How to Install Wiki.js on Ubuntu 24.04

Wiki.js is a powerful, flexible, and modern open-source wiki application designed to help you manage your documentation and knowledge base effectively. Built on Node.js, it offers a sleek user interface, extensive customization options, and seamless integration with various authentication systems and data sources.

This guide will walk you through the steps to install Wiki.js on Ubuntu 24.04.

Step 1 – Install Node.js

First, install the necessary dependencies using the following command.

apt-get install -y ca-certificates curl gnupg

Next, download the Node.js GPG key.

mkdir -p /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/gpgkey/nodesource-repo.gpg.key | gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/nodesource.gpg

Next, add the NodeSource repo to the APT source list.

echo "deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/nodesource.gpg] https://deb.nodesource.com/node_22.x nodistro main" | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nodesource.list

Then, update the repository index and install Node.js with the following command.

apt update
apt-get install -y nodejs

Next, verify the Node.js version using the following command.

node -v

Output.

v22.15.1

Step 2 – Install and Configure MariaDB Database

Wiki.js uses MariaDB as its database. You can install the MariaDB server with the following commands:

apt install mariadb-server -y

Once the MariaDB is installed, connect to the MariaDB shell using the following command.

mysql

Next, create a database and user for Wiki.js.

CREATE DATABASE wikijs;
GRANT ALL on wikijs.* to wikijs@localhost identified by 'password';

Next, flush the privileges and exit from the MariaDB shell.

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Step 3 – Install Wiki.js

First, create a dedicated user for Wiki.js.

useradd -m -d /opt/wikijs -U -r -s /bin/bash wikijs

Log in to your wikijs user:

su - wikijs

Download the latest version of Wiki.js:

wget https://github.com/Requarks/wiki/releases/latest/download/wiki-js.tar.gz

Extract the downloaded file.

tar -xzvf wiki-js.tar.gz

Copy the sample configuration file.

cp -a config.sample.yml config.yml

Edit the sample configuration file.

nano config.yml

Define your database settings:

db:
  type: mariadb

  # PostgreSQL / MySQL / MariaDB / MS SQL Server only:
  host: localhost
  port: 3306
  user: wikijs
  pass: password
  db: wikijs

Save and close the file then exit from the Wiki.js user.

exit

Step 4 – Create a Systemd Service

To ensure Wiki.js runs as a service and starts on boot, create a systemd service file:

nano /etc/systemd/system/wikijs.service

Add the following content to the file:

[Unit]
Description=Wiki.js
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
ExecStart=/usr/bin/node server
Restart=always

User=wikijs
Environment=NODE_ENV=production
WorkingDirectory=/opt/wikijs

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Reload the systemd daemon to apply the new service file:

systemctl daemon-reload

Enable and start the Wiki.js service:

systemctl enable --now wikijs

Step 4 – Configure Nginx as a Reverse Proxy

If you want to serve Wiki.js through a domain and use Nginx as a reverse proxy, install Nginx first:

apt install nginx

Create a new Nginx configuration file:

nano /etc/nginx/conf.d/wiki.conf

Add the following configuration:

server {
  listen 80;
  server_name  wikijs.example.com;
  root   /opt/wikijs;

    location / {
    proxy_pass          http://127.0.0.1:3000;
    proxy_http_version  1.1;
    proxy_set_header    Upgrade $http_upgrade;
    proxy_set_header    Connection "upgrade";
    proxy_set_header    Host $host;
    proxy_set_header    X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    proxy_set_header    X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    proxy_set_header    X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
  }
}

Edit the Nginx main configuration file:

nano /etc/nginx/nginx.conf

Add the following lines after the line http {:

server_names_hash_bucket_size 64;

Save the file then restart the Nginx service to apply the changes.

systemctl restart nginx

Step 5 – Access Wiki.js

Open a web browser and navigate to http://wikijs.example.com. 

Conclusion

Installing Wiki.js on Ubuntu 24.04 is a comprehensive process that involves setting up the necessary software stack, configuring your environment, and deploying the application. By carefully following each step, from updating your system and installing Node.js, MariaDB, and other dependencies, to configuring Wiki.js and ensuring it runs as a service, you can achieve a smooth and efficient installation. With Wiki.js up and running, you now have a modern and feature-rich platform for managing your documentation and knowledge base. This setup not only enhances collaboration and information sharing but also provides a scalable solution that can grow with your needs.