How to Install Joomla with Apache and Let's Encrypt SSL on AlmaLinux 9

Introduction

Joomla is a popular open-source content management system (CMS) used to build websites and online applications. Installing Joomla with Apache and Let’s Encrypt SSL on AlmaLinux 9 allows you to create a secure and powerful web platform. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of setting up Joomla with Apache and Let’s Encrypt SSL on AlmaLinux 9.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

• An AlmaLinux 9 server with sudo privileges
• A domain name pointed to your server’s IP address
• Basic knowledge of Linux server administration

Step 1: Install Apache and MariaDB

First, update the package repository and install Apache web server and MariaDB database server:

sudo dnf update
sudo dnf install httpd mariadb-server

Step 2: Install PHP and Required PHP Extensions

Install PHP and the necessary PHP extensions for Joomla:

sudo dnf install php php-mysqlnd php-json php-mbstring php-zip php-gd php-curl

Step 3: Configure MariaDB

Secure your MariaDB installation and create a database and user for Joomla:

sudo mysql_secure_installation
sudo mysql -u root -p
CREATE DATABASE joomla_db;
CREATE USER 'joomla_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON joomla_db.* TO 'joomla_user'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Step 4: Install Joomla

Download the latest Joomla package and extract it to your Apache web server’s document root:

sudo dnf install wget
wget https://downloads.joomla.org/cms/joomla3/3-10-6/Joomla_3-10-6-Stable-Full_Package.tar.gz
sudo tar -zxvf Joomla_3-10-6-Stable-Full_Package.tar.gz -C /var/www/html/

Step 5: Configure Apache Virtual Host

Create a new Apache virtual host configuration file for Joomla:

sudo nano /etc/httpd/conf.d/joomla.conf

And add the following configuration:

Listen 80

    ServerAdmin [email protected]
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/
    ServerName your_domain.com
    ErrorLog /var/log/httpd/joomla_error.log
    CustomLog /var/log/httpd/joomla_access.log combined

Step 6: Enable Apache Modules and Restart Apache

Enable necessary Apache modules and restart Apache:

sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo systemctl restart httpd

Step 7: Complete Joomla Installation

Open a web browser and navigate to your domain (http://your_domain.com). Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the Joomla installation using the database details you created earlier.

Step 8: Secure Joomla with Let’s Encrypt SSL

Install Certbot and obtain a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate for your domain:

sudo dnf install certbot python3-certbot-apache
sudo certbot --apache

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed Joomla with Apache and Let’s Encrypt SSL on AlmaLinux 9. You can now start building your website or online application using Joomla’s powerful features.