Tutorial: How to Install Pico on Linux Mint

In this tutorial, we will be installing Pico, a lightweight CMS, on Linux Mint.

Prerequisites

Before we start, ensure you have the following:

• A Linux Mint machine with sudo privileges.
• Access to the terminal or shell.

Steps to Install Pico

1. Launch the terminal using the shortcut keys Ctrl + Alt + T or access it through the applications menu. If you are using a different shell, open it.

2. Let's start by updating the package list to receive the most recent version of Pico. Enter the following command:

   sudo apt-get update

3. Once the update process completes, we can now install PHP 7.0 and other required dependencies for Pico:

   sudo apt-get install php7.0 php7.0-gd php7.0-common php7.0-json php7.0-mbstring php7.0-xml

4. Next, we will install Composer, which is a dependency manager required for Pico:

   sudo apt-get install composer

5. After installing Composer, navigate to the appropriate directory where you want to install Pico. Then use Composer to install Pico:

   composer create-project picocms/pico path/to/pico-directory

   This command creates a new project directory that contains all necessary files for Pico.

   Note: Replace path/to/pico-directory with the actual path where you want to save your Pico installation.

6. Ensure you have write permissions to the directory where Pico is installed:

   sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /path/to/pico-directory

   This command creates a user and group called www-data that has the necessary permissions to perform read and write operations on the directory containing your Pico installation.

7. Next, we need to configure your webserver to serve Pico. If Apache is your webserver, create a new virtual host configuration file for your domain by running the following:

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

8. Within the file, paste the following contents:

   <VirtualHost *:80>
     DocumentRoot /path/to/pico-directory
     ServerName  domain.com   # Replace 'domain.com' with your domain name.
     <Directory /path/to/pico-directory>
       Options Indexes FollowSymLinks Includes ExecCGI
       AllowOverride All
       Require all granted
     </Directory>
   </VirtualHost>
   

9. Make sure to replace the path and domain name with your actual domain. Save and exit the editor.

10. Enable your new virtual host and restart Apache server:

sudo a2ensite pico.conf
sudo systemctl reload apache2

11. Your Pico installation is now ready to use. Navigate to your domain in a web browser (e.g., www.domain.com) and verify that the newly installed Pico page is displayed.

Conclusion

Pico is now installed on your Linux Mint machine! By using Composer, you were able to install Pico's dependencies and website files. The Apache2 configuration provides a guide to help you serve Pico using an Apache web server. Combine these steps with other creative ideas to create the perfect website for your needs.

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