How to Install Mahara on Alpine Linux Latest

Mahara is a popular open-source ePortfolio and social networking web application that enables users to create and maintain online portfolios. In this tutorial, we will guide you on how to install Mahara on an Alpine Linux latest distribution.

Prerequisites

Before you start installing Mahara, make sure that you have the following prerequisites:

An Alpine Linux latest distribution installed on your system
A user account on your system with sudo privileges
A stable internet connection

Step 1: Update the System

First, update your Alpine Linux system to the latest version using the following command:

sudo apk update && sudo apk upgrade

Step 2: Install Required Packages

To run Mahara on your system, you need to install the Apache web server, PHP, and MariaDB server. Run the following command to install all the required packages:

sudo apk add apache2 php7 php7-apache2 mariadb mariadb-client

Step 3: Enable and Start Services

After installing the packages, enable and start the services using the following commands:

sudo rc-update add apache2 && sudo rc-service apache2 start
sudo rc-update add mariadb && sudo rc-service mariadb start

Step 4: Create a Database and User for Mahara

mysql -u root -p

Create a new database and user for the Mahara installation by executing the following MySQL commands:

CREATE DATABASE mahara;
CREATE USER 'maharauser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'maharapassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON mahara.* TO 'maharauser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'maharapassword';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Once done, exit from the MySQL prompt.

Step 5: Download and Extract Mahara

Download the latest version of Mahara from its official website using the following command:

sudo wget https://launchpad.net/mahara/21.04/21.04.1/+download/mahara-21.04.1.tar.gz

Extract the downloaded file using the command:

sudo tar xzvf mahara-21.04.1.tar.gz -C /var/www/localhost/htdocs/

Step 6: Configure Apache for Mahara

Create a new Apache virtual host configuration file for Mahara using the following command:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/conf.d/mahara.conf

And add the following content to it:

Alias /mahara "/var/www/localhost/htdocs/mahara-21.04.1"
<Directory "/var/www/localhost/htdocs/mahara-21.04.1">
     Options FollowSymLinks
     AllowOverride None
     Require all granted
</Directory>

Save and close the file.

Step 7: Configure Mahara

Create a new Mahara configuration file by executing the following command:

sudo cp /var/www/localhost/htdocs/mahara-21.04.1/config-dist.php /var/www/localhost/htdocs/mahara-21.04.1/config.php

Now, edit the config.php file using the following command:

sudo nano /var/www/localhost/htdocs/mahara-21.04.1/config.php

Change the following configuration settings in the file:

$cfg->dbtype   = 'mysqli';
$cfg->dbhost   = 'localhost';
$cfg->dbname   = 'mahara';
$cfg->dbuser   = 'maharauser';
$cfg->dbpass   = 'maharapassword';

Save and close the file.

Step 8: Access Mahara Web Installer

Now, access the Mahara web installer by opening a web browser and entering the following URL in the address bar:

http://localhost/mahara/

Provide the necessary details such as Site Title, Admin Username, and Password, and click on the 'Submit' button to complete the installation process.

Step 9: Access Mahara Dashboard

After completing the installation process, access the Mahara dashboard by entering the following URL in your web browser:

http://localhost/mahara/

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have shown you how to install Mahara on an Alpine Linux latest distribution. Now, you can create and maintain your online portfolios using this powerful and open-source ePortfolio system.