Zulip is an open-source team chat application that combines the immediacy of real-time chat with the efficiency of threaded conversations. In this guide, we will walk through the steps to install Zulip Chat Server on Debian 11.

Step 1: Update Your System

Start by ensuring your system is up to date:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Required Dependencies

Install necessary packages for Zulip:

sudo apt install -y git python3-pip python3-venv python3-dev

Step 3: Install Docker

Zulip uses Docker for installation. Install Docker by running:

sudo apt install -y docker.io

Start Docker and enable it to run at startup:

sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

Step 4: Download Zulip Server

Clone the Zulip server repository:

git clone https://github.com/zulip/zulip.git /opt/zulip

Step 5: Configure Zulip

Navigate to the Zulip directory:

cd /opt/zulip

Run the setup script:

sudo ./scripts/setup/install.py

Follow the prompts to configure your Zulip installation, including setting up your email domain, database, and other configurations.

Step 6: Start Zulip

After configuration, you can start the Zulip server:

sudo ./manage.py runserver

This will start the Zulip server, and you should see output indicating that the server is running.

Step 7: Configure Nginx as a Reverse Proxy

Install Nginx:

sudo apt install -y nginx

Create a new Nginx configuration file for Zulip:

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

Add the following configuration:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name your_domain_or_ip;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:9991;
        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;
    }
}

Replace your_domain_or_ip with your actual domain name or IP address.

Step 8: Enable Nginx Configuration

Enable the Zulip site configuration and restart Nginx:

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

Step 9: Secure Nginx with SSL

To secure your Zulip installation, it's recommended to use SSL. You can obtain a free SSL certificate using Certbot:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx

Run Certbot to obtain and install the SSL certificate:

sudo certbot --nginx -d your_domain

Follow the prompts to complete the installation. Certbot will automatically configure Nginx to use SSL.

Step 10: Access Zulip

You can now access Zulip securely by navigating to:

https://your_domain

You should see the Zulip login page, ready for you to sign in or create an account.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed and configured the Zulip Chat Server on Debian 11. This powerful communication tool will enhance collaboration within your team.

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