Introduction

Dolibarr is a free and open-source ERP and CRM software that helps businesses manage various tasks, including customer relations, inventory, and billing. Due to its comprehensive functionality and lightweight design, it is an excellent choice for small and medium-sized businesses.

This guide will walk you through setting up Dolibarr CRM on a Linux server (using Ubuntu as an example).

Step 1: Update System Packages

Before proceeding with the installation, update your system packages by running:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Apache, MySQL, and PHP (LAMP Stack)

Dolibarr requires PHP, a database, and a web server. Install them with the following command:

sudo apt install apache2 mysql-server php php-mysql php-cli php-curl php-json php-intl php-mbstring php-xml php-zip unzip -y

Once installed, start and enable Apache and MySQL:

sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2
sudo systemctl start mysql
sudo systemctl enable mysql

Verify that each service is running:

sudo systemctl status apache2
sudo systemctl status mysql

Step 3: Secure MySQL Installation

Run the MySQL secure installation script to improve database security:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Answer the following prompts:

• Would you like to set up VALIDATE PASSWORD component? [Y/N] → Y
• Remove anonymous users? [Y/N] → Y
• Disallow root login remotely? [Y/N] → Y
• Remove test database and access to it? [Y/N] → Y
• Reload privilege tables now? [Y/N] → Y

Step 4: Create a Database for Dolibarr

Log into MySQL:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Then, create a new database and user for Dolibarr:

CREATE DATABASE dolibarr;
CREATE USER 'dolibarruser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'strongpassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON dolibarr.* TO 'dolibarruser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Replace ‘strongpassword’ with a secure password of your choice.

Step 5: Download Dolibarr CRM

You can download the latest version of Dolibarr from the official website:

👉 Dolibarr Downloads

Alternatively, use the following command to download version 12.0.5:

wget https://github.com/Dolibarr/dolibarr/archive/12.0.5.tar.gz -O dolibarr.tar.gz

Extract the downloaded file:

tar -xzvf dolibarr.tar.gz -C /var/www/html/

Rename the extracted directory to dolibarr:

sudo mv /var/www/html/dolibarr* /var/www/html/dolibarr

Assign proper permissions:

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

Step 6: Configure Apache for Dolibarr

Create a new Apache configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/dolibarr.conf

Add the following configuration (replace your-domain.com with your actual domain or server IP):

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerAdmin admin@example.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/dolibarr
    ServerName your-domain.com

    <Directory /var/www/html/dolibarr>
        Options FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/dolibarr_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/dolibarr_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Save and exit the file.

Enable the new site configuration and necessary modules:

sudo a2ensite dolibarr.conf
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 7: Complete Installation via Web Browser

Open your web browser and go to:

• http://your-domain.com/dolibarr
• http://your-server-ip/dolibarr

Follow the Dolibarr installation wizard:

1. Choose your preferred language and click Next.
2. Confirm that the server requirements are met.
3. Enter the database details (database name, user, and password) from Step 4.
4. Complete the setup and create an admin account.

Once the installation is finished, access Dolibarr at:
http://your-domain.com/dolibarr or http://your-server-ip/dolibarr