Introduction

Wiki.js is a modern and powerful wiki software that runs on Node.js, offering a sleek user interface and robust features for managing content. This guide will walk you through the installation of Wiki.js on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, which can be effectively hosted on a Windows VPS UK for enhanced performance and accessibility.

Prerequisites

• An Ubuntu 22.04 LTS server with root access
• Basic knowledge of Linux commands
• Node.js and npm installed on your server
• A PostgreSQL or MySQL/MariaDB database set up

Step 1: Update Your System

Start by updating your package index and upgrading existing packages:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Node.js and npm

To install Node.js, you can use NodeSource's repository. First, install the required packages:

sudo apt install curl -y

Then add the NodeSource repository and install Node.js:

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_16.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

Verify the installation:

node -v
npm -v

Step 3: Install PostgreSQL or MySQL/MariaDB

If you don't have a database installed, you can install PostgreSQL with the following command:

sudo apt install postgresql postgresql-contrib -y

For MySQL or MariaDB, you can run:

sudo apt install mysql-server -y

Secure your database installation and create a database for Wiki.js:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Then log into the database and create a user:

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

Step 4: Download Wiki.js

Navigate to the /var/www directory and download the latest Wiki.js release:

cd /var/www
sudo mkdir wikijs
cd wikijs
sudo curl -s https://wiki.js.org/download/latest | sudo tar xz --strip-components=1

Change ownership of the Wiki.js directory:

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/wikijs

Step 5: Configure Wiki.js

In the Wiki.js directory, create a configuration file:

cd /var/www/wikijs
sudo cp config/default.yml config.yml

Edit the config.yml file to set your database and other settings:

sudo nano config.yml

Modify the database settings according to your database type:

db:
  type: postgres # or mysql
  host: localhost
  port: 5432 # or 3306 for MySQL
  user: wikiuser
  password: your_password
  database: wikijs

Step 6: Start Wiki.js

To start Wiki.js, run the following command in the Wiki.js directory:

node server

Optionally, you can use a process manager like PM2 to manage the Wiki.js process:

sudo npm install -g pm2
pm2 start server --name wikijs

Step 7: Configure Nginx as a Reverse Proxy

Create a new Nginx configuration file for Wiki.js:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/wikijs

Add the following configuration:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name your_domain.com; # Replace with your domain

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:3000; # Adjust port if necessary
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
    }
}

Enable the configuration and restart Nginx:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/wikijs /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo systemctl restart nginx

Step 8: Conclusion

You have successfully installed Wiki.js on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, providing a powerful platform for managing your wiki content. This setup can greatly benefit from being hosted on a Windows VPS. For additional options, explore various VPS UK Windows solutions, including Windows Virtual Private Server Hosting and Windows VPS Hosting UK for optimal performance.