Installing GNU social on Kali Linux

GNU social is a popular free and open-source microblogging platform that allows users to connect with each other and share posts. This tutorial will guide you through the process of installing GNU social on Kali Linux, the latest version.

Prerequisites

Before you proceed with the installation, make sure that the following prerequisites are met:

• Kali Linux is up to date.
• root access

Installation Steps

1. Open the terminal and update the system by running the following command:

   apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y
   

2. Install the required packages:

   apt-get install apache2 php7.3 php7.3-cli php7.3-curl php7.3-gd php7.3-intl php7.3-json php7.3-mbstring php7.3-mysql php7.3-xml php7.3-zip mariadb-server git -y
   

3. Start the Apache web server:

   systemctl start apache2
   

4. Install the Composer package manager:

   curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php
   
   mv composer.phar /usr/local/bin/composer
   

5. Clone the GNU social repository:

   git clone https://git.gnu.io/gnu/gnu-social.git
   

6. Change the current directory to the GNU social repository:

   cd gnu-social
   

7. Install the dependencies:

   composer install --no-dev
   

8. Create a database and user for GNU social:

   mysql -u root -p
   
   CREATE DATABASE gnusocial;
   
   CREATE USER 'gnusocial'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
   
   GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON gnusocial.* TO 'gnusocial'@'localhost';
   
   FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
   
   EXIT;
   

9. Create a configuration file:

   cp config.php.sample config.php
   
   nano config.php
   

10. Replace the database settings in the configuration file with the following:

    ...
    'database' => array(
        'driver' => 'mysqli',
        'dbname' => 'gnusocial',
        'host' => 'localhost',
        'user' => 'gnusocial',
        'password' => 'password'
    ),
    ...
    

11. Save and exit the file.

12. Set the permissions for the storage directory:

    chmod -R 777 /var/www/html/gnu-social/storage/
    

13. Create a virtual host configuration file:

    nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/gnusocial.conf
    

14. Add the following content to the file:

    <VirtualHost *:80>
        ServerName gnusocial.example.com
        DocumentRoot /var/www/html/gnu-social/web/
        <Directory /var/www/html/gnu-social/web/>
            AllowOverride All
            Require all granted
        </Directory>
        ErrorLog /var/log/apache2/gnusocial-error.log
        CustomLog /var/log/apache2/gnusocial-access.log combined
    </VirtualHost>
    

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

15. Save and exit the file.

16. Enable the virtual host:

    a2ensite gnusocial.conf
    

17. Restart the Apache web server:

    systemctl restart apache2
    

18. Open a web browser and access the GNU social instance by entering the URL:

    http://gnusocial.example.com/
    

19. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation of GNU social.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed GNU social on Kali Linux.

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!