How to Install Fork CMS in Ubuntu Server 22.04

Step 1: Update and Upgrade Your Server

First, it’s crucial to ensure that your system is up-to-date. Run the following commands to update and upgrade your server:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This helps ensure that your server has the latest security patches and updates. Whether you're running a local server or a UK Windows VPS, this is an important step.

Step 2: Install Apache, MySQL, and PHP

Fork CMS requires a web server, a database server, and PHP. To install these dependencies, use the following command:

sudo apt install apache2 mysql-server php php-mysql php-curl php-gd php-xml php-intl php-mbstring unzip

This command installs Apache as the web server, MySQL for the database, and PHP with necessary modules. These steps are essential, whether you're hosting on a Windows Virtual Private Server hosting platform or an Ubuntu server.

Step 3: Configure MySQL

Secure your MySQL installation and create a database for Fork CMS by running:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Next, log in to MySQL and create the necessary database and user:

CREATE DATABASE forkcms;
CREATE USER 'forkuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your-password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON forkcms.* TO 'forkuser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;
            

This database setup can be mirrored and backed up using rsync, especially useful when working with VPS Windows Servers or other virtual hosting environments.

Step 4: Download and Install Fork CMS

Download the latest version of Fork CMS and move it to the appropriate directory:

cd /var/www/html
sudo wget https://github.com/forkcms/forkcms/releases/latest/download/forkcms.zip
sudo unzip forkcms.zip
sudo mv forkcms forkcms_site
            

Set the correct file permissions:

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

Whether you're using a Windows VPS hosting UK or another VPS platform, proper file permissions are essential for security and functionality.

Step 5: Configure Apache for Fork CMS

Create a new virtual host file for your Fork CMS site:

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

Add the following configuration:

    ServerAdmin admin@example.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/forkcms_site
    ServerName example.com

    
        AllowOverride All
    

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined

            

Enable the site and restart Apache:

sudo a2ensite forkcms.conf
sudo systemctl restart apache2
            

Once configured, Fork CMS will be accessible via your server’s IP address. Mirroring this setup across different servers using rsync is a good practice, especially if you're managing a UK VPS Windows environment.

Step 6: Install Fork CMS Through the Browser

Navigate to http://your-server-ip in your browser to access the Fork CMS installer. Enter the database information from earlier and follow the installation steps. This process is similar whether you're working with a Windows Virtual Dedicated Server Hosting platform or Ubuntu.

Step 7: Mirror Your Fork CMS Website with rsync

To ensure that your Fork CMS website is synchronized across multiple servers, you can use rsync. This is particularly useful when maintaining redundancy on multiple Windows VPS or other virtual private server setups.

To mirror your website, use the following rsync command:

rsync -avz /var/www/html/forkcms_site/ user@remote-server:/var/www/html/forkcms_site/
            

This command syncs your Fork CMS files from the local server to a remote server. You can automate this process to ensure your site remains up-to-date on all mirrored servers.