Installing GNU Social on Clear Linux

GNU Social is a free and decentralized social networking platform that allows users to interact with one another with features like microblogging, groups, and private messaging. This tutorial provides step-by-step instructions on how to install GNU Social on Clear Linux.

Prerequisites

Before installing GNU Social, you need to have the following prerequisites:

• Clear Linux latest version installed on your system
• A user account with sudo privileges
• Internet connectivity
• Apache web server with PHP

Step 1: Install PHP extensions

GNU Social requires several PHP extensions to function properly. To install them, run the following command:

sudo swupd bundle-add php-gd php-mcrypt php-pgsql php-xml

Step 2: Download GNU Social

You can download the latest release of GNU Social by running the following command:

wget https://www.gnu.org/software/social/social-latest.tar.gz

Step 3: Extract GNU Social

To extract the downloaded package, run the following command:

tar -xzvf social-latest.tar.gz

Step 4: Move Files to Apache

Move the extracted GNU Social files to /var/www/html/ directory by running the following command:

sudo mv social-* /var/www/html/social

Step 5: Create Config File

cd /var/www/html/social/

Duplicate the configuration file:

cp config.php.example config.php

You will need to edit the database settings in config.php. Use your preferred text editor:

nano config.php

Uncomment the lines corresponding to the database you will use (MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc.) and fill in the appropriate details.

Save and exit the file.

Step 6: Modify Permissions

Next, you need to modify the permissions of the GNU Social directory. To do so, run the following commands:

sudo chown -R apache:apache /var/www/html/social
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/social

Step 7: Configure Firewall

To allow access to the GNU Social web server, you need to open HTTP (port 80) and HTTPS (port 443) ports. To do so, run the following command:

sudo firewall-cmd --zone=public --add-service=http --permanent
sudo firewall-cmd --zone=public --add-service=https --permanent
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Step 8: Start the Web Server

After completing the configuration, start the Apache web server by running the following command:

sudo systemctl start httpd

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully installed GNU Social on Clear Linux. You can now access it by visiting http://<IP-address>/social.

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!