Installing Koha

{I live-blogged this and have not yet checked for typos for all the commands below — will check later today; apologies in advance, until then}

Aaron Williams, Mercyhurst University, {awilliams@mercyhurst.edu}

Link to slides coming soon

Works as a web developer at Mercyhurst

• responsible for main website at the university
• Full stack developer
• Linux experience; installing and maintaining various software stacks (Apache MySQL PERL PHP)
• Polygot (know multiple languages)

Installing Koha — overview

• Minimum hardware requirements
  • it works on a raspberry pi (runs slow):
    • 700mhz ARM processor
    • 512 MB of memory
    • 3.5 watts of power
    • SD card storage
  • Better hardware recommended for speed

Koha minimum software requirements

• Linux — usually Debian or Ubuntu but other Linux distros are supported
• Apache web server
• MySQL
• PERL Programming language: lots of Perl dependencies

Installation methods

• From source/git
• apt-get and pre-built packages [make everything easy]

Installing Koha [can use VirtualBox on your own computer to set up a virtual host]

Ubuntu/Debian package commands:

• Add community repository

  • echo deb http://debian.koha-community.org/koha stable main | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/koha.list

• Add trusted repository key

  • wget -O- http://debian.koha-community.org/koha/gpc.asc | sudo apt-key add -

• Update Ubuntu or Debian using apt-get

  • sudo apt-get update

  • sudo apt-get upgrade

• Clear the apt-get packager manager cache

  • sudo apt-get clean

• Install Koha and dependencies

  • sudo apt-get install koha-common

  • [takes 5 mins on a reasonably fast internet connection]
• Problem with Apache itk (errors on install; usually happens)

  • sudo a2dismod mpm_event

  • sudo a2enmond mpm_prefork

  • sudo service apache2 restart

  • sudo apt-get install -f

• Edit initial config file

  • sudo nano /etc/koha/koha-sites.conf

  • Edit intraport, opacport, domain, and memcache [for database, makes Koha faster] settings depending on install
• Install mysql-server dependence

  • sudo apt-get install mysql-server

• Ensure rewrite and cgi are enabled

  • sudo a2enmod rewrite && sudo a2enmod cgi && sudo service apache2 restart

• Setup the database for Koha

  • sudo koha-create --create-db library

• Secure mysql installation (follow onscreen wizard)

  • sudo mysql_secure_installation

• Add new 8080 port (for IP based install) to Apache

  • sudo nano /etc/apache2/ports.conf

  • need to add listen on 8080 (missed the details)
• Enable vhost on Apache

  • sudo a2enmod deflate && sudo a2ensite library && sudo service apache2 restart

• Test to ensure everything is working
  • In web browser, visit localhost or 127.0.0.1 {Koha maintenance message}
  • In web browser, visit localhost:8080 or 127.0.0.1:8080
• Visiting localhost:8080 or 127.0.0.1:8080
  • should prompt for username or password
  • username –> koha_library
  • password –>

    • sudo xmlstarlet sel -t -v 'yazgfs/config/pass' /etc/koha/sites/library/koha-conf.xml

  • Follow onscreen instructions/wizard

Resources: Ubuntu: wiki.koha-community.org/wiki/Koha_on_ubuntu_-_packages Debian: http://wiki.koha-community.org/wiki/Koha_on_Debian