How to Install Monica on NetBSD

In this tutorial, we will guide you through the steps to install Monica on NetBSD. Monica is an open-source personal relationship management software that helps you to manage your interactions with your loved ones, friends, and colleagues.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure that you have the following prerequisites:

• A NetBSD-based machine with root access
• Basic knowledge of command-line interface and package management on NetBSD
• Access to the internet

Installation Steps

Follow the below steps to install Monica on NetBSD:

1. Install Apache and PHP

Open your terminal and log in as root. Install Apache and PHP by running the following command:

pkgin update
pkgin install apache
pkgin install php74

2. Install MariaDB

Install MariaDB, which is used as the database backend for Monica.

pkgin install mariadb-server

3. Initialize MariaDB

Initialize the MariaDB database and start its service.

/usr/pkg/bin/mysql_install_db
service mysql start

4. Create a Database for Monica

Create a database for Monica in MariaDB, and grant full access to a user with a password.

mysql -uroot -p
MariaDB> CREATE DATABASE monica;
MariaDB> GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON monica.* TO 'monicauser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'mypassword';
MariaDB> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
MariaDB> EXIT;

5. Download and Extract Monica

Download and extract the latest version of Monica in the Apache webroot.

cd /var/www/
wget https://github.com/monicahq/monica/releases/download/v2.19.0/monica-2.19.0.zip
unzip monica-2.19.0.zip
mv monica-2.19.0/* html/
chown -R www:www /var/www/html

6. Set up the Environment Variables for Monica

Create an environment file for Monica, and set up the database credentials.

cd /var/www/html/
cp .env.example .env
nano .env

In the .env file, modify the DB_DATABASE, DB_USERNAME, and DB_PASSWORD with the database credentials created in step 4.

7. Set Up Apache

Create a new Apache virtual host configuration file for Monica.

nano /usr/pkg/etc/httpd/conf/extra/httpd-monica.conf

Add the following lines to the httpd-monica.conf file:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    DocumentRoot "/var/www/html/public"
    ServerName your-domain.com
    ServerAlias www.your-domain.com

    <Directory "/var/www/html">
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

    ErrorLog "/var/www/html/storage/logs/error.log"
    CustomLog "/var/www/html/storage/logs/access.log" combined
</VirtualHost>

Replace your-domain.com with the domain name you want to use for Monica.

8. Restart Apache

Restart Apache to load the new virtual host configuration.

apachectl restart

9. Access Monica

Open your web browser and navigate to http://127.0.0.1 or http://your-domain.com to access Monica.

You will be redirected to the installation process, follow the wizard to complete the installation.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Monica on NetBSD.

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!