How to Install FlaskBB on Void Linux

Introduction

FlaskBB is a forum software created using the Flask web framework. This tutorial will guide you through the process of installing FlaskBB on Void Linux.

Prerequisites

Before starting the installation, you should ensure that you have the following:

• A running Void Linux server with a non-root user with sudo privileges
• Python 3.x installed on your system

Step 1: Install Required Dependencies

To begin the installation process, open your terminal and run the following command to update your package manager:

sudo xbps-install -Suy

Then, install the required dependencies:

sudo xbps-install gcc make openssl-devel libffi-devel python3-dev

Step 2: Install FlaskBB

Next, create a new virtual environment using the following command:

python3 -m venv flaskbb

Activate the virtual environment with the following command:

source flaskbb/bin/activate

Now, you can install FlaskBB:

pip install flaskbb

Step 3: Set up a Database

FlaskBB requires a database to store its data. For this tutorial, we will use the SQLite database.

Create a new directory for the database and navigate to it:

mkdir flaskbb_db && cd flaskbb_db

Now, create a new database file:

touch flaskbb.db

Step 4: Configure FlaskBB

To configure FlaskBB, create a new configuration file:

touch flaskbb.cfg

Open the file using your favourite text editor and add the following lines:

SECRET_KEY = 'astrongsecrethash'

SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI = 'sqlite:///path/to/flaskbb_db/flaskbb.db'
SQLALCHEMY_TRACK_MODIFICATIONS = False

SESSION_COOKIE_SECURE = True
SESSION_COOKIE_HTTPONLY = True

DEBUG = False

Replace path/to/flaskbb_db/ with the path to the directory where you saved your database.

Step 5: Run FlaskBB

To start FlaskBB, navigate to your FlaskBB directory and activate the virtual environment:

cd flaskbb
source bin/activate

Then, start the Flask development server:

flask run

You should see the following output:

 * Serving Flask app "flaskbb.cli" (lazy loading)
 * Environment: production
   WARNING: This is a development server. Do not use it in a production deployment.
   Use a production WSGI server instead.
 * Debug mode: off
 * Running on http://127.0.0.1:5000/ (Press CTRL+C to quit)

Open your web browser and go to http://127.0.0.1:5000/, and you should see the FlaskBB homepage.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully installed FlaskBB on your Void Linux server. You can now customize your forum by logging in to the FlaskBB administration panel.

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!