SmartOS

Requirements

NodeBB requires the following software to be installed:

• A version of Node.js at least 0.8 or greater.
• Redis, version 2.6 or greater (steps to install from Joyent’s package repository given below).
• nginx, version 1.3.13 or greater (only if intending to use nginx to proxy requests to a NodeBB server).

Server Access

1. Sign in your Joyent account: Joyent.com

2. Select: Create Instance

3. Create the newest smartos nodejs image.

   Note: The following steps have been tested with image: smartos nodejs 13.1.0

4. Wait for your instance to show Running then click on its name.

5. Find your Login and admin password. If the Credentials section is missing, refresh the webpage.

   Example: ssh root@0.0.0.0 A#Ca{c1@3

6. SSH into your server as the admin not root: ssh admin@0.0.0.0

   Note: For Windows users that do not have ssh installed, here is an option: Cygwin.com

Installation

1. Install NodeBB’s software dependencies:

   $ sudo pkgin update
   $ sudo pkgin install scmgit nodejs build-essential ImageMagick redis
   

   If any of these failed:

   $ pkgin search *failed-name*
   $ sudo pkgin install *available-name*
   

2. If needed setup a redis-server with default settings as a service (automatically starts and restarts):

   Note: These steps quickly setup a redis server but does not fine-tuned it for production.

   Note: If you ran redis-server manually then exit out of it now.

   $ svcadm enable redis
   $ svcs
   

   - If svcs shows “/pkgsrc/redis:default” in maintenance mode then:

   $ scvadm clear redis
   

   - To shut down your redis-server and keep it from restarting:

   $ scvadm disable redis
   

   - To start up your redis-server and have it always running:

   $ scvadm enable redis
   

3. Move to where you want to create the nodebb folder:

   $ cd /parent/directory/of/nodebb/
   

4. Clone NodeBB’s repository:

   $ git clone git://github.com/NodeBB/NodeBB.git nodebb
   

5. Install NodeBB’s npm dependencies:

   $ cd nodebb/
   $ npm install
   

6. Run NodeBB’s setup script:

   $ node app --setup
   

   1. URL of this installation is either your public ip address from your ssh Login or your domain name pointing to that ip address.

      Example: http://0.0.0.0 or http://example.org

   2. Port number of your NodeBB is the port needed to access your site:

      Note: If you do not proxy your port with something like nginx then port 80 is recommended for production.

   3. If you used the above steps to setup your redis-server then use the default redis settings.

7. Start NodeBB process:

   Run NodeBB manually:

   Note: This should not be used for production.

   $ node app
   

8. Visit your app!

   Example: With a port of 4567: http://0.0.0.0:4567 or http://example.org:4567

   Note: With port 80 the :80 does not need to be entered.

Note: If these instructions are unclear or if you run into trouble, please let us know by filing an issue.

Upgrading NodeBB

Note: Detailed upgrade instructions are listed in Upgrading NodeBB.