How to Install GoToSocial on Ubuntu Server Latest

GoToSocial is an open-source social networking software built with Ruby on Rails. It allows users to create a social network for their business, organization or community. In this tutorial, we will go through the steps to install GoToSocial on Ubuntu Server Latest.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have the following:

  • A server running Ubuntu Server Latest.
  • A user account with sudo privileges.
  • Basic knowledge of Ubuntu commands.

Step 1 - Update the System

Log in to your server and update the system packages and repositories.

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Step 2 - Install Dependencies

GoToSocial requires some dependencies to be installed in order to work properly. Run the following commands to install them.

sudo apt install build-essential git curl libssl-dev libreadline-dev zlib1g-dev libsqlite3-dev

Step 3 - Install Ruby

GoToSocial is built with Ruby on Rails, so you need to install Ruby on the server. Run the following commands to install Ruby using RVM.

curl -sSL https://rvm.io/mpapis.asc | gpg2 --import -
curl -sSL https://get.rvm.io | bash -s stable --rails

source /home/<your_username>/.rvm/scripts/rvm

rvm install 2.7.1

Replace <your_username> with your actual username.

Step 4 - Install Node.js

GoToSocial also requires Node.js to be installed. Run the following command to install Node.js.

sudo apt install nodejs

Step 5 - Install PostgreSQL

GoToSocial uses PostgreSQL as the database. Run the following commands to install PostgreSQL.

sudo apt install postgresql postgresql-contrib libpq-dev

Step 6 - Clone the GoToSocial Repository

Clone the GoToSocial repository from Github.

git clone https://github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial.git

Step 7 - Install Bundler

Bundler is used in Ruby projects to manage the dependencies. Run the following command to install Bundler.

gem install bundler

Step 8 - Install the GoToSocial Dependencies

In the GoToSocial directory, run the following command to install the dependencies.

cd gotosocial
bundle install

Step 9 - Create the Database

Create a new database for GoToSocial in PostgreSQL.

sudo -u postgres psql
CREATE DATABASE gotosocial_development;
CREATE USER gotosocial WITH PASSWORD 'YOUR_PASSWORD';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE gotosocial_development TO gotosocial;

Replace YOUR_PASSWORD with your actual password.

Step 10 - Run the Migration

Run the migration to create the tables in the database.

rails db:migrate

Step 11 - Start the Server

Start the server.

rails server

Now, GoToSocial should be up and running on your server. You can access it by navigating to http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:3000 in your web browser.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed GoToSocial on Ubuntu Server Latest.