How to Install Framadate on Linux Mint

Framadate is an open-source online poll and survey application that allows users to create polls, surveys, and meeting schedules. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of installing Framadate on Linux Mint.

Prerequisites

Before the installation, make sure to have the following prerequisites ready:

Step 1: Installing Dependencies

First, we need to install some necessary dependencies that are required to run the Framadate application. Open the terminal and execute the following command:

sudo apt install apache2 mariadb-server php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql php-mbstring php-xml php-curl php-zip certbot python3-certbot-apache -y

The above command will install Apache2, MariaDB, PHP, and other required dependencies on the system.

Step 2: Downloading Framadate

Next, we will download the latest version of Framadate from the official website using the following command:

sudo wget https://framagit.org/framasoft/framadate/framadate/-/archive/refs/tags/1.1.3/framadate-1.1.3.tar.gz

Extract the downloaded file using the following command:

sudo tar -xvf framadate-1.1.3.tar.gz

Step 3: Configuring Apache2

To configure Apache web server, create a new virtual host configuration file for Framadate using the following command:

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

Add the following content to the file:

<VirtualHost *:80>
        ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost
        DocumentRoot /var/www/html/framadate
        ServerName framadate.example.com
        ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
        CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined

        <Directory /var/www/html/framadate/>
                Options FollowSymLinks
                AllowOverride All
                Require all granted
        </Directory>
</VirtualHost>

Save and close the file.

Step 4: Creating Database

Next, we need to create a database in MariaDB for the Framadate application. To do that, run the following commands:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Enter the root password when prompted, then execute the following commands:

CREATE DATABASE framadate_db;
CREATE USER 'framadate_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON framadate_db.* TO 'framadate_user'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Replace the password field with your preferred password.

Step 5: Configuring Framadate

Navigate to the Framadate directory:

cd /path/to/framadate

Then run the following command to copy the sample configuration file:

sudo cp app/inc/config.php.dist app/inc/config.php

Open the configuration file and change the necessary details like the database and website URL, etc., using the following command, then save and close the file:

sudo nano app/inc/config.php

Step 6: Enabling HTTPS

It is advisable to secure your web server with SSL/TLS encryption. We can use Let's Encrypt for that purpose. Run the following command to install and enable Let's Encrypt SSL certificate:

sudo certbot --apache -d framadate.example.com --non-interactive --agree-tos --email admin@example.com

Change the domain name (framadate.example.com) and email address (admin@example.com) as per your requirements.

Step 7: Testing

Finally, restart the Apache webserver and MariaDB service:

sudo systemctl restart apache2
sudo systemctl restart mariadb

Now, open the web browser and navigate to the https://framadate.example.com URL to test the application.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have explained the step-by-step procedure to install Framadate on Linux Mint with Apache webserver and MariaDB database. You can now use Framadate to create your online polls, surveys, and schedules.

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