How to Install SimpleX Chat on Manjaro

SimpleX Chat is an open-source web-based chat application that allows users to communicate with each other in real-time. In this tutorial, we will go through the steps to install SimpleX Chat on Manjaro.

Prerequisites

• A Manjaro system
• A web server (Apache or Nginx)
• PHP 7.4 or later installed

Step 1: Install Git

Git is a version control system that is required to clone SimpleX Chat from GitHub. To install Git, open the terminal and run the command:

sudo pacman -S git

Step 2: Clone SimpleX Chat Repository

Clone the SimpleX Chat repository from GitHub by running the following command:

git clone https://github.com/simplex-chat/simplex-chat.git

Step 3: Install Dependencies

SimpleX Chat requires some dependencies to run properly. To install the dependencies, run the following commands:

cd simplex-chat
composer install
npm install

Step 4: Configure .env File

Create a new .env file by copying the .env.example file. In the terminal, run the following command:

cp .env.example .env

Then, edit the file and replace the default values with your configuration values. For example:

APP_NAME=SimpleX Chat
APP_ENV=production
APP_DEBUG=false

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=simplex_chat
DB_USERNAME=root
DB_PASSWORD=

BROADCAST_DRIVER=log
CACHE_DRIVER=file
QUEUE_CONNECTION=sync
SESSION_DRIVER=file
SESSION_LIFETIME=120

Save the file and exit.

Step 5: Generate Application Key

Generate a new application key by running the following command:

php artisan key:generate

Step 6: Run Database Migrations

To create the required database tables, run the following command:

php artisan migrate

Step 7: Compile Assets

Compile the assets by running the following command:

npm run prod

Step 8: Configure Web Server

Create a new virtual host for SimpleX Chat in your web server configuration file. For example, if you are using Apache, create a new virtual host in the /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf file:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName domain.com
    DocumentRoot /path/to/simplex-chat/public
    <Directory /path/to/simplex-chat/public>
        Options -Indexes +FollowSymLinks +MultiViews
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>
    ErrorLog /var/log/httpd/simplex-chat-error.log
    CustomLog /var/log/httpd/simplex-chat-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Replace domain.com and /path/to/simplex-chat with your domain name and SimpleX Chat installation directory.

Step 9: Restart Web Server

After making changes to the web server configuration file, restart the web server to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart httpd

Step 10: Login to SimpleX Chat

Open a web browser and navigate to your SimpleX Chat domain. You should see the login screen. Use the default username and password:

Username: admin Password: admin

After logging in, you can create new users, groups, channels, and customize the application settings.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed SimpleX Chat on Manjaro.

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!