This document shows you how to install bbPress on Ubuntu 14.10 server. bbPress is a forum software that can be used to power your forum-only sites or integrated with WordPress and other CMS to enable forums and discussion platform. It’s a great software to have if you wish to run a forum-based website.
If you look around the web, you’ll find that most webmasters are switching their comment forms to software like bbPress and other hosted comment engines to get rid of spams. Handling spams can be very messy when you’re hosting your sites using WordPress.
When you integrate bbPress with WordPress to power your comments and discussions, users will have to register in order to comment or be part of a discussion. This will completely rid spams and other crazies from your comment forms.
bbPress is also a LAMP stack software, which means it depends on Linux, Apache or any supported webservers and PHP in order for bbPress to function. This document will also show you how to install LAMP on Ubuntu.
For further reading on installing LAMP on Ubuntu, check this blog post or the link below.
https://www.liberiangeek.net/2014/10/install-apache2-php-mysql-support-lamp-ubuntu-14-10/
- Installing the LAMP Stack on Ubuntu
This one line command will get you setup with LAMP on Ubuntu 14.10 and prepare your system for bbPress installation. To continue, run the commands below
sudo apt-get -y install apache2 mysql-server mysql-client php5 php5-mysql php5-gd imagemagick unzip
During the installation, Ubuntu will prompts you to create a root account for the database. Create and confirm a password and you’re done.
While not mandatory, it is highly recommended that you set a password for the MySQL administrative “root” user.
If this field is left blank, the password will not be changed.
New password for the MySQL “root” user:
- Creating bbPress MySQL Database
After install the LAMP stack, the next thing is to configure bbPress database. bbPress uses database to store data and content. Run the commands below to secure your database installation.
sudo mysql_secure_installation
When prompted, follow the guide below.
Next, choose Yes for the rest of the prompts until you’re done.
- Enter current password for root (enter for none): Type root password
- Change the root password? N
- Remove anonymous users? Y
- Disallow root login remotely? Y
- Remove test database and access to it? Y
- Reload privilege tables now? Y
To sign on to the database run the commands below
mysql -u root -p
Then run the SQL statement below to create a new database bbPress database.
CREATE DATABASE bbpressdb;
Next run the commands below to create bbPress database user account and password
CREATE USER bbpressuser@localhost IDENTIFIED BY 'bbpressuser_password_here';
Finally run the commands below to give the user access the database
GRANT ALL ON bbpressdb.* TO bbpressuser@localhost;
Flush and exit the database.
- Installing bbPress on Ubuntu
The first step is to download bbPress package and install. You can get the archive from this page or use the commands below to download it.
cd /tmp && wget https://www.phpbb.com/files/release/phpBB-3.1.2.zip
Next, run the commands below to unzip the archive
unzip phpBB-3.1.2.zip
Next, run the commands below to backup your Apache default root content
sudo mv /var/www/html/* ~/
Next run the commands below to copy bbPress content to Apache default root directory
sudo cp -R phpBB3/* /var/www/html/
Give Apache2 access to the directory
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/
Next change into Apache2 default root
cd /var/www/html/
Then run the commands below to change the permissions on these files.
sudo chmod 660 images/avatars/upload/ config.php
sudo chmod 770 store/ cache/ files/
After that, restart Apache2 and browser to the server hostname or IP address followed by /install to bbPress installation and configuration.
sudo service apache2 restart
http://server_IP/install
When the page opens, you should see bbPress default installer page.
Next enter your database information and proceed.
Verify all the info until you’re done. After the last page, you’ll be able to sign in and manage bbPress.
This is how you install bbPress on Ubuntu.
After installing bbPress, you must go back and do some cleanups. First, delete the installation folder
sudo rm -rf /var/www/html/install
Then run the command below to protect bbPress critical file.
sudo chmod 640 /var/www/html/config.php
Enjoy!