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To self-host Elgg, provision a Linux VPS with PHP 8.3 or newer, MariaDB 10.6 or MySQL 8.4, a rewrite-capable web server, and an email transport agent. Install the current Elgg release, keep its data directory outside the web root, create a least-privilege database account, configure timed requests, and finish the browser installer. The first account created becomes an administrator.
What you need before installing Elgg
Elgg is a PHP/MySQL social-networking engine that runs on either Apache or Nginx. The current stable installation documentation requires the following minimums:
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| Component | Requirement | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Database | MariaDB 10.6 or newer, or MySQL 8.4 or newer | Stores users, content, settings and plugin data. |
| PHP | PHP 8.3 or newer | Runs Elgg and its command-line tools. |
| PHP extensions | GD, INTL, JSON, PDO, XML and multibyte support | Provides image handling, internationalization, database access, XML processing and Unicode-safe text handling. |
| Web server | Apache with mod_rewrite and PHP as an Apache module, or Nginx with PHP-FPM over FastCGI |
Elgg relies on URL rewriting and PHP execution. |
| A properly configured mail transfer agent (MTA) | Elgg uses email for notifications, password resets and other account messages. | |
| Linux VPS | A supported Linux distribution with root or sudo access |
Needed to install packages, create service accounts and configure the web server. |
Check the versions on a newly provisioned server before you copy any application files:
php -v
php -m
mariadb --version # or: mysql --version
If PHP is older than 8.3, do not proceed by merely suppressing the installer warning. Install a distribution package or repository that provides a supported PHP version, then recheck the loaded extensions. Package names differ between Linux distributions; on Debian- or Ubuntu-based systems they commonly begin with php or a versioned prefix such as php8.3.
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Choose the Elgg release branch
As of October 15, 2026, the Elgg download listing identifies Elgg 7.1.1 as the latest recommended stable release, published October 9, 2026. It identifies Elgg 6.3.8 as the recommended Elgg 6 LTS release, published August 19, 2026.
| Branch | Release listed by Elgg | Best fit | Check before committing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elgg 7 | 7.1.1 (October 9, 2026) | New deployments that want the current stable feature line. | Every plugin and theme you require must declare compatibility with Elgg 7 and PHP 8.3+. |
| Elgg 6 LTS | 6.3.8 (August 19, 2026) | Sites whose extensions or migration plan require the Elgg 6 long-term-support branch. | Confirm the support horizon and that all required extensions still receive Elgg 6 updates. |
Verify the release listing immediately before a production deployment. Version numbers, security fixes and plugin compatibility can change. Do not upgrade an existing site across branches until its plugins, themes and custom code have been checked.
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Both supported layouts can serve Elgg. Pick the one your team can patch, monitor and troubleshoot confidently rather than choosing on a theoretical benchmark.
| Decision point | Apache | Nginx |
|---|---|---|
| PHP execution | PHP as an Apache module | PHP-FPM over FastCGI |
| Rewrite setup | Enable mod_rewrite; allow the Elgg .htaccess rules with AllowOverride all. |
Copy Elgg’s install/config/nginx.dist into the enabled site configuration and adjust its domain, document root and PHP-FPM socket. |
| Configuration files | The correct .htaccess comes from install/config/htaccess.dist. |
The distribution Nginx file should be the starting point; do not invent a separate rewrite scheme. |
| Operations | Convenient if your administrators already manage Apache modules and per-directory overrides. | Convenient if your administrators already manage Nginx server blocks and PHP-FPM pools. |
| Logs | Inspect the virtual host’s access and error logs plus the PHP/Apache log. | Inspect the server block’s access and error logs plus the PHP-FPM log. |
Provision the VPS and install the stack
The examples below use a Debian- or Ubuntu-style system. Adapt package names and service commands to your distribution. Use a dedicated, non-root deployment account for application files and SSH keys rather than allowing routine administration over password-based root SSH.
1. Update the operating system
sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade
Set the server’s hostname and time zone, enable a firewall that permits SSH and your web ports, and restrict SSH to key authentication. Keep the operating system, PHP, database server and Elgg on a regular patch schedule.
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2. Install Apache or Nginx
For Apache, install Apache, the PHP Apache module and the required PHP packages. A typical package set is:
sudo apt install apache2 libapache2-mod-php php php-cli php-mysql php-gd php-intl php-json php-xml php-mbstring unzip curl composer
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo systemctl enable --now apache2
For Nginx, install Nginx, PHP-FPM and the same PHP extensions instead:
sudo apt install nginx php-fpm php-cli php-mysql php-gd php-intl php-json php-xml php-mbstring unzip curl composer
sudo systemctl enable --now nginx
sudo systemctl enable --now php8.3-fpm
The service name may include a different supported PHP minor version. Confirm it with systemctl list-units 'php*-fpm.service' and use that socket in the Nginx configuration.
3. Install and secure MariaDB or MySQL
sudo apt install mariadb-server
sudo systemctl enable --now mariadb
sudo mariadb-secure-installation
Use the database server’s hardening wizard to remove anonymous accounts and test databases, and to restrict remote administrative access. Elgg only needs a dedicated database and user; it does not need a database administrator account.
4. Configure an MTA
Install and configure a mail transfer agent that can deliver mail from the VPS, or configure a trusted relay. Test outbound delivery and DNS authentication before opening registration. A working web page with a non-working mail path will still leave users unable to verify accounts or reset passwords.
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Download Elgg and lay out the files safely
Elgg supports a Composer-based deployment and a release ZIP. Composer is the recommended command-line route for administrators who are comfortable managing dependencies. Pin the exact release you selected instead of silently installing an untested moving target. Use the Composer command shown for that release, or download its release ZIP and verify the archive before extracting it.
Keep the application tree in a controlled location such as /var/www/elgg. The exact directory is your choice; what is not optional is the location of the data directory.
The data directory must be outside the document root
Elgg stores uploaded files, including profile icons and photos, in its data directory. Elgg’s documentation states: “For security reasons, this folder MUST be stored outside of your document root.” Do not put it under /www/, /public_html/ or any other directory that the web server can serve as a URL.
sudo mkdir -p /srv/elgg-data
sudo mkdir -p /var/www/elgg
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /srv/elgg-data /var/www/elgg
sudo chmod 750 /srv/elgg-data
Replace www-data with the account used by your web server. The web-server identity must be able to create and write the directories Elgg requires. A mode of 777 may appear to fix an upload error, but Elgg explicitly describes it as insecure and not recommended. Grant ownership or a narrowly scoped group permission instead.
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Create a least-privilege database
Log in locally as the database administrator and create a database with UTF-8 support plus a separate account for Elgg. Use a long random password and save it in your password manager.
sudo mariadb
CREATE DATABASE elgg CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;
CREATE USER 'elgg_app'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'replace-with-a-long-random-password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON elgg.* TO 'elgg_app'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;
The installer needs privileges on the Elgg database so it can create and update tables. It does not need global privileges on other databases. If your database is on another host, restrict the account’s host pattern to the application server’s address and require encrypted database transport.
Configure Apache or Nginx for Elgg
Apache deployment
- Enable
mod_rewriteand reload Apache. - Point the virtual host’s document root at the Elgg application directory.
- Copy Elgg’s supplied
install/config/htaccess.distto the document root as.htaccess. - In the virtual host, permit the Elgg rules to load by setting
AllowOverride allfor the document root. - Set the server name to the final DNS name, enable the site and reload Apache.
sudo a2ensite elgg.conf
sudo apachectl configtest
sudo systemctl reload apache2
If the rewrite test fails or saving settings returns a 404, inspect both AllowOverride and the presence of the correct .htaccess. A syntactically valid virtual host with overrides disabled will still bypass Elgg’s rewrite rules.
Nginx deployment
- Copy
install/config/nginx.distinto the enabled Nginx sites configuration. - Change the server name, document root and PHP-FPM socket to match your VPS.
- Keep the supplied rewrite and FastCGI handling intact unless you understand the consequence of each change.
- Enable the site, test the configuration and reload Nginx.
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx
Do not point Nginx at the data directory and do not expose it with an alias. The public document root should contain application files only; uploaded content belongs in the separate data path.
If the installer cannot write configuration
Elgg may be unable to create its settings file when the application directory is read-only to the web-server identity. Copy settings.example.php to elgg-config/settings.php, enter the database details manually, and assign ownership and permissions that let the web server read the file without making the whole project world-writable.
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Run the browser installer
- Create a DNS record for the VPS and open the site over its final hostname.
- Visit the site in a browser. Elgg checks PHP, extensions, the database connection, the data path and rewrite behavior.
- Enter the database name, database user, password and host that you created. For a local database, the host is commonly
localhostor the local socket configuration used by your server. - Enter the absolute data-directory path, including its trailing slash, and set the site URL exactly as users will access it.
- Set the administrator name, email address and password. The first account created becomes an administrator.
- Complete the installer, sign in, and send a test notification or password-reset email before inviting users.
After installation, remove any temporary archive files, confirm that the web server cannot serve the data directory, and tighten permissions on configuration files. Keep a documented backup of the database and the data directory; either one without the other is an incomplete Elgg backup.
Configure Elgg timed requests (cron)
Elgg uses timed requests to perform background work such as sending notifications and cleaning the database. A production site needs a recurring cron entry; otherwise actions that appear to succeed may remain queued indefinitely.
- Locate the
elgg-cliprogram in the Elgg application directory. - Run its cron command manually as the web-server or Elgg service identity and confirm that it exits without a PHP or database error. A common layout is
php /var/www/elgg/elgg-cli cron; use the command syntax documented by the exact Elgg release if--helpshows a different form. - Add that command to the service account’s crontab at the interval recommended for your release and workload.
- Redirect output to a protected log or the system journal, then inspect it after the first scheduled run.
sudo -u www-data php /var/www/elgg/elgg-cli --help
sudo -u www-data php /var/www/elgg/elgg-cli cron
Do not run the job as root merely to bypass permissions. If the manual run fails, fix ownership, PHP extensions or database access first; cron will not repair an interactive command that already fails.
Apply SELinux policy when it is enabled
On SELinux-enforcing systems, ordinary Unix ownership can be correct while access is still denied. Label the project root, data directory and their children with httpd_sys_rw_content_t:
sudo semanage fcontext -a -t httpd_sys_rw_content_t '/var/www/elgg(/.*)?'
sudo semanage fcontext -a -t httpd_sys_rw_content_t '/srv/elgg-data(/.*)?'
sudo restorecon -Rv /var/www/elgg /srv/elgg-data
If Elgg must make network connections from PHP, enable the documented booleans:
sudo setsebool -P httpd_can_network_connect on
sudo setsebool -P httpd_can_network_connect_db on
Use the booleans only when your architecture requires them, and review AVC denials rather than disabling SELinux globally.
Hardening and operating the VPS
- Serve the site over HTTPS and redirect plain HTTP to the canonical HTTPS hostname.
- Use SSH keys, disable password authentication where practical, and limit administrative access by firewall rules.
- Keep the Elgg data directory outside the document root with restrictive ownership and mode
750where the web-server account owns it. - Use a dedicated database account and never put its password in shell history or public repositories.
- Back up the database and data directory on separate schedules, and test restoration on a non-production VPS.
- Apply operating-system, PHP, database and Elgg security updates promptly. Test plugin compatibility before changing the Elgg branch or PHP major/minor version.
- Monitor web-server errors, PHP-FPM or Apache errors, database health, disk space and the timed-request log.
Troubleshoot the failures administrators see most often
| Symptom | Likely cause | Checks and fix |
|---|---|---|
| The requirements page reports missing components | Unsupported PHP version or an unloaded extension | Run php -v and php -m; install or enable GD, INTL, JSON, PDO, XML and multibyte support for the PHP binary used by the web server, then restart Apache or PHP-FPM. |
| White page after entering database settings | pdo_mysql is missing or loaded by a different PHP installation |
Confirm php -m | grep -i pdo_mysql, check the web server’s PHP version, install the matching package and restart the PHP service. |
| Rewrite test fails or long URLs return 404 | Apache overrides are disabled, mod_rewrite is off, the wrong .htaccess is present, or Nginx’s supplied rules were not installed |
Check AllowOverride all, enable rewrite support, compare the file with install/config/htaccess.dist, or restore and adapt install/config/nginx.dist. Confirm the configured site URL. |
| Settings cannot be saved | The web server cannot write elgg-config/settings.php or the virtual host blocks the request |
Check ownership and mode on the configuration path, inspect web-server error logs, and use settings.example.php to create the file manually if necessary. |
| Profile images or uploads fail | Wrong data path, missing trailing slash, incorrect ownership, restrictive SELinux label or insufficient disk space | Verify the absolute path, trailing slash, web-server ownership, mode, SELinux context and free space. Ensure the path is outside the document root. |
| Notifications or cleanup never run | Timed requests are absent, run as the wrong user or fail under cron’s limited environment | Run the Elgg CLI cron command interactively as the service identity, inspect its output, then review the recurring crontab and its log. |
| SELinux reports denials | Files have the wrong security context or required network booleans are disabled | Apply httpd_sys_rw_content_t to the project and data paths, run restorecon, and enable the documented booleans only when required. |
Upgrade without breaking the site
- Read the target Elgg release notes and verify every plugin and theme against that branch and PHP version.
- Take a tested backup of both the database and data directory.
- Clone or snapshot the VPS, or rehearse the upgrade on a staging server with the same PHP and database versions.
- Put the site into maintenance mode if your deployment process supports it, update application files using the release’s documented Composer or archive procedure, and run the database upgrade.
- Run the requirements checks, timed request manually and a user-facing smoke test: sign in, upload an image, create content, send a notification and perform a password reset.
- Keep the previous release available for rollback until logs and scheduled jobs remain healthy.
When this architecture is a good fit
A single Linux VPS is a practical starting point for a small or medium Elgg community when you can administer Linux, patch the stack, monitor disk and mail delivery, and maintain backups. The main operational risks are not the installer itself: they are exposing the data directory, running unsupported PHP or database versions, omitting timed requests, and allowing plugins to drift out of compatibility with the Elgg branch. Resolve those four issues before treating the site as production-ready.
Quick Recap
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