Elgg is an open-source social networking platform that allows users to create their own social networking websites. With Elgg, users can easily set up their own social networking platforms, customize them to their liking, and connect with others in a secure and user-friendly environment. In this article, we will guide you on how to set up Elgg on Ubuntu, one of the most popular Linux distributions.

Before we begin, make sure you have an Ubuntu server up and running. You can use a virtual machine or a dedicated server for this purpose. Once you have your Ubuntu server ready, follow the steps below to set up Elgg:

Step 1: Install LAMP stack
The first step is to install the LAMP stack on your Ubuntu server. LAMP stands for Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP, which are the essential components for running a PHP-based web application like Elgg. You can install the LAMP stack by running the following commands in your terminal:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2 mysql-server php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql

During the installation process, you will be prompted to set up a password for the MySQL root user. Make sure to remember this password as you will need it later.

Step 2: Create a MySQL database and user
Next, you need to create a MySQL database and user for Elgg. Log in to the MySQL shell by running the following command:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Enter the password you set during the LAMP stack installation. Once you are in the MySQL shell, create a new database and user by running the following commands:

CREATE DATABASE elgg_database;
CREATE USER ‘elgg_user’@’localhost’ IDENTIFIED BY ‘password’;
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON elgg_database.* TO ‘elgg_user’@’localhost’;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Replace ‘elgg_database’, ‘elgg_user’, and ‘password’ with your desired database name, username, and password, respectively.

Step 3: Download and extract Elgg
Now, download the latest version of Elgg from the official website using the following command:

wget https://elgg.org/release/start?elgg_version=3.3.17

Once the download is complete, extract the downloaded archive to the ‘/var/www/html/’ directory:

sudo tar -xvf Elgg-3.3.17.tar.gz -C /var/www/html/

Step 4: Configure Elgg
After extracting Elgg, you need to configure it by creating a data directory and setting the appropriate permissions. Run the following commands to create the data directory and set the correct permissions:

sudo mkdir /var/www/html/elgg/data
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/elgg/
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/elgg/

Step 5: Set up Elgg
Now, open your web browser and navigate to ‘http://your_server_ip/elgg/’ to start the Elgg installation process. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your social networking platform, including providing the database connection details and creating an admin account.

Once the installation is complete, you can start customizing your Elgg site by installing plugins, themes, and configuring settings to suit your needs.

In conclusion, setting up a social networking platform with Elgg on Ubuntu is a straightforward process that anyone can do with a little technical know-how. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can create your own social networking website and connect with others in your community. Give Elgg a try today and see the power of open-source social networking platforms in action!