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{{Template:Installing Moodle}}
{{Template:Installing Moodle}}
''This page explains how to install Moodle. If you are an expert and/or in a hurry try [[Installation Quickstart]].''


If you just want to try Moodle on a standalone machine there are 'one-click' installers for Windows (see [[Complete install packages for Windows]]) and for OSX (see [[Complete Install Packages for Mac OS X]]) or [[ install on OS X]]. These are unsuitable for production servers.


'''Don't panic!''' [[Image:F1 35px.png]]
== Requirements ==
 
This page explains how to install Moodle. Moodle runs on a large number of different configurations which are (mostly) explained in linked pages. Please take the time to find and read the parts that are relevant to you.
 
*If you are an expert and/or in a hurry try [[Installation Quickstart]].
*If you are upgrading from a previous version go to [[Upgrading to Moodle 2.2]]
*If you just want to try Moodle on a standalone machine there are 'one-click' installers for Windows (see [[Complete install packages for Windows]]) and for OSX (see [[Complete Install Packages for Mac OS X]]). These are unsuitable for production servers.


== Planning ==
Moodle is primarily developed in Linux using [[Apache]], [[PostgreSQL]]/[[MySQL]]/[[MariaDB]] and [[PHP]] (sometimes known as the LAMP platform). Typically this is also how Moodle is run, although there are other options as long as the software requirements of the  [{{Release notes}} release] are met.
A Moodle installation will require planning. This may vary from almost nothing to a serious project. Here are a few things you might want to consider:


* Do you really want to install Moodle yourself at all? See [[Finding and Selecting A Web Host]].
If you are installing Moodle in a Windows server, note that from php5.5 onwards, you will also need to have the Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2012 installed from:
* What skills do you have available to you or are prepared to learn? Administering a secure, stable public web server is a serious undertaking before Moodle even enters the discussion. This documentation assumes that you have (at least) a basic understanding of the platform on which you will be installing Moodle (or are prepared for a learning curve).
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30679 Visual C++] ( x86 or x64)
* What are your hardware/hosting requirements? Moodle scales easily but, depending on your requirements, you could be looking at anywhere along the spectrum - shared hosting, dedicated virtual host, your own server, your own multiple server setup.  
* What software platforms will you use? This may depend on your skills or local policies. You may have a free choice.  
* What are your support requirements? Will the free support in the moodle.org forums be sufficient or do you need professional support.
* How will you organise backups?
 
== Requirements ==
 
Moodle is primarily developed in Linux using [[Apache]], [[MySQL]] and [[PHP]] (also sometimes known as the LAMP platform). If in doubt, this is the safest combination (if for no other reason than being the most common). There are other options - see the Software section that follows:


The basic requirements for Moodle are as follows:
The basic requirements for Moodle are as follows:


=== Hardware ===  
=== Hardware ===  
* Disk space: 160MB free (min) plus as much as you need to store your materials. 5GB is probably a realistic minimum.  
* Disk space: 200MB for the Moodle code, plus as much as you need to store content. 5GB is probably a realistic minimum.  
* Backups: at least the same again (at a remote location preferably) as above to keep backups of your site
* Processor: 1GHz (min), 2GHz dual core or more recommended.
* Memory: 256MB (min), 1GB or more is strongly recommended. The general rule of thumb is that Moodle can support 10 to 20 ''concurrent'' users for every 1GB of RAM, but this will vary depending on your specific hardware and software combination and the type of use. 'Concurrent' really means web server processes in memory at the same time (i.e. users interacting with the system within a window of a few seconds). It does NOT mean people 'logged in'.
* Memory: 512MB (min), 1GB or more is recommended. 8GB plus is likely on a large production server
* Consider separate servers for the web "front ends" and the database. It is much easier to "tune"


=== Software ===
All the above requirements will vary depending on specific hardware and software combinations as well as the type of use and load; busy sites may well require additional resources. Further guidance can be found under [[Performance_recommendations|performance recommendations]]. Moodle scales easily by increasing hardware.
* An operating system (!). Anything that runs the following software; although the choice will most likely depend on the performance you need and the skills you have available. Linux and Windows are the most common choices (and good support is available). If you have a free choice, Linux is generally regarded to be the optimal platform. Moodle is also regularly tested with Windows XP/2000/2003, Solaris 10 (Sparc and x64), Mac OS X and Netware 6 operating systems.
* Web server. Primarily [[Apache]] or [[IIS]]. Not fully tested (or supported) but should work are [http://www.lighttpd.net/ lightttpd], [http://nginx.org/ nginx], [http://www.cherokee-project.com/ cherokee], zeus and [http://litespeedtech.com/ LiteSpeed]. Moodle will refuse to install on any other web server. Your web server needs to be correctly configured to serve PHP files.The version is not critical but try to use the newest web server build available to you.
* [[PHP]] - The minimum version is currently 5.3.2. A number of extensions are required; see the [[PHP]] page for full details. Installation will halt at the environment check if any of the required extensions are missing.
* A database. MySQL and PostgreSQL are the primary development database, the most comprehensively tested and have extensive documentation and support. Oracle and MSSQL are fully supported (note that optional plugins may be untested with these databases) but documentation and online help are not as comprehensive as MySQL/PostgreSQL. SQLite support is experimental. If in doubt use MySQL (more documentation) or PostgreSQL (better stability/performance). You will need the appropriate PHP extension (configured if need be) for your chosen database.
** [[MySQL]] - minimum version 5.0.25
** [[PostgreSQL]] - minimum version 8.3
** [[MSSQL]] - minimum version 9.0
** [[Oracle]] - minimum version 10.2
** [[SQLite]] - minimum version 2.0


==== Client ====
For very large sites, you are much better starting with a small pilot and gaining some experience and insight. A "what hardware do I need for 50,000 user?" style post in the forums is highly unlikely to get a useful answer.
* Your clients/users access Moodle from a web browser on their PC/tablet/notepad. Any modern browser should work (but Internet Explorer version 6 and earlier are NOT supported). The operating system is not important but you may need software to read files that you upload (e.g. if you upload Microsoft Word files then all your users need software to read Word files)


=== Also read.... ===
=== Software ===


Especially if you are planning a large or complex installation, read [[Performance recommendations]] and (in particular) the [[Performance FAQ]] to understand some common terms and concerns.
See the [{{Release notes}} release notes] in the dev docs for software requirements.


== Set up your server ==
== Set up your server ==


...or desktop computer, if you are just evaluating Moodle. There are lots of possibilities for installing the basic server software depending on your particular choices. Some links and pointers are at [[Installing AMP]]
Depending the use case a Moodle server may be anything from a Desktop PC (e.g. for testing and evaluating) to a rackmounted or [[Server cluster|clustered]] solution. As mentioned above there are lots of possibilities for installing the basic server software, some links and pointers are at [[Installing AMP]], [[Internet_Information_Services|IIS]], [[Nginx]].
 
It will help hugely, regardless of your deployment choices, if time is taken to understand how to configure the different parts of your software stack (HTTP daemon, database,  PHP etc). Do not expect the standard server configuration to be optimal for Moodle. For example, the web server and database servers will almost certainly require tuning to get the best out of Moodle.


If you are using a hosted server (especially shared hosting) make sure you understand or find out how to change PHP settings (e.g. file upload maxmimums). This can vary a huge amount from host to host.
If a hosting provider is being used  ensure that all Moodle [{{Release notes}}#Server_requirements requirments] (such as PHP version) are met by the hosting platform before attempting the installation. It will help to become familiar with changing settings within the hosting provider's platform (e.g. PHP file upload maximums) as the options and tools provided vary.


== Download and copy files into place ==
== Download and copy files into place ==


'''IMPORTANT: While there are now a number of places you can get the Moodle code, you are strongly advised to obtain Moodle from moodle.org. If you run into problems it will be a great deal easier to support you.'''
'''IMPORTANT: While there are now a number of places you can get the Moodle code (including host provided Moodle installers), you are strongly advised to only obtain Moodle from moodle.org. If you run into problems it will be a great deal easier to support you.'''


You have three basic options:
You have two options:
* Download your required version from http://moodle.org/downloads and unzip/unpack...
* Download your required version from http://moodle.org/downloads and unzip/unpack...
* '''OR''' Pull the code from the Git repository (recommended for developers and also makes upgrading very simple):
* '''OR''' Pull the code from the Git repository (recommended for developers and also makes upgrading very simple):
<pre>
<pre>
$ git clone -b MOODLE_22_STABLE git://git.moodle.org/moodle.git  
$ git clone --depth=1 -b MOODLE_31_STABLE git://git.moodle.org/moodle.git
</pre>
</pre>
...this fetches a complete copy of the Moodle repository and then switches to the 2.2 Stable branch (latest weekly build). For a fuller discussion see [[Git for Administrators]].
* '''OR''' Pull the code from one of the CVS repositories. See [[CVS for Administrators]].


Any of the above should result in a directory called '''moodle''', containing a number of files and folders.  
Other options you might consider:
''--depth=1'' for shallow cloning (only) latest revision
 
''--single-branch'' to limit cloning to a single branch, this fetches the Moodle 3.1 Stable branch (latest weekly build). For a fuller discussion see [[Git for Administrators]].  


You can either place the whole folder in your web server documents directory, in which case the site will be located at '''<nowiki>http://yourwebserver.com/moodle</nowiki>''', or you can copy all the contents straight into the main web server documents directory, in which case the site will be simply '''<nowiki>http://yourwebserver.com</nowiki>'''. See the documentation for your system and/or web server if you are unsure.  
Either of the above should result in a directory called '''moodle''', containing a number of files and folders.
 
You can typically place the whole folder in your web server documents directory, in which case the site will be located at '''<nowiki>http://yourwebserver.com/moodle</nowiki>''', or you can copy all the contents straight into the main web server documents directory, in which case the site will be simply '''<nowiki>http://yourwebserver.com</nowiki>'''. See the documentation for your system and/or web server if you are unsure.  


:''Tip:'' If you are downloading Moodle to your local computer and then uploading it to your hosted web site, if possible upload the compressed file and decompress at the remote end (check your 'file manager'). Failing that, watch FTP progress carefully for errors or missed files.
:''Tip:'' If you are downloading Moodle to your local computer and then uploading it to your hosted web site, if possible upload the compressed file and decompress at the remote end (check your 'file manager'). Failing that, watch FTP progress carefully for errors or missed files.
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# chown -R root /path/to/moodle
# chown -R root /path/to/moodle
# chmod -R 0755 /path/to/moodle
# chmod -R 0755 /path/to/moodle
# find /path/to/moodle -type f -exec chmod 0644 {} \;
</pre>
</pre>
(files are owned by the administrator/superuser and are only writeable by them - readable by everyone else)
(files are owned by the administrator/superuser and are only writeable by them - readable by everyone else)
The third command finds all the regular files and executes the chmod command 0644 on them.
If you want to use the built-in plugin installer you need to make the directory writable by web server user. It is strongly recommended to use ACL when your server supports it, for example if your Apache server uses account www-data:
<pre>
# chmod -R +a "www-data allow read,delete,write,append,file_inherit,directory_inherit" /path/to/moodle
</pre>
The effect of the previous command is to allow the Apache user account (www-data in this case) to access and change files within the moodle site. Many people would consider this a brave move for a new site admin to implement. In a new moodle you can safely leave this out. A default Ubuntu install does not have the +a option for the chmod command anyway. The +a attribute is an ACL (Access Control List) facility which allows you to set per user access for individual files. For example, OSX has this by default.


== Create an empty database ==
== Create an empty database ==
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If your site is hosted you should find a web-based administration page for databases as part of the control panel (or ask your administrator). For everyone else or for detailed instructions, see the page for your chosen database server:
If your site is hosted you should find a web-based administration page for databases as part of the control panel (or ask your administrator). For everyone else or for detailed instructions, see the page for your chosen database server:
* [[MySQL]]
* [[PostgreSQL]]
* [[PostgreSQL]]
* [[MariaDB]] (known issues - see MDL-45233)
* [[MySQL]] (known issues - see MDL-45233)
* [[MSSQL]]
* [[MSSQL]]
* [[Oracle]]
* [[Oracle]] (known issues, not fully supported - see MDL-41310)


== Create the (''moodledata'') data directory  ==
== Create the (''moodledata'') data directory  ==


Moodle requires a directory to store all of its files (all your site's uploaded files, temporary data, session data etc.). The web server needs to be able to write to this directory. On larger systems consider how much free space you are going to use when allocating this directory.  
Moodle requires a directory to store all of its files (all your site's uploaded files, temporary data, cache, session data etc.). The web server needs to be able to write to this directory. On larger systems consider how much free space you are going to use when allocating this directory.
 
Due to the default way Moodle caches data you may have serious performance issues if you use relatively slow storage (e.g. NFS) for this directory. Read the [[Performance_recommendations]] carefully and consider using (e.g.) memcached for [[Caching]].


'''IMPORTANT:''' This directory must '''NOT''' be accessible directly via the web. This would be a serious security hole. Do not try to place it inside your web root or inside your Moodle program files directory. Moodle will not install. It can go anywhere else convenient.  
'''IMPORTANT:''' This directory must '''NOT''' be accessible directly via the web. This would be a serious security hole. Do not try to place it inside your web root or inside your Moodle program files directory. Moodle will not install. It can go anywhere else convenient.  


Here is an example (Unix/Linux) of creating the directory and setting the permissions for '''anyone''' on the server to write here. This is only appropriate for Moodle servers that are not shared. Discuss this with your server administrator for other scenarios...
Here is an example (Unix/Linux) of creating the directory and setting the permissions for '''anyone''' on the server to write here. This is only appropriate for Moodle servers that are not shared. Discuss this with your server administrator for better permissions that just allow the web server user to access these files.
 
<pre>
<pre>
# mkdir /path/to/moodledata
# mkdir /path/to/moodledata
# chmod 0777 /path/to/moodledata
# chmod 0777 /path/to/moodledata
</pre>
If your server supports ACL it is recommended to set following permissions, for example if your Apache server uses account www-data:
<pre>
# chmod -R +a "www-data allow read,delete,write,append,file_inherit,directory_inherit" /path/to/moodledata
</pre>
If you are planning to execute PHP scripts from the command line you should set the same permissions for the current user:
<pre>
$ sudo chmod -R +a "`whoami` allow read,delete,write,append,file_inherit,directory_inherit" /path/to/moodledata
</pre>
</pre>


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=== Command line installer ===
=== Command line installer ===


It's best to run the command line installer as your system's web user. You need to know what that is - see your system's documentation (e.g. Ubuntu/Debian is 'www-data', Centos is 'apache')
It's best to run the command line as your system's web user. You need to know what that is - see your system's documentation (e.g. Ubuntu/Debian is 'www-data', Centos is 'apache')


* Example of using the command-line installer (as root - substitute 'www-data' for your web user):
* Example of using the command-line (as root - substitute 'www-data' for your web user):
<pre>
<pre>
# chown www-data /path/to/moodle
# chown www-data /path/to/moodle
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=== Web based installer ===
=== Web based installer ===
For ease of use you can install Moodle via the web. We recommend configuring your web server so that the page is not publicly accessible until the installation is complete.
To run the web installer script, just go to your Moodle's main URL using a web browser.
To run the web installer script, just go to your Moodle's main URL using a web browser.


The installation process will take you through a number of pages. You should be asked to confirm the copyright, see the database tables being created, supply administrator account details and supply the site details. The database creation can take some time - please be patient. You should eventually end up at the Moodle front page with an invitation to create a new Course.  
The installation process will take you through a number of pages. You should be asked to confirm the copyright, see the database tables being created, supply administrator account details and supply the site details. The database creation can take some time - please be patient. You should eventually end up at the Moodle front page with an invitation to create a new course.  


It is very likely that you will be asked to download the new config.php file and upload it to your Moodle installation - just follow the on-screen instructions.  
It is very likely that you will be asked to download the new config.php file and upload it to your Moodle installation - just follow the on-screen instructions.


==Final configuration==
==Final configuration==


=== Settings within Moodle ===
=== Settings within Moodle ===
There are a number of options within the Moodle Site Administration screens (accessible from the 'Site administration' tab in the 'Settings' block. Here are a few of the more important ones that you will probably want to check:
There are a number of options within the Moodle Site Administration screens (accessible from the 'Site administration' tab in the 'Administration' block. Here are a few of the more important ones that you will probably want to check:
* ''Settings > Site administration > Server > Email'': Set your smtp server and authentication if required (so your Moodle site can send emails). The support contact for your site is also set on this page.  
* ''Administration > Site administration > Plugins > Message Outputs > Email'': Set your smtp server and authentication if required (so your Moodle site can send emails). The support contact for your site is also set on this page.  
* ''Settings > Site administration > Server > System paths'': Set the paths to du, dot and aspell binaries.
* ''Administration > Site administration > Server > System paths'': Set the paths to du, dot and aspell binaries.
* ''Settings > Site administration > Server > HTTP'': If you are behind a firewall you may need to set your proxy credentials in the 'Web proxy' section.
* ''Administration > Site administration > Server > HTTP'': If you are behind a firewall you may need to set your proxy credentials in the 'Web proxy' section.
* ''Settings > Site administration > Location > Update timezones'': Run this to make sure your timezone information is up to date.
* ''Administration > Site administration > Location > Update timezones'': Run this to make sure your timezone information is up to date. (more info [[Location]])
** [http://php.net/manual/en/timezones.php Set server's local timezone] inside <tt>php.ini</tt> (should probably be inside <tt>/etc/php.ini</tt> or <tt>/etc/php.d/date.ini</tt>, depending on the underline OS):
**: <code ini>[Date]
; Defines the default timezone used by the date functions
date.timezone = "YOUR LOCAL TIMEZONE"</code>


=== Remaining tasks ===
=== Remaining tasks ===
Line 156: Line 170:
* '''Configure Cron''': Moodle's background tasks (e.g. sending out forum emails and performing course backups) are performed by a script which you can set to execute at specific times of the day. This is known as a cron script. Please refer to the [[Cron|Cron instructions]].
* '''Configure Cron''': Moodle's background tasks (e.g. sending out forum emails and performing course backups) are performed by a script which you can set to execute at specific times of the day. This is known as a cron script. Please refer to the [[Cron|Cron instructions]].
* '''Set up backups''': See [[Site backup]] and [[Automated course backup]].
* '''Set up backups''': See [[Site backup]] and [[Automated course backup]].
* '''Check mail works''': [[Add a new user|Create a test user]] with a valid email address and [[message|send them a message]]. Do they receive an email copy of the message? If not, check the settings in ''Settings > Site administration > Plugins > Message outputs > Email''.
* '''Check mail works''': [[Add a new user|Create a test user]] with a valid email address and [[message|send them a message]]. Do they receive an email copy of the message? If not, check the settings in ''Settings > Site administration > Plugins > Message outputs > Email''. Don't be tempted to skip this step (clue: email is used to recover lost passwords, including the administrator password when you forget it!)
* '''Secure your Moodle site''': Read the [[Security recommendations]].
* '''Secure your Moodle site''': Read the [[Security recommendations]].
*'''Increasing the maximum upload size'''  See [[Installation FAQ]] Maximum upload file size - how to change it?


=== Installation is complete :) ===
=== Installation is complete :) ===


* Create a new course: You can now [[Adding a new course|create a new course]] and have a play ;-)
* Create a new course: You can now access Moodle through your web browser (using the same URL as you set during the install process), log in as your admin user and creatse a new course. See  [[Adding a new course|create a new course]].


=== If something goes wrong... ===
=== If something goes wrong... ===
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* Check your file permissions carefully. Can your web server read (but not write) the Moodle program files? Can your web server read and write your Moodle data directory?
* Check your file permissions carefully. Can your web server read (but not write) the Moodle program files? Can your web server read and write your Moodle data directory?
* Check your database permissions. Have you set up your database user with the correct rights and permissions for your configuration (especially if the web server and database server are different machines)?
* Check your database permissions. Have you set up your database user with the correct rights and permissions for your configuration (especially if the web server and database server are different machines)?
* If you are having trouble creating a config.php file, you can do it manually by copying config-dist.php (in the root of the Moodle program directory) to config.php, editing it and setting your database/site options there. Installation will continue from the right place.  
* Create your [[Configuration file]] (config.php) by hand. Copy config-dist.php (in the root of the Moodle program directory) to config.php, edit it and set your database/site options there. Installation will continue from the right place.  
* Once you have a config.php (see previous tip) you can edit it to turn on debugging (in section 8). This may give you extra information to help track down a problem. If you have access, check your web server error log(s).
* Once you have a config.php (see previous tip) you can edit it to turn on debugging (in section 8). This may give you extra information to help track down a problem. If you have access, check your web server error log(s).
* Re-check your php.ini / .htaccess settings. Are they appropriate (e.g. memory_limit), did you edit the correct php.ini / .htaccess file and (if required) did you re-start the web server after making changes?
* Re-check your php.ini / .htaccess settings. Are they appropriate (e.g. memory_limit), did you edit the correct php.ini / .htaccess file and (if required) did you re-start the web server after making changes?
Line 181: Line 196:


* [[Windows installation]]
* [[Windows installation]]
** [[Installing Moodle on SmarterASP.NET]]
* [[Unix or Linux Installation]]
* [[Unix or Linux Installation]]
* [[Mac Installation]]
* [[Mac Installation]]
Line 186: Line 202:


== See also ==
== See also ==
 
* [http://www.slideshare.net/gb2048/my-own-moodle Slideshare presentation by Gareth Barnard on installing a local installation of Moodle] and accompanying [https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B17B0rYH2zERU21sQnVweUZCUFk&usp=sharing  help guides]
* [http://ic.eflclasses.org/tutorials/settingupmoodleonhostingwitholdcpanel.swf Tutorial on choosing a host and setting up moodle via the old cpanel]
* [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=182086 New Video Tutorial- How to Install Moodle on Shared Hosting via cPanel (Not Fantastico)]
* [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=182086 New Video Tutorial- How to Install Moodle on Shared Hosting via cPanel (Not Fantastico)]
* [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=199542 Video Tutorial - Install Moodle on a Virtual Box from scratch]


[[es:Instalaci%C3%B3n_de_moodle]]
[[es:Instalaci%C3%B3n_de_moodle]]

Latest revision as of 20:40, 28 October 2016

This page explains how to install Moodle. If you are an expert and/or in a hurry try Installation Quickstart.

If you just want to try Moodle on a standalone machine there are 'one-click' installers for Windows (see Complete install packages for Windows) and for OSX (see Complete Install Packages for Mac OS X) or install on OS X. These are unsuitable for production servers.

Requirements

Moodle is primarily developed in Linux using Apache, PostgreSQL/MySQL/MariaDB and PHP (sometimes known as the LAMP platform). Typically this is also how Moodle is run, although there are other options as long as the software requirements of the release are met.

If you are installing Moodle in a Windows server, note that from php5.5 onwards, you will also need to have the Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2012 installed from: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30679 Visual C++] ( x86 or x64)

The basic requirements for Moodle are as follows:

Hardware

  • Disk space: 200MB for the Moodle code, plus as much as you need to store content. 5GB is probably a realistic minimum.
  • Processor: 1GHz (min), 2GHz dual core or more recommended.
  • Memory: 512MB (min), 1GB or more is recommended. 8GB plus is likely on a large production server
  • Consider separate servers for the web "front ends" and the database. It is much easier to "tune"

All the above requirements will vary depending on specific hardware and software combinations as well as the type of use and load; busy sites may well require additional resources. Further guidance can be found under performance recommendations. Moodle scales easily by increasing hardware.

For very large sites, you are much better starting with a small pilot and gaining some experience and insight. A "what hardware do I need for 50,000 user?" style post in the forums is highly unlikely to get a useful answer.

Software

See the release notes in the dev docs for software requirements.

Set up your server

Depending the use case a Moodle server may be anything from a Desktop PC (e.g. for testing and evaluating) to a rackmounted or clustered solution. As mentioned above there are lots of possibilities for installing the basic server software, some links and pointers are at Installing AMP, IIS, Nginx.

It will help hugely, regardless of your deployment choices, if time is taken to understand how to configure the different parts of your software stack (HTTP daemon, database, PHP etc). Do not expect the standard server configuration to be optimal for Moodle. For example, the web server and database servers will almost certainly require tuning to get the best out of Moodle.

If a hosting provider is being used ensure that all Moodle requirments (such as PHP version) are met by the hosting platform before attempting the installation. It will help to become familiar with changing settings within the hosting provider's platform (e.g. PHP file upload maximums) as the options and tools provided vary.

Download and copy files into place

IMPORTANT: While there are now a number of places you can get the Moodle code (including host provided Moodle installers), you are strongly advised to only obtain Moodle from moodle.org. If you run into problems it will be a great deal easier to support you.

You have two options:

  • Download your required version from http://moodle.org/downloads and unzip/unpack...
  • OR Pull the code from the Git repository (recommended for developers and also makes upgrading very simple):
$ git clone --depth=1 -b MOODLE_31_STABLE git://git.moodle.org/moodle.git  

Other options you might consider: --depth=1 for shallow cloning (only) latest revision

--single-branch to limit cloning to a single branch, this fetches the Moodle 3.1 Stable branch (latest weekly build). For a fuller discussion see Git for Administrators.

Either of the above should result in a directory called moodle, containing a number of files and folders.

You can typically place the whole folder in your web server documents directory, in which case the site will be located at http://yourwebserver.com/moodle, or you can copy all the contents straight into the main web server documents directory, in which case the site will be simply http://yourwebserver.com. See the documentation for your system and/or web server if you are unsure.

Tip: If you are downloading Moodle to your local computer and then uploading it to your hosted web site, if possible upload the compressed file and decompress at the remote end (check your 'file manager'). Failing that, watch FTP progress carefully for errors or missed files.
  • Secure the Moodle files: It is vital that the files are not writeable by the web server user. For example, on Unix/Linux (as root):
# chown -R root /path/to/moodle
# chmod -R 0755 /path/to/moodle
# find /path/to/moodle -type f -exec chmod 0644 {} \;

(files are owned by the administrator/superuser and are only writeable by them - readable by everyone else)

The third command finds all the regular files and executes the chmod command 0644 on them.

If you want to use the built-in plugin installer you need to make the directory writable by web server user. It is strongly recommended to use ACL when your server supports it, for example if your Apache server uses account www-data:

# chmod -R +a "www-data allow read,delete,write,append,file_inherit,directory_inherit" /path/to/moodle

The effect of the previous command is to allow the Apache user account (www-data in this case) to access and change files within the moodle site. Many people would consider this a brave move for a new site admin to implement. In a new moodle you can safely leave this out. A default Ubuntu install does not have the +a option for the chmod command anyway. The +a attribute is an ACL (Access Control List) facility which allows you to set per user access for individual files. For example, OSX has this by default.

Create an empty database

Next create a new, empty database for your installation. You need to find and make a note of following information for use during the final installation stage:

  • dbhost - the database server hostname. Probably localhost if the database and web server are the same machine, otherwise the name of the database server
  • dbname - the database name. Whatever you called it, e.g. moodle
  • dbuser - the username for the database. Whatever you assigned, e.g. moodleuser - do not use the root/superuser account. Create a proper account with the minimum permissions needed.
  • dbpass - the password for the above user

If your site is hosted you should find a web-based administration page for databases as part of the control panel (or ask your administrator). For everyone else or for detailed instructions, see the page for your chosen database server:

Create the (moodledata) data directory

Moodle requires a directory to store all of its files (all your site's uploaded files, temporary data, cache, session data etc.). The web server needs to be able to write to this directory. On larger systems consider how much free space you are going to use when allocating this directory.

Due to the default way Moodle caches data you may have serious performance issues if you use relatively slow storage (e.g. NFS) for this directory. Read the Performance_recommendations carefully and consider using (e.g.) memcached for Caching.

IMPORTANT: This directory must NOT be accessible directly via the web. This would be a serious security hole. Do not try to place it inside your web root or inside your Moodle program files directory. Moodle will not install. It can go anywhere else convenient.

Here is an example (Unix/Linux) of creating the directory and setting the permissions for anyone on the server to write here. This is only appropriate for Moodle servers that are not shared. Discuss this with your server administrator for better permissions that just allow the web server user to access these files.

# mkdir /path/to/moodledata
# chmod 0777 /path/to/moodledata

If your server supports ACL it is recommended to set following permissions, for example if your Apache server uses account www-data:

# chmod -R +a "www-data allow read,delete,write,append,file_inherit,directory_inherit" /path/to/moodledata

If you are planning to execute PHP scripts from the command line you should set the same permissions for the current user:

$ sudo chmod -R +a "`whoami` allow read,delete,write,append,file_inherit,directory_inherit" /path/to/moodledata

Securing moodledata in a web directory

If you are using a hosted site and you have no option but to place 'moodledata' in a web accessible directory. You may be able to secure it by creating an .htaccess file in the 'moodledata' directory. This does not work on all systems - see your host/administrator. Create a file called .htaccess containing only the following lines:

order deny,allow
deny from all

Start Moodle install

It's now time to run the installer to create the database tables and configure your new site. The recommended method is to use the command line installer. If you cannot do this for any reason (e.g. on a Windows server) the web based installer is still available.

Command line installer

It's best to run the command line as your system's web user. You need to know what that is - see your system's documentation (e.g. Ubuntu/Debian is 'www-data', Centos is 'apache')

  • Example of using the command-line (as root - substitute 'www-data' for your web user):
# chown www-data /path/to/moodle
# cd /path/to/moodle/admin/cli
# sudo -u www-data /usr/bin/php install.php
# chown -R root /path/to/moodle

The chowns allow the script to write a new config.php file. More information about the options can be found using

# php install.php --help

You will be asked for other settings that have not been discussed on this page - if unsure just accept the defaults. For a full discussion see Administration via command line

Web based installer

For ease of use you can install Moodle via the web. We recommend configuring your web server so that the page is not publicly accessible until the installation is complete.

To run the web installer script, just go to your Moodle's main URL using a web browser.

The installation process will take you through a number of pages. You should be asked to confirm the copyright, see the database tables being created, supply administrator account details and supply the site details. The database creation can take some time - please be patient. You should eventually end up at the Moodle front page with an invitation to create a new course.

It is very likely that you will be asked to download the new config.php file and upload it to your Moodle installation - just follow the on-screen instructions.

Final configuration

Settings within Moodle

There are a number of options within the Moodle Site Administration screens (accessible from the 'Site administration' tab in the 'Administration' block. Here are a few of the more important ones that you will probably want to check:

  • Administration > Site administration > Plugins > Message Outputs > Email: Set your smtp server and authentication if required (so your Moodle site can send emails). The support contact for your site is also set on this page.
  • Administration > Site administration > Server > System paths: Set the paths to du, dot and aspell binaries.
  • Administration > Site administration > Server > HTTP: If you are behind a firewall you may need to set your proxy credentials in the 'Web proxy' section.
  • Administration > Site administration > Location > Update timezones: Run this to make sure your timezone information is up to date. (more info Location)
    • Set server's local timezone inside php.ini (should probably be inside /etc/php.ini or /etc/php.d/date.ini, depending on the underline OS):
      [Date]
Defines the default timezone used by the date functions

date.timezone = "YOUR LOCAL TIMEZONE"

Remaining tasks

  • Configure Cron: Moodle's background tasks (e.g. sending out forum emails and performing course backups) are performed by a script which you can set to execute at specific times of the day. This is known as a cron script. Please refer to the Cron instructions.
  • Set up backups: See Site backup and Automated course backup.
  • Check mail works: Create a test user with a valid email address and send them a message. Do they receive an email copy of the message? If not, check the settings in Settings > Site administration > Plugins > Message outputs > Email. Don't be tempted to skip this step (clue: email is used to recover lost passwords, including the administrator password when you forget it!)
  • Secure your Moodle site: Read the Security recommendations.
  • Increasing the maximum upload size See Installation FAQ Maximum upload file size - how to change it?

Installation is complete :)

  • Create a new course: You can now access Moodle through your web browser (using the same URL as you set during the install process), log in as your admin user and creatse a new course. See create a new course.

If something goes wrong...

Here are some things you should try...

  • Check the Installation FAQ
  • Check your file permissions carefully. Can your web server read (but not write) the Moodle program files? Can your web server read and write your Moodle data directory?
  • Check your database permissions. Have you set up your database user with the correct rights and permissions for your configuration (especially if the web server and database server are different machines)?
  • Create your Configuration file (config.php) by hand. Copy config-dist.php (in the root of the Moodle program directory) to config.php, edit it and set your database/site options there. Installation will continue from the right place.
  • Once you have a config.php (see previous tip) you can edit it to turn on debugging (in section 8). This may give you extra information to help track down a problem. If you have access, check your web server error log(s).
  • Re-check your php.ini / .htaccess settings. Are they appropriate (e.g. memory_limit), did you edit the correct php.ini / .htaccess file and (if required) did you re-start the web server after making changes?
  • Did you include any non-core (optional) plugins, themes or other code before starting the installation script? If so, remove it and try again (it may be broken or incompatible).
  • Explain your problem in the Installation problems forum. PLEASE list your software versions; explain what you did, what happened and what error messages you saw (if any); explain what you tried. There is no such thing as 'nothing', even a blank page is something!

Platform specific instructions

Note: Much of this information is provided by the community. It may not have been checked and may be out of date. Please read in conjunction with the above installation instructions.

See also