Introduction

In today’s digital era, businesses looking to expand sales and reach a wider audience must establish an online store. PrestaShop is one of the most popular open-source e-commerce platforms, known for its flexibility and extensive customization options. With PrestaShop, you can manage product listings, payment methods, customer relations, and order processing—all within a single, easy-to-use platform.

Installing PrestaShop on a Linux-based server is an excellent option for business owners or developers who prefer the control and security of self-hosting. While it may seem complex at first, this guide will walk you through the complete installation process. We’ll be using an Ubuntu 22.04 server in this tutorial.

Step 1: Update System Packages

Ensure your Ubuntu server is up to date:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install the LAMP Stack

(Skip this step if you already have a LAMP stack installed.)

Install Apache
Apache is a widely used web server. Install, start, and enable it with:

sudo apt install apache2 -y
sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2

Install MySQL (or MariaDB)
PrestaShop requires a database. Install MySQL and secure it using:

sudo apt install mysql-server -y
sudo mysql_secure_installation

(Alternatively, you can install MariaDB.)

Install PHP and Required Extensions
PrestaShop is written in PHP. Install PHP and the necessary extensions:

sudo apt install php7.4 php7.4-mysql php7.4-cli php7.4-gd php7.4-curl php7.4-intl php7.4-mbstring php7.4-xml php7.4-zip php7.4-bcmath -y

Restart Apache to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 3: Create a Database for PrestaShop

Log in to the MySQL shell:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Run the following commands to create a database and user:

CREATE DATABASE prestashop;
CREATE USER 'prestashopuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'yourpassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON prestashop.* TO 'prestashopuser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

(Replace 'yourpassword' with a strong password.)

Step 4: Download and Configure PrestaShop

Download the latest PrestaShop release:

wget https://github.com/PrestaShop/PrestaShop/releases/download/1.7.8.9/prestashop_1.7.8.9.zip

Unzip it to the /var/www/html/ directory:

unzip prestashop_1.7.8.9.zip -d /var/www/html/prestashop

Set proper ownership and permissions:

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

Step 5: Configure Apache for PrestaShop

Create a new Apache virtual host configuration file:

sudo vi /etc/apache2/sites-available/prestashop.conf

Add the following configuration:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName yourdomain.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/prestashop
    <Directory /var/www/html/prestashop/>
        Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>
    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/prestashop_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/prestashop_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

(Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain.)

Enable the site and necessary Apache modules:

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

Step 6: Complete the Installation via Browser

Open your browser and navigate to:

• http://yourdomain.com
• http://your-server-ip

If an update is available, PrestaShop may prompt you to download the latest version—accept it to proceed.

Follow the PrestaShop setup wizard:

1. Select your preferred language.
2. Agree to the license terms.
3. Provide your store information.
4. Enter your database details (name, user, and password).
5. Click “Test your Database connection now!” to verify the connection.
6. Complete the installation.

After the installation, delete the install folder for security:

sudo rm -rf /var/www/html/prestashop/install

Access the PrestaShop admin panel at:
http://yourdomain.com/admin

Conclusion

Installing PrestaShop on your Linux server provides a powerful and customizable framework for running an online store. With a properly configured LAMP stack and a fully set up PrestaShop instance, you have complete control over your e-commerce environment.

This approach not only enhances performance but also provides greater flexibility as your business grows. Now that your store is live, focus on optimizing it for your customers and increasing sales.