How to Install Mahara on Kali Linux

Mahara is a web application that allows users to create e-portfolios, resumes, and social networking profiles. Here is a step-by-step tutorial on how to install Mahara on Kali Linux.

Step 1: Update your system

Before installing any software, it is always recommended to update your system to avoid any compatibility issues.

sudo apt update 
sudo apt upgrade

Step 2: Install Apache and PHP

Mahara is a PHP web application, and it requires a web server to run. So, let's install Apache and PHP.

sudo apt install apache2 php libapache2-mod-php

After the installation, start the Apache service and enable it to start on boot:

sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2

Step 3: Install MySQL

Mahara requires a SQL database to store user data. So, let's install MySQL:

sudo apt install mysql-server php-mysql

During the installation, you will be prompted to create a root password for MySQL.

Start and enable the MySQL service:

sudo systemctl start mysql
sudo systemctl enable mysql

Step 4: Create a MySQL database

Now, let's create a MySQL database for Mahara. Log in to the MySQL server:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Enter the MySQL root password when prompted.

Create a database:

CREATE DATABASE mahara;

Create a new user and grant the necessary privileges to the user:

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

Replace password with a strong password.

Step 5: Download and extract Mahara

Download the latest version of Mahara from the official website:

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

Extract the downloaded file:

tar -zxvf mahara-21.04.1.tar.gz

Move the extracted folder to the Apache document root folder /var/www/html:

sudo mv mahara-21.04.1 /var/www/html/mahara

Step 6: Configure Mahara

Copy the default Mahara configuration file:

sudo cp /var/www/html/mahara/config-dist.php /var/www/html/mahara/config.php

Open the configuration file using your favorite text editor:

sudo nano /var/www/html/mahara/config.php

Update the configuration as follows:

$dbuser = 'maharauser';
$dbpass = 'password';
$dbname = 'mahara';
$dbhost = 'localhost';

Replace password with the password you entered in Step 4.

Change the dataroot value to a directory to store the user data:

$cfg->dataroot = '/var/www/mahara/data';

Create the data directory and set appropriate permissions:

sudo mkdir /var/www/mahara/data
sudo chmod -R 777 /var/www/mahara/data

Restart Apache to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 7: Complete the installation

Open a web browser and navigate to http://localhost/mahara.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

That's it! You have successfully installed Mahara on Kali Linux. Enjoy!