How to install Xandikos on Arch Linux

Xandikos is a CalDAV/CardDAV server that allows you to synchronize your calendar and address book data across multiple devices. In this tutorial, we will show you how to install Xandikos on Arch Linux.

Prerequisites

• Arch Linux installed on your machine
• A user account with sudo privileges

Install Xandikos

1. Install Python and pip:

sudo pacman -S python python-pip

2. Install Xandikos using pip:

sudo pip install xandikos

3. Create a new user for the Xandikos service:

sudo useradd -s /usr/bin/nologin -r -d /var/lib/xandikos -m -U xandikos

4. Create a configuration file for Xandikos:

sudo mkdir /etc/xandikos
sudo chown xandikos:xandikos /etc/xandikos
sudo cp /usr/share/xandikos/xandikos.cfg /etc/xandikos/
sudo chown xandikos:xandikos /etc/xandikos/xandikos.cfg

5. Edit the configuration file to suit your needs:

sudo nano /etc/xandikos/xandikos.cfg

6. Add a systemd service file for Xandikos:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/xandikos.service

7. Paste the following content into the service file:

[Unit]
Description=Xandikos CalDAV/CardDAV server
After=network.target

[Service]
User=xandikos
ExecStart=/usr/bin/xandikos --config /etc/xandikos/xandikos.cfg

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

8. Reload the systemd daemon:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload

9. Start and enable Xandikos to run at boot:

sudo systemctl start xandikos
sudo systemctl enable xandikos

10. Check the status of the Xandikos service to make sure it is running:

sudo systemctl status xandikos

You should get a similar output:

xandikos.service - Xandikos CalDAV/CardDAV server
   Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/xandikos.service; enabled; vendor preset: disabled)
   Active: active (running) since Fri 2021-06-11 15:26:07 CEST; 21s ago
 Main PID: 23647 (xandikos)
    Tasks: 1 (limit: 38423)
   Memory: 19.1M
   CGroup: /system.slice/xandikos.service
           └─23647 /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/xandikos --config /etc/xandikos/xandikos.cfg

Congratulations, you have successfully installed Xandikos on Arch Linux. You can now configure your CalDAV and CardDAV clients to connect to your Xandikos server.

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!