How to Install DokuWiki on a LAMP Server

Author(s): Louis Ouellet

Today, we'll explore how to set up DokuWiki, a versatile and easy-to-use wiki software, on a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) server. This guide is ideal for those looking to create a personal or professional wiki without the complexity of larger platforms.

DokuWiki is a lightweight and flexible wiki software that doesn't require a database, making it a perfect choice for small to medium-sized projects. LAMP servers offer a stable and robust environment for hosting such applications. Let's dive into how you can get your DokuWiki up and running on a LAMP server.

- A LAMP server already set up. - Basic knowledge of Linux commands and Apache configurations. - Access to the command line of your server.

First, navigate to DokuWiki's official website to download the latest version. You can use `wget` with the link to the tar.gz file. For example:

wget https://download.dokuwiki.org/src/dokuwiki/dokuwiki-stable.tgz

Once downloaded, extract the DokuWiki archive and move it to the desired location in your web server's document root. For instance:

tar xvf dokuwiki-stable.tgz
sudo mv dokuwiki-<version> /var/www/html/dokuwiki

Replace `<version>` with the actual version number of the downloaded file.

To ensure DokuWiki runs smoothly, set the correct permissions for the DokuWiki directory:

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/dokuwiki

Create an Apache configuration file for DokuWiki. Open a new configuration file using your favorite text editor:

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

Insert the following configuration, then save and exit:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerAdmin admin@example.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/dokuwiki
    ServerName your_domain.com
    <Directory /var/www/html/dokuwiki/>
        Options FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>
    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Enable the new site and restart Apache:

sudo a2ensite dokuwiki.conf
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Finally, open your web browser and go to your DokuWiki installation URL. You'll be greeted by the DokuWiki installer, where you can set up your wiki's name, superuser account, and other settings.

Congratulations! You've successfully installed DokuWiki on your LAMP server. DokuWiki is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a simple, yet powerful wiki solution. Whether for personal use or within an organization, it offers a range of features and a user-friendly experience.