Install Social Engine on a VPS: Easy Setup Guide

[johny899]

Looking to create your own social network like a private Facebook for your friends, community or business? That's what Social Engine helps you do. The first time I used it on my VPS, I thought it would be complicated, but it was SO much easier than I thought. Let me go through the steps so you can do it too.

Step 1 : Preparing your VPS​

Your VPS needs to be in the right shape as well. If the server is too weak, it won't function properly. I recommend:

• You should make use of Ubuntu or CentOS as the operating system.

• Apache or Nginx used as the web server.

• MySQL or MariaDB for the databse

• PHP 7.4 or higher with all extensions.

Step 2: Update your VPS​

To update your VPS, run the following command:

“sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade –y”

Step 3: Upload Social Engine Files​

When you buy Social Engine you will receive a zip file. Now, you need to upload the zip file to your VPS. For uploading, you can utilize either FileZilla or the scp command. Put it in the web folder (which is usually /var/www/html/) and unzip the zip file there.

(I once unzipped in the wrong place and nothing would work until I fixed that mess!)

Step 4: Create a Database​

Now you need to create a database. To do this, log in to the MySQL instance and enter the following:

“CREATE DATABASE socialengine;

CREATE USER 'seuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON socialengine.* TO 'seuser'@'localhost';

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;”

Make sure to change the word "password" to a strong password instead of 12345.

Step 5: Run the Installer​

Go in your browser to your VPS IP or domain. The Social Engine installer will run, so just fill in:

• Database information
• The site name and admin account
• Click your way through the setup steps

Its pretty much like installing WordPress, just a little longer.

Step 6: Secure and Configure​

Once you finish the install, you need to do a few important things:

• Set file permissions so that others do not wreck your site

• Add SSL (free with Let's Encrypt)

• Enable caching so the site loads faster.

I skipped SSL! And visitors made judgments that my site wasn’t secure. Lesson learned!