How to Install AsmBB on NixOS Latest?

AsmBB is a lightweight forum software written in assembly language, suitable for small to medium-sized communities. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of installing AsmBB on NixOS Latest.

Prerequisites

Before we start, make sure you have the following:

• A server running NixOS Latest
• A terminal with sudo privileges

Step 1: Enable Nixpkgs Unstable

AsmBB is not yet available in the stable channel of Nixpkgs. Therefore, we need to enable the unstable channel to access the package.

1. Open the /etc/nixos/configuration.nix file with your favorite text editor.

2. Add the following line to the imports section:

   imports = [ <nixpkgs-unstable/lib/modules.nix> ];
   

3. Save and close the file.

4. Run the following command to activate the new configuration:

   sudo nixos-rebuild switch
   

Step 2: Install AsmBB

Now that we have enabled the unstable channel, we can install AsmBB using the following command:

sudo nix-env -i asm32-asm1x-asm1x

This will install the AsmBB package and all its dependencies.

Step 3: Configure AsmBB

Before we can use AsmBB, we need to create a configuration file. Here's an example configuration file:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

BOARD_TITLE="My AsmBB Board"
BOARD_GUEST="1"
BOARD_GUEST_NAME="Guest"
GZIP="on"
USE_CAPTCHA="on"

SQL_DBNAME="asm_bb_db"
SQL_USER="asm_bb_user"
SQL_PASS="my_password"
SQL_HOSTNAME="localhost"

Save the above code as my_config.sh in a directory of your choice. Be sure to replace the values of SQL_* with your own.

To manually run AsmBB, use the following command:

/admin.pl -m -v -c my_config.sh

To have AsmBB run automatically when the server starts up, create a systemd service unit file:

1. Create a directory for the service unit file:

   sudo mkdir /etc/systemd/system/asm-bb.service.d
   

2. Create a new file called override.conf in the new directory:

   sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/asm-bb.service.d/override.conf
   

3. Add the following lines to the file:

   [Service]
   ExecStart=
   ExecStart=/usr/bin/env /usr/bin/perl /path/to/asm_bb_dir/admin.pl -m -v -c /path/to/config.sh
   

   Replace /path/to/asm_bb_dir and /path/to/config.sh with the actual paths to your AsmBB installation directory and configuration file, respectively.

4. Save and close the file.

5. Reload the systemd daemon:

   sudo systemctl daemon-reload
   

6. Start the service:

   sudo systemctl start asm-bb
   

AsmBB is now up and running on your NixOS server.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have shown you how to install AsmBB on NixOS Latest. Remember to keep your installation up-to-date with security patches and bug fixes, and to configure AsmBB according to your needs.

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!