How to Install InvoicePlane with Apache and Free Let's Encrypt SSL Certificate on Debian 11

InvoicePlane is a free and open-source invoicing application that allows you to manage your billing and invoicing efficiently. In this guide, we will walk through the steps to install InvoicePlane on Debian 11 using Apache and securing it with a free SSL certificate from Let's Encrypt.

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 Packages

Install Apache, MariaDB, and PHP along with necessary extensions:

sudo apt install -y apache2 mariadb-server php php-mysql php-gd php-mbstring \
php-xml php-curl unzip

Step 3: Configure MariaDB

Secure your MariaDB installation:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Create a database for InvoicePlane:

sudo mysql -u root -p

CREATE DATABASE invoiceplane;
CREATE USER 'invoiceuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON invoiceplane.* TO 'invoiceuser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Replace your_password with a strong password of your choice.

Step 4: Download InvoicePlane

Download the latest version of InvoicePlane:

wget https://github.com/InvoicePlane/InvoicePlane/archive/refs/tags/V1.5.10.zip

Unzip the downloaded file:

unzip V1.5.10.zip -d /var/www/html/

Rename the extracted folder:

mv /var/www/html/InvoicePlane-1.5.10 /var/www/html/invoiceplane

Step 5: Configure Apache

Create a new Apache configuration file for InvoicePlane:

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

Add the following configuration:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName your_domain.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/invoiceplane

    <Directory /var/www/html/invoiceplane>
        AllowOverride All
    </Directory>

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/invoiceplane_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/invoiceplane_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Replace your_domain.com with your actual domain name.

Step 6: Enable the Apache Configuration

Enable the new site and the rewrite module:

sudo a2ensite invoiceplane.conf
sudo a2enmod rewrite

Restart Apache to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 7: Obtain an SSL Certificate

Use Certbot to obtain a free SSL certificate:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache -y
sudo certbot --apache -d your_domain.com

Follow the prompts to configure your SSL certificate.

Step 8: Complete the InvoicePlane Installation

Open your web browser and navigate to:

https://your_domain.com

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the InvoicePlane setup. Enter the database details you created earlier when prompted.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed InvoicePlane on Debian 11 with Apache and a free SSL certificate from Let's Encrypt. This application will help you manage your invoicing and billing effectively.

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