How to Install WriteFreely on Debian Latest

In this tutorial, we will be installing WriteFreely on a Debian Linux operating system. WriteFreely is an open-source platform for writing and publishing blog posts. This installation guide will assume that you have basic Linux knowledge and are comfortable using the command line.

Prerequisites

Before starting the installation process, make sure that your Debian system is up-to-date. Run the following command to update your system:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Install Dependencies

WriteFreely requires some dependencies to run on your Debian system. Install the following packages:

sudo apt install curl git golang-go

Clone WriteFreely Repository

Clone WriteFreely repository using git command:

git clone https://github.com/writeas/writefreely

Build the Binary

Navigate to the cloned repository directory:

cd writefreely

Use the build command to compile the WriteFreely binary:

make

Create a new user

Create a new user to run WriteFreely:

sudo adduser writefreely

Install the Binary

Copy the WriteFreely binary to /usr/local/bin/:

sudo cp writefreely /usr/local/bin/

Configure WriteFreely

Create a configuration file for WriteFreely:

sudo mkdir /etc/writefreely/
sudo nano /etc/writefreely/config.ini

In the configuration file, write the following:

[server]
port = 8080 # Enter the port number you want WriteFreely to listen to.
domain = # Enter the domain name for your WriteFreely instance.

[postgresql]
user = # Enter the Postgres user.
pass = # Enter the Postgres password.
dbname = writefreely # Enter the Postgres database name.

[security]
secret = # Enter your secret.

Save the configuration file and exit.

Set Up the Database

Install the Postgres database server:

sudo apt install postgresql postgresql-contrib

Create a new PostgreSQL user and database:

sudo -i -u postgres
createuser -P writefreely # Enter a password for the PostgreSQL user.
createdb writefreely

Exit the postgres user shell by executing exit.

Run WriteFreely

Run WriteFreely using the following command:

/usr/local/bin/writefreely --config /etc/writefreely/config.ini

You can access your WriteFreely instance on the port you specified in the configuration file, accessible at http://localhost:8080 (replace 8080 with the port number you specified).

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully installed WriteFreely on your Debian system. You can now start writing and publishing blog posts on your own WriteFreely instance.