sample configuration file:

cp samples/standalone.yml containers/app.yml

Edit the configuration file:

nano containers/app.yml

Update the following settings:

• hostname: your domain name (e.g., discourse.yourdomain.com)
• email: your email address
• SMTP settings: configure your SMTP server details

Step 7: Build and Launch Discourse

Run the following command to build and launch Discourse:

sudo ./launcher bootstrap app
sudo ./launcher start app

Step 8: Access Discourse

Open your web browser and navigate to your Discourse site:

http://discourse.yourdomain.com

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

Step 9: Conclusion

You have successfully installed Discourse using Docker on Ubuntu 22.04. This robust platform is ideal for community engagement and can be efficiently hosted on a Windows VPS. For further assistance, explore various VPS UK Windows solutions, including Windows Virtual Private Server Hosting and Windows VPS Hosting UK for optimal performance and security.