Step 1: Update Your System

Before installing XWiki, it's essential to ensure your Ubuntu system is up-to-date. Run the following commands to update the system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This will fetch and install any available updates, making sure your server is ready for the installation. Keeping your system updated is important whether you're running on a local server or a UK Windows VPS.

Step 2: Install Java

XWiki requires Java to run. Install the latest version of OpenJDK by running the following command:

sudo apt install openjdk-11-jdk

After installation, verify the Java installation with:

java -version

The output should display the installed version of Java. This is a critical step to ensure XWiki runs correctly, regardless of whether you're using Ubuntu or a Windows VPS hosting UK environment.

Step 3: Install and Configure a Database

XWiki uses a relational database to store its data. In this example, we will use MySQL. Install MySQL with the following command:

sudo apt install mysql-server

Once the installation is complete, secure your MySQL installation by running:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Follow the on-screen prompts to set up a root password and remove unnecessary users. Then, log in to MySQL and create the XWiki database:

sudo mysql -u root -p
CREATE DATABASE xwiki;
CREATE USER 'xwikiuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'yourpassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON xwiki.* TO 'xwikiuser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;
            

This database setup will allow XWiki to function properly on your server, whether it's hosted locally or on a Windows Virtual Private Server hosting platform.

Step 4: Install XWiki

To install XWiki, add the XWiki repository to your system:

sudo apt install wget
wget https://maven.xwiki.org/stable/xwiki-tomcat9-mysql
sudo apt install ./xwiki-tomcat9-mysql*.deb
            

This command downloads and installs XWiki with Tomcat 9 as the application server and MySQL as the database.

Step 5: Configure XWiki

After the installation, configure XWiki to connect to the MySQL database. Edit the XWiki configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/xwiki/xwiki.cfg

Look for the following lines and ensure they are configured as follows:

xwiki.db=mysql
xwiki.db.user=xwikiuser
xwiki.db.password=yourpassword
            

Save the file and restart Tomcat to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart tomcat9

Step 6: Access XWiki

Once the installation and configuration are complete, you can access XWiki by opening a browser and navigating to http://your-server-ip:8080. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the initial setup.

This method applies whether you're running XWiki on a local server or using a UK VPS Windows hosting solution.

Step 7: Configure a Reverse Proxy (Optional)

If you'd like to access XWiki through a standard HTTP port (port 80), you can configure Nginx as a reverse proxy. Install Nginx with:

sudo apt install nginx

Then, create a new Nginx configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/xwiki

Add the following content to the file:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name your-domain.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:8080;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    }
}
            

Enable the configuration and restart Nginx:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/xwiki /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo systemctl restart nginx
            

Now, you can access XWiki via http://your-domain.com. This configuration is suitable for production environments, especially when using services like Windows VPS hosting UK.