How to Install Pretalx on Arch Linux

Pretalx is an open-source conference management software designed to help organizers create, manage and run conferences easily. In this tutorial, we'll guide you through the installation process of Pretalx on Arch Linux.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following prerequisites:

• Arch Linux installed
• A non-root user with sudo privileges

Step 1: Install Required Dependencies

First, we need to install the required dependencies for Pretalx. Open your terminal and run the following command:

sudo pacman -S python python-pip python-wheel python-setuptools python-virtualenv python-psycopg2 python-lxml python-pillow python-cssmin nodejs npm postgresql

It will install the latest version of Python, PostgreSQL, and other dependencies required for Pretalx.

Step 2: Install Pretalx

Pretalx can be installed via pip or using the package from the AUR. In this tutorial, we will use the pip method.

1. Create a new virtual environment with the following command:

virtualenv pretalx-env

2. Activate the virtual environment:

source pretalx-env/bin/activate

3. Use pip to install Pretalx:

pip install pretalx

Step 3: Configure PostgreSQL

Create a new database user and database for Pretalx to use:

sudo su postgres
createuser --interactive pretalx
createdb pretalx --owner=pretalx --encoding='utf-8' --locale=en_US.utf8 --template=template0
exit

Step 4: Configure Pretalx

1. Generate the default configuration by running:

pretalx createconfig

2. Modify the Pretalx configuration file at ~/.config/pretalx/config.yml to match your preferences. Example configuration:

global:
    event:
        name: My Conference
        slug: my-conference
        email: contact@my-conference.com
database:
    url: postgresql://pretalx@localhost:5432/pretalx
mail:
    smtp:
        host: smtp.example.com
        user: conference@example.com
        password: secretpassword
        port: 587
        tls: true

3. Run the migrations to set up the database schema:

pretalx migrate

Step 5: Run the Pretalx Server

Start the Pretalx server by running the following command:

pretalx start

The server will start and will be accessible at http://localhost:8000.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Pretalx on Arch Linux. Now, you can create and manage your conference with ease.

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