How to Install KChat on Elementary OS

KChat is a free and open-source chat application built with PHP and jQuery which can be used for group chats, private messaging, and more. In this tutorial, we will learn how to install KChat on Elementary OS.

Prerequisites

Before we proceed with the installation process, make sure that your system meets the following requirements:

Step 1: Download KChat Source Code

Open the terminal and navigate to the directory where you want to download the KChat source code.

cd /opt/lampp/htdocs/

Next, use the following command to clone the KChat repository from GitHub:

sudo git clone https://github.com/php-kchat/kchat.git

Step 2: Configure Apache Web Server

Create a new virtual host configuration file for KChat using the following command:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/kchat.conf

Add the following lines to the file:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName example.com
    ServerAlias www.example.com
    DocumentRoot /opt/lampp/htdocs/kchat
    <Directory /opt/lampp/htdocs/kchat>
        Options FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>
    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/kchat_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/kchat_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Replace "example.com" with your domain name or IP address.

Enable the new virtual host configuration file using the following command:

sudo a2ensite kchat.conf

Restart the Apache web server using the following command to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 3: Create MySQL Database

Log in to your MySQL server using the following command:

mysql -u root -p

Enter your MySQL root password when prompted.

Create a new database and user for KChat using the following commands:

CREATE DATABASE kchat;

CREATE USER 'kchatuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'kchat_password';

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON kchat.* TO 'kchatuser'@'localhost';

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

EXIT;

Replace "kchat_password" with your preferred password.

Step 4: Configure KChat

Navigate to the KChat directory and rename the "config-sample.php" file to "config.php" using the following command:

cd /opt/lampp/htdocs/kchat/

sudo mv config-sample.php config.php

Open the "config.php" file using a text editor and change the following lines:

define('DBHOST', 'localhost');

define('DBNAME', 'kchat');

define('DBUSER', 'kchatuser');

define('DBPASS', 'kchat_password');

Replace "kchat_password" with the password you chose in Step 3.

Step 5: Install Required PHP Modules

Install the required PHP modules using the following command:

sudo apt-get install php7.2-mysqli php7.2-json

Restart the Apache web server to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 6: Access KChat

Open your web browser and navigate to the URL: http://example.com

Replace "example.com" with your domain name or IP address.

You should now be able to access and use KChat on your Elementary OS installation.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed KChat on your system.

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Alternatively, for the best virtual desktop, try Shells!