# Installing on Debian Based Distributions {! backend/installation/otp_vs_from_source_source.include !} ## Installation This guide will assume you are on Debian 11 (“bullseye”) or later. This guide should also work with Ubuntu 18.04 (“Bionic Beaver”) and later. It also assumes that you have administrative rights, either as root or a user with [sudo permissions](https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-add-delete-and-grant-sudo-privileges-to-users-on-a-debian-vps). If you want to run this guide with root, ignore the `sudo` at the beginning of the lines, unless it calls a user like `sudo -Hu pleroma`; in this case, use `su -s $SHELL -c 'command'` instead. {! backend/installation/generic_dependencies.include !} ### Prepare the system * First update the system, if not already done: ```shell sudo apt update sudo apt full-upgrade ``` * Install some of the above mentioned programs: ```shell sudo apt install git build-essential postgresql postgresql-contrib cmake libmagic-dev ``` ### Install Elixir and Erlang * Install Elixir and Erlang (you might need to use backports or [asdf](https://github.com/asdf-vm/asdf) on old systems): ```shell sudo apt update sudo apt install elixir erlang-dev erlang-nox ``` ### Optional packages: [`docs/installation/optional/media_graphics_packages.md`](../installation/optional/media_graphics_packages.md) ```shell sudo apt install imagemagick ffmpeg libimage-exiftool-perl ``` ### Install PleromaBE * Add a new system user for the Pleroma service: ```shell sudo useradd -r -s /bin/false -m -d /var/lib/pleroma -U pleroma ``` **Note**: To execute a single command as the Pleroma system user, use `sudo -Hu pleroma command`. You can also switch to a shell by using `sudo -Hu pleroma $SHELL`. If you don’t have and want `sudo` on your system, you can use `su` as root user (UID 0) for a single command by using `su -l pleroma -s $SHELL -c 'command'` and `su -l pleroma -s $SHELL` for starting a shell. * Git clone the PleromaBE repository and make the Pleroma user the owner of the directory: ```shell sudo mkdir -p /opt/pleroma sudo chown -R pleroma:pleroma /opt/pleroma sudo -Hu pleroma git clone -b stable https://git.pleroma.social/pleroma/pleroma /opt/pleroma ``` * Change to the new directory: ```shell cd /opt/pleroma ``` * Install the dependencies for Pleroma and answer with `yes` if it asks you to install `Hex`: ```shell sudo -Hu pleroma mix deps.get ``` * Generate the configuration: `sudo -Hu pleroma MIX_ENV=prod mix pleroma.instance gen` * Answer with `yes` if it asks you to install `rebar3`. * This may take some time, because parts of pleroma get compiled first. * After that it will ask you a few questions about your instance and generates a configuration file in `config/generated_config.exs`. * Check the configuration and if all looks right, rename it, so Pleroma will load it (`prod.secret.exs` for productive instance, `dev.secret.exs` for development instances): ```shell sudo -Hu pleroma mv config/{generated_config.exs,prod.secret.exs} ``` * The previous command creates also the file `config/setup_db.psql`, with which you can create the database: ```shell sudo -Hu postgres psql -f config/setup_db.psql ``` * Now run the database migration: ```shell sudo -Hu pleroma MIX_ENV=prod mix ecto.migrate ``` * Now you can start Pleroma already ```shell sudo -Hu pleroma MIX_ENV=prod mix phx.server ``` ### Finalize installation If you want to open your newly installed instance to the world, you should run nginx or some other webserver/proxy in front of Pleroma and you should consider to create a systemd service file for Pleroma. #### Nginx * Install nginx, if not already done: ```shell sudo apt install nginx ``` * Setup your SSL cert, using your method of choice or certbot. If using certbot, first install it: ```shell sudo apt install certbot ``` and then set it up: ```shell sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/letsencrypt/ sudo certbot certonly --email -d --standalone ``` If that doesn’t work, make sure, that nginx is not already running. If it still doesn’t work, try setting up nginx first (change ssl “on” to “off” and try again). --- * Copy the example nginx configuration and activate it: ```shell sudo cp /opt/pleroma/installation/pleroma.nginx /etc/nginx/sites-available/pleroma.nginx sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/pleroma.nginx /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/pleroma.nginx ``` * Before starting nginx edit the configuration and change it to your needs (e.g. change servername, change cert paths) * (Strongly recommended) serve media on another domain Refer to the [Hardening your instance](../configuration/hardening.md) document on how to serve media on another domain. We STRONGLY RECOMMEND you to do this to minimize attack vectors. * Enable and start nginx: ```shell sudo systemctl enable --now nginx.service ``` If you need to renew the certificate in the future, uncomment the relevant location block in the nginx config and run: ```shell sudo certbot certonly --email -d --webroot -w /var/lib/letsencrypt/ ``` #### Other webserver/proxies You can find example configurations for them in `/opt/pleroma/installation/`. #### Systemd service * Copy example service file ```shell sudo cp /opt/pleroma/installation/pleroma.service /etc/systemd/system/pleroma.service ``` * Edit the service file and make sure that all paths fit your installation * Enable and start `pleroma.service`: ```shell sudo systemctl enable --now pleroma.service ``` #### Create your first user If your instance is up and running, you can create your first user with administrative rights with the following task: ```shell sudo -Hu pleroma MIX_ENV=prod mix pleroma.user new --admin ``` #### Further reading {! backend/installation/further_reading.include !} ## Questions Questions about the installation or didn’t it work as it should be, ask in [#pleroma:libera.chat](https://matrix.to/#/#pleroma:libera.chat) via Matrix or **#pleroma** on **libera.chat** via IRC.