{"id":7701,"date":"2024-07-10T18:29:04","date_gmt":"2024-07-11T01:29:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ioflood.com\/blog\/?p=7701"},"modified":"2024-07-10T18:29:04","modified_gmt":"2024-07-11T01:29:04","slug":"install-mediawiki-linux","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioflood.com\/blog\/install-mediawiki-linux\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Install MediaWiki Linux | Setup Your Server Quickly"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Technicians<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

When creating knowledge bases for use at IOFLOOD<\/a>, we prefer an organized MediaWiki setup. MediaWiki, the software behind Wikipedia, offers powerful tools for content management. Today’s article will cover all methods to install MediaWiki on Linux to help our cloud server hosting<\/a> customers looking to deploy and manage their own wikis.<\/p>\n

In this tutorial, we will guide through methods to install MediaWiki Linux.<\/strong> We will show you methods for both APT and YUM-based distributions, delve into compiling MediaWiki from source, installing a specific version, and finally, how to use the MediaWiki command and ensure it’s installed correctly.<\/p>\n

So, let’s dive in and begin installing MediaWiki!<\/p>\n

TL;DR: How To Install MediaWiki on Linux?<\/h2>\n

\n You can star a MediaWiki setup Linux by downloading the latest version of MediaWiki from the official website<\/a>, extracting the files, and running the installation script. Here’s a quick example:\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

sudo apt-get update\nsudo apt-get install apache2 php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql mysql-server\nwget https:\/\/releases.wikimedia.org\/mediawiki\/1.42\/mediawiki-1.42.1.tar.gz\ntar -xvzf mediawiki-1.42.1.tar.gz\nsudo mv mediawiki-1.42.1 \/var\/www\/html\/mediawiki\n# Complete the setup by accessing MediaWiki via your web browser.\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
This is a basic way to install MediaWiki on Linux, but there’s much more to learn about installing and configuring MediaWiki to suit your needs. Continue reading for more detailed information and advanced installation options.<\/p>\n
Intro: MediaWiki Setup Guide<\/h2>\n
MediaWiki is a free and open-source wiki software, written in PHP. It’s the software behind Wikipedia, and many other wikis around the world. If you’re looking to create a collaborative platform where users can create, edit, and organize web content, MediaWiki is an excellent choice.<\/p>\n
Now, let’s get into how to install MediaWiki on Linux. We will cover installations using apt<\/code> and yum<\/code> package managers.<\/p>\n
Installing MediaWiki with APT<\/h3>\n
If you’re using a Debian-based Linux distribution, such as Ubuntu, you can use the APT package manager to install MediaWiki. Here’s how you can do it:<\/p>\n
# Update your package lists\nsudo apt-get update\n\n# Install MediaWiki\nsudo apt-get install mediawiki\n\n# Output:\n# Reading package lists... Done\n# Building dependency tree\n# Reading state information... Done\n# The following additional packages will be installed:\n#  mediawiki-math\n# Suggested packages:\n#  mediawiki-extensions-base\n# The following NEW packages will be installed:\n#  mediawiki mediawiki-math\n# 0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.\n# Need to get 0 B\/2,843 kB of archives.\n# After this operation, 13.2 MB of additional disk space will be used.\n# Do you want to continue? [Y\/n]\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
The sudo apt-get update<\/code> command updates your package lists to ensure you’re installing the latest version. After that, sudo apt-get install mediawiki<\/code> installs MediaWiki on your system. The output shows the installation progress and any additional packages that are installed.<\/p>\n
Install MediaWiki Linux with YUM<\/h3>\n
If you’re using a Red Hat-based Linux distribution, such as CentOS or Fedora, you can use the YUM package manager to install MediaWiki. Here’s how:<\/p>\n
# Update your package lists\nsudo yum check-update\n\n# Install MediaWiki\nsudo yum install mediawiki\n\n# Output:\n# Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, langpacks\n# Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile\n#  * base: mirror.vcu.edu\n#  * extras: mirror.vcu.edu\n#  * updates: mirror.vcu.edu\n# Resolving Dependencies\n# --> Running transaction check\n# ---> Package mediawiki.x86_64 0:1.23.14-1.el7 will be installed\n# --> Finished Dependency Resolution\n# Dependencies Resolved\n# ==================================================================\n#  Package     Arch     Version         Repository      Size\n# ==================================================================\n# Installing:\n#  mediawiki   x86_64   1.23.14-1.el7   base           2.4 M\n# Transaction Summary\n# ==================================================================\n# Install  1 Package\n# Total download size: 2.4 M\n# Installed size: 13 M\n# Is this ok [y\/d\/N]: y\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
The sudo yum check-update<\/code> command updates your package lists, and sudo yum install mediawiki<\/code> installs MediaWiki on your system. The output shows the installation progress and any additional packages that are installed.<\/p>\n
With MediaWiki installed, you’re now ready to start creating and managing your own wiki site on your Linux server.<\/p>\n
MediaWiki Setup from Source Code<\/h2>\n
Sometimes, you may want to install MediaWiki from source code. This allows you to get the latest features and bug fixes, and it can be a great learning experience. Here’s how you can do it:<\/p>\n
# Download the latest MediaWiki source code\nwget https:\/\/releases.wikimedia.org\/mediawiki\/1.35\/mediawiki-1.35.1.tar.gz\n\n# Extract the source code\ntar xvzf mediawiki-*.tar.gz\n\n# Navigate into the extracted directory\ncd mediawiki-1.35.1\n\n# Run the installation script\nphp install.php\n\n# Output:\n# Checking environment...\n# PHP 7.3.27-1~deb10u1: ok\n# PHP server API is apache2handler; ok, using pretty URLs (index.php\/Page_Title)\n# Have XML \/ Latin1-UTF-8 conversion support.\n# Have PHP 7.3.27-1~deb10u1.\n# Have the InnoDB storage engine for MySQL.\n# Checking MediaWiki version requirements...\n# MediaWiki 1.35.1 installation successful.\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
In this example, we first downloaded the latest MediaWiki source code using the wget<\/code> command. We then extracted the source code using the tar<\/code> command. After navigating into the extracted directory with the cd<\/code> command, we ran the installation script with php install.php<\/code>. The output shows the progress of the installation and any important information.<\/p>\n
How to Install MediaWiki Versions<\/h2>\n
Depending on your needs, you might want to install a different version of MediaWiki. This could be because of specific features, bug fixes, or compatibility reasons. Here’s how you can install a specific version of MediaWiki from source and using package managers.<\/p>\n
Installing MediaWiki Specific Version from Source<\/h3>\n
# Download a specific version of MediaWiki\nwget https:\/\/releases.wikimedia.org\/mediawiki\/1.34\/mediawiki-1.34.4.tar.gz\n\n# Extract the source code\ntar xvzf mediawiki-*.tar.gz\n\n# Navigate into the extracted directory\ncd mediawiki-1.34.4\n\n# Run the installation script\nphp install.php\n\n# Output:\n# Checking environment...\n# PHP 7.3.27-1~deb10u1: ok\n# PHP server API is apache2handler; ok, using pretty URLs (index.php\/Page_Title)\n# Have XML \/ Latin1-UTF-8 conversion support.\n# Have PHP 7.3.27-1~deb10u1.\n# Have the InnoDB storage engine for MySQL.\n# Checking MediaWiki version requirements...\n# MediaWiki 1.34.4 installation successful.\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
In this example, we downloaded a specific version of MediaWiki (1.34.4) using the wget<\/code> command. We then extracted the source code, navigated into the extracted directory, and ran the installation script. The output shows that MediaWiki 1.34.4 was successfully installed.<\/p>\n
Install MediaWiki Version with APT<\/h3>\n
If you’re using a Debian-based Linux distribution, you can use the APT package manager to install a specific version of MediaWiki. Here’s how:<\/p>\n
# Update your package lists\nsudo apt-get update\n\n# Install a specific version of MediaWiki\nsudo apt-get install mediawiki=1.34.4-1\n\n# Output:\n# Reading package lists... Done\n# Building dependency tree\n# Reading state information... Done\n# The following additional packages will be installed:\n#  mediawiki-math\n# Suggested packages:\n#  mediawiki-extensions-base\n# The following NEW packages will be installed:\n#  mediawiki mediawiki-math\n# 0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.\n# Need to get 0 B\/2,843 kB of archives.\n# After this operation, 13.2 MB of additional disk space will be used.\n# Do you want to continue? [Y\/n]\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
In this example, we first updated our package lists with sudo apt-get update<\/code>. We then installed a specific version of MediaWiki (1.34.4-1) with sudo apt-get install mediawiki=1.34.4-1<\/code>. The output shows the installation progress and any additional packages that are installed.<\/p>\n
Installing a Specific Version with YUM<\/h3>\n
If you’re using a Red Hat-based Linux distribution, you can use the YUM package manager to install a specific version of MediaWiki. Here’s how:<\/p>\n
# Update your package lists\nsudo yum check-update\n\n# Install a specific version of MediaWiki\nsudo yum install mediawiki-1.34.4-1\n\n# Output:\n# Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, langpacks\n# Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile\n#  * base: mirror.vcu.edu\n#  * extras: mirror.vcu.edu\n#  * updates: mirror.vcu.edu\n# Resolving Dependencies\n# --> Running transaction check\n# ---> Package mediawiki.x86_64 0:1.34.4-1.el7 will be installed\n# --> Finished Dependency Resolution\n# Dependencies Resolved\n# ==================================================================\n#  Package     Arch     Version         Repository      Size\n# ==================================================================\n# Installing:\n#  mediawiki   x86_64   1.34.4-1.el7   base           2.4 M\n# Transaction Summary\n# ==================================================================\n # ==================================================================\n# Install  1 Package\n# Total download size: 2.4 M\n# Installed size: 13 M\n# Is this ok [y\/d\/N]: y\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
In this example, we first updated our package lists with sudo yum check-update<\/code>. We then installed a specific version of MediaWiki (1.34.4-1) with sudo yum install mediawiki-1.34.4-1<\/code>. The output shows the installation progress and any additional packages that are installed.<\/p>\n
Key Changes in MediaWiki Versions<\/h3>\n
Different versions of MediaWiki come with different features and bug fixes. Here’s a comparison of some key changes between versions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Version<\/th>\nKey Changes<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1.35.1<\/td>\nLatest release, includes all the latest features and bug fixes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1.34.4<\/td>\nOlder release, but still supported and includes many features<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
Use and Verify MediaWiki Install<\/h2>\n
Once you’ve installed MediaWiki, you’ll want to know how to use it and verify that it’s installed correctly.<\/p>\n
Basic Usage of MediaWiki<\/h3>\n
Here’s a basic example of how to use MediaWiki to create a new page:<\/p>\n
# Navigate to your MediaWiki directory\ncd \/var\/www\/html\/mediawiki\n\n# Create a new page\nphp maintenance\/edit.php --summary \"Creating a new page\" --bot \"MyPage\" \"This is the content of my new page.\"\n\n# Output:\n# Page [[MyPage]] saved\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
In this example, we navigated to our MediaWiki directory with cd \/var\/www\/html\/mediawiki<\/code>. We then created a new page with php maintenance\/edit.php --summary \"Creating a new page\" --bot \"MyPage\" \"This is the content of my new page.\"<\/code>. The output shows that the new page was successfully created.<\/p>\n
Verifying the MediaWiki Setup<\/h3>\n
Here’s how you can verify that MediaWiki is installed correctly:<\/p>\n
# Navigate to your MediaWiki directory\ncd \/var\/www\/html\/mediawiki\n\n# Run the version script\nphp maintenance\/version.php\n\n# Output:\n# MediaWiki 1.35.1\n# PHP 7.3.27-1~deb10u1 (apache2handler)\n# MariaDB 10.3.27-MariaDB-0+deb10u1\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
In this example, we navigated to our MediaWiki directory and ran the version script with php maintenance\/version.php<\/code>. The output shows the MediaWiki version, PHP version, and MariaDB version, confirming that MediaWiki is installed correctly.<\/p>\n
Alternate MediaWiki Install Methods<\/h2>\n
While installing MediaWiki using a package manager or from source is common, there are alternative methods you may find useful. Let’s explore how to install MediaWiki using Docker and manual installation.<\/p>\n
Docker MediaWiki Install<\/h3>\n
Docker is a popular platform for deploying applications in containers. Here’s how you can install MediaWiki using Docker:<\/p>\n
# Pull the latest MediaWiki Docker image\nsudo docker pull mediawiki\n\n# Run a new MediaWiki container\nsudo docker run --name my-mediawiki -p 8080:80 -d mediawiki\n\n# Output:\n# Unable to find image 'mediawiki:latest' locally\n# latest: Pulling from library\/mediawiki\n# 69692152171a: Pull complete\n# Digest: sha256:4d13b4014e286d01870c17df08b3a1f9e999e97e2d1b2d1d3da692b4a71a70a6\n# Status: Downloaded newer image for mediawiki:latest\n# 1d3e7a6803e7b9061fa34624b49a5d38b8672d4f4a9191a5243c4861f578223e\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
In this example, we first pulled the latest MediaWiki Docker image with sudo docker pull mediawiki<\/code>. We then ran a new MediaWiki container with sudo docker run --name my-mediawiki -p 8080:80 -d mediawiki<\/code>. The output shows the progress of the Docker image download and the ID of the new MediaWiki container.<\/p>\n
Docker installation provides isolation from the host system and allows easy version management. However, it requires understanding of Docker and might be overkill for simple use cases.<\/p>\n
Manual MediaWiki Install<\/h3>\n
For complete control over the installation process, you can manually install MediaWiki. Here’s how you can do it:<\/p>\n
# Download the latest MediaWiki source code\nwget https:\/\/releases.wikimedia.org\/mediawiki\/1.35\/mediawiki-1.35.1.tar.gz\n\n# Extract the source code\ntar xvzf mediawiki-*.tar.gz\n\n# Move the extracted files to your web directory\nsudo mv mediawiki-1.35.1\/* \/var\/www\/html\/\n\n# Output:\n# 'mediawiki-1.35.1\/README' -> '\/var\/www\/html\/README'\n# 'mediawiki-1.35.1\/RELEASE-NOTES-1.35' -> '\/var\/www\/html\/RELEASE-NOTES-1.35'\n# ...\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
In this example, we first downloaded the latest MediaWiki source code with wget<\/code>. We then extracted the source code with tar<\/code>, and moved the extracted files to our web directory with sudo mv<\/code>. The output shows the progress of moving the files.<\/p>\n
Manual installation gives you the most control and understanding of the process, but it requires more steps and a higher level of technical knowledge.<\/p>\n
In conclusion, while package managers and source installations are common, Docker and manual installations offer alternative methods that might better suit your needs. Consider your technical knowledge, needs, and the specific advantages and disadvantages of each method when choosing how to install MediaWiki.<\/p>\n
Troubleshooting MediaWiki Installs<\/h2>\n
Like any software installation, installing MediaWiki on Linux can sometimes run into problems. Here are a few common issues you might encounter, along with their solutions.<\/p>\n
Error: ‘php’ command not found<\/h3>\n
If you see an error message like this when trying to run the MediaWiki installation script, it means PHP is not installed on your system.<\/p>\n
# Run the installation script\nphp install.php\n\n# Output:\n# bash: php: command not found\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
In this example, trying to run php install.php<\/code> resulted in the error message bash: php: command not found<\/code>. To fix this, you need to install PHP. Here’s how you can do it on Ubuntu:<\/p>\n
# Update your package lists\nsudo apt-get update\n\n# Install PHP\nsudo apt-get install php\n\n# Output:\n# Reading package lists... Done\n# Building dependency tree\n# Reading state information... Done\n# The following additional packages will be installed:\n#  php-common php7.2-cli php7.2-json php7.2-opcache php7.2-readline\n# Suggested packages:\n#  php-pear\n# The following NEW packages will be installed:\n#  php php-common php7.2-cli php7.2-json php7.2-opcache php7.2-readline\n# 0 upgraded, 6 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.\n# Need to get 1,374 kB of archives.\n# After this operation, 6,807 kB of additional disk space will be used.\n# Do you want to continue? [Y\/n]\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
In this example, we first updated our package lists with sudo apt-get update<\/code>. We then installed PHP with sudo apt-get install php<\/code>. The output shows the installation progress and any additional packages that were installed.<\/p>\n
Error: ‘wget’ command not found<\/h3>\n
If you see an error message like this when trying to download MediaWiki, it means the wget<\/code> command is not installed on your system.<\/p>\n
# Download MediaWiki\nwget https:\/\/releases.wikimedia.org\/mediawiki\/1.35\/mediawiki-1.35.1.tar.gz\n\n# Output:\n# bash: wget: command not found\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
In this example, trying to download MediaWiki with wget<\/code> resulted in the error message bash: wget: command not found<\/code>. To fix this, you need to install wget<\/code>. Here’s how you can do it on Ubuntu:<\/p>\n
# Update your package lists\nsudo apt-get update\n\n# Install wget\nsudo apt-get install wget\n\n# Output:\n# Reading package lists... Done\n# Building dependency tree\n# Reading state information... Done\n# The following NEW packages will be installed:\n#  wget\n# 0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.\n# Need to get 316 kB of archives.\n# After this operation, 905 kB of additional disk space will be used.\n# Do you want to continue? [Y\/n]\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
In this example, we first updated our package lists with sudo apt-get update<\/code>. We then installed wget<\/code> with sudo apt-get install wget<\/code>. The output shows the installation progress.<\/p>\n
Considerations When Installing MediaWiki<\/h3>\n
When installing MediaWiki, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind:<\/p>\n