How to Install Snikket on Arch Linux

Snikket is a secure and easy-to-use instant messaging platform that can be self-hosted. In this tutorial, we will walk through the process of installing Snikket on Arch Linux.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, you need to have the following:

• A user account with sudo privileges
• A server with Arch Linux installed
• A domain name pointing to your server's IP address

Step 1: Enable the Required Repositories

Snikket requires a few additional repositories to be enabled. We need to set up the Arch User Repository (AUR) and the Multilib repository.

To enable the AUR, run the following command:

sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel git

Next, edit the /etc/pacman.conf file and add the following lines to the end of the file:

[archlinuxfr]
SigLevel = Never
Server = http://repo.archlinux.fr/$arch

Save and exit the file.

To enable the Multilib repository, uncomment the [multilib] section in the /etc/pacman.conf file:

[multilib]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

Save and exit the file.

Now update the package lists:

sudo pacman -Syu

Step 2: Install the Required Packages

We need to install the packages required for Snikket.

First, install the ejabberd package:

sudo pacman -S ejabberd

Snikket also requires some additional packages from the AUR.

Install the erlang-svg package:

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/erlang-svg.git
cd erlang-svg
makepkg -si

Install the otplib package:

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/erlang-otplib.git
cd erlang-otplib
makepkg -si

Install the tkabber-plugins package:

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/tkabber-plugins.git
cd tkabber-plugins
makepkg -si

Finally, install the snikket-server package:

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/snikket-server.git
cd snikket-server
makepkg -si

Step 3: Configure Snikket

Now we need to configure Snikket.

First, edit the ejabberd.yml file:

sudo nano /etc/ejabberd/ejabberd.yml

Find the following lines:

listen:
  -
    port: 5222
    ip: "::"
    module: ejabberd_c2s
    max_stanza_size: 65536

And replace them with:

listen:
  -
    port: 5222
    ip: "::"
    module: ejabberd_c2s
    max_stanza_size: 65536
    starttls: true
    certfile: "/etc/letsencrypt/live/<your-domain>/fullchain.pem"
    keyfile: "/etc/letsencrypt/live/<your-domain>/privkey.pem"
    protocol_options:
      - "no_sslv3"
      - "no_tlsv1"
      - "no_tlsv1_1"
  -
    port: 5269
    ip: "::"
    module: ejabberd_s2s_in

Replace <your-domain> with your actual domain.

Save and exit the file.

Next, edit the ejabberdctl.cfg file:

sudo nano /etc/ejabberd/ejabberdctl.cfg

Add the following line at the end of the file:

ERLANG_NODE=ejabberd@localhost

Save and exit the file.

Now restart the ejabberd service:

sudo systemctl restart ejabberd

Next, edit the snikket.yml file:

sudo nano /etc/snikket/snikket.yml

Replace the xmpp_domain field with your actual domain:

xmpp_domain: "<your-domain>"

Save and exit the file.

Finally, restart the Snikket service:

sudo systemctl restart snikket

Step 4: Set up SSL

To use Snikket securely, a valid SSL certificate is required.

We can use Let's Encrypt to obtain a free SSL certificate.

First, install the Certbot client:

sudo pacman -S certbot

Next, run the Certbot command to obtain a certificate:

sudo certbot certonly --standalone -d <your-domain>

Follow the prompts to obtain and install the certificate.

Step 5: Access Snikket

You should now be able to access Snikket at:

https://<your-domain>/

You'll need to create a new account and configure your client to use your Snikket server.

Congratulations! You've successfully installed Snikket on Arch Linux.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have shown you how to install Snikket on Arch Linux. Snikket provides a secure and private messaging platform that can be self-hosted.

If you want to self-host in an easy, hands free way, need an external IP address, or simply want your data in your own hands, give IPv6.rs a try!

Alternatively, for the best virtual desktop, try Shells!