Step 1: Update Your System

Before installing Nexus, ensure that your system is up to date. Run the following commands:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Keeping your system updated is crucial for security and performance, whether you're setting up Nexus locally or on a VPS Windows Servers platform.

Step 2: Install Java

Nexus Repository Manager requires Java to run. You can install OpenJDK 11 using the following command:

sudo apt install openjdk-11-jdk -y

After installation, verify the Java installation:

java -version

Step 3: Create a Nexus User

For security reasons, it is recommended to run Nexus as a dedicated user. Create a user for Nexus with the following command:

sudo useradd -r -s /bin/false nexus

Step 4: Download Nexus Repository Manager

Navigate to the Nexus Repository Manager downloads page and copy the link to the latest version. Then, use wget to download it:

cd /opt
sudo wget https://download.sonatype.com/nexus/3/latest-unix.tar.gz
            

After downloading, extract the archive:

sudo tar -xvzf latest-unix.tar.gz

Rename the extracted directory for easier access:

sudo mv nexus-3* nexus

Step 5: Configure Nexus Repository Manager

Change the ownership of the Nexus directory to the nexus user:

sudo chown -R nexus:nexus /opt/nexus

Open the Nexus configuration file located at /opt/nexus/nexus-/nexus.conf to adjust the settings as needed:

sudo nano /opt/nexus/bin/nexus

You can set the run_as_user to nexus to ensure it runs under the dedicated user:

run_as_user="nexus"

Step 6: Start Nexus Repository Manager

To start Nexus, switch to the nexus user and run the startup script:

sudo -u nexus /opt/nexus/bin/nexus start
            

To check the status of Nexus, you can use the following command:

sudo -u nexus /opt/nexus/bin/nexus status
            

Step 7: Access Nexus Repository Manager

Open your web browser and navigate to http://your-server-ip:8081. You should see the Nexus Repository Manager interface.

The default admin credentials are:

• Username: admin
• Password: admin123

After logging in, you should change the default password for security.

Step 8: Secure Nexus with Let's Encrypt SSL (Optional)

To secure your Nexus instance, consider setting up SSL using Let's Encrypt. Install Certbot:

sudo apt install certbot -y

Obtain and install the SSL certificate using the following command:

sudo certbot --apache -d your-domain.com

Certbot will automatically configure SSL for your Nexus Repository Manager, ensuring secure access to the application, whether it is hosted locally or on a Windows VPS hosting UK.