Drupal is a powerful content management system (CMS) that allows you to build dynamic websites with ease. If you're using Alma Linux 9, this guide will walk you through the steps to install Drupal. Whether you're running Alma Linux on your local machine or on a VPS server, the process is straightforward.

Prerequisites

Before we start, ensure that you have the following prerequisites ready:

• Access to a server running Alma Linux 9 (it can be a local server or a Windows VPS).
• Sudo privileges.
• A LAMP stack installed (Linux, Apache, MySQL/MariaDB, and PHP).

Step 1: Update Your Server

First, make sure your server is up to date by running the following command:

sudo dnf update

This ensures that your system has the latest security patches and software updates. It is an important step whether you're using Alma Linux on a local machine or a VPS server.

Step 2: Install Apache, MariaDB, and PHP

If you don't have the LAMP stack installed, you'll need to install Apache, MariaDB, and PHP. Run the following commands to set them up:

# Install Apache
sudo dnf install httpd

# Install MariaDB
sudo dnf install mariadb-server mariadb

# Install PHP and required modules
sudo dnf install php php-cli php-mysqlnd php-xml php-gd php-zip php-json
        

After installing, start and enable both Apache and MariaDB services:

sudo systemctl start httpd
sudo systemctl enable httpd

sudo systemctl start mariadb
sudo systemctl enable mariadb
        

Step 3: Secure MariaDB

Once MariaDB is installed, secure the database by running the following script:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

You'll be prompted to set a root password, remove anonymous users, disallow root login remotely, and other security measures.

Step 4: Create a Database for Drupal

Now, log into MariaDB to create a database for Drupal:

mysql -u root -p

Once logged in, create a new database and user, and grant all privileges:

CREATE DATABASE drupal;
CREATE USER 'drupaluser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'strongpassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON drupal.* TO 'drupaluser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;
        

Step 5: Download and Install Drupal

Now, go to the Apache web directory and download Drupal:

cd /var/www/html
sudo dnf install wget
sudo wget https://www.drupal.org/download-latest/tar.gz
sudo tar -xzvf tar.gz
sudo mv drupal-x.x.x/* .
        

Make sure to replace drupal-x.x.x with the actual version number. After extracting, change ownership of the files:

sudo chown -R apache:apache /var/www/html

Step 6: Configure Apache for Drupal

Create a new virtual host file for Drupal:

sudo nano /etc/httpd/conf.d/drupal.conf

Add the following configuration:

    ServerAdmin admin@yourdomain.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html
    ServerName yourdomain.com

    
        AllowOverride All
    

    ErrorLog /var/log/httpd/drupal-error.log
    CustomLog /var/log/httpd/drupal-access.log combined

        

Save and exit the file, then restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart httpd

Step 7: Complete the Drupal Installation via Web Browser

Now, open your browser and go to your server's IP address or domain name. You should see the Drupal installation page. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup, entering the database details you created earlier.

Conclusion

Installing Drupal on Alma Linux 9 is a fairly simple process if you follow these steps. Whether you're setting it up on a local machine or a VPS server, you should have your Drupal site up and running in no time. For those looking to host Drupal on a powerful Windows VPS server, consider visiting WindowsVPS.uk for reliable VPS hosting solutions.