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computing:pixelfed [2026/03/01 17:45] – oemb1905computing:pixelfed [2026/03/01 17:55] (current) – removed oemb1905
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-------------------------------------------- 
-  * **pixelfed**  
-  * **Jonathan Haack** 
-  * **Haack's Networking** 
-  * **support@haacksnetworking.org**  
  
-------------------------------------------- 
- 
-//pixelfed//       
- 
-------------------------------------------- 
- 
-=== Setting up Pixelfed on Debian === 
-~~NOTOC~~ 
- 
-This tutorial provides users of Debian GNU/Linux with a roadmap for installing a Pixelfed instance. These isntructions are drawn from the [[https://pixelfed.github.io/docs-next/running-pixelfed/installation.html|Pixelfed documentation]]. Most steps were straightforward, however, there were a few issues not covered in their documentation, namely, special permissions for some OAUTH bits, initializing of storage, and a few other things. As with most other tutorials on this Wiki, make sure you first have a hardened VPS w/ LAMP ready to go - if not, head over to [[https://wiki.haacksnetworking.org/doku.php?id=computing:apachesurvival|Apache Survival]] first and set that up. Okay, here we go! 
- 
-=== Prerequisites: Install PHP 8.4 and Dependencies === 
- 
-Pixelfed requires PHP 8.4 with specific extensions for database, image processing, Redis, and more. Update your package list and install them. 
- 
-<code bash> 
-cd /var/www 
-sudo apt update 
-sudo apt install php8.4-fpm php8.4-mysql php8.4-curl php8.4-gd php8.4-mbstring php8.4-xml php8.4-zip php8.4-bcmath php8.4-intl php8.4-redis php8.4-imagick php8.4-imap php8.4-ldap -y 
-sudo systemctl restart php8.4-fpm 
-</code> 
- 
-This ensures PHP-FPM is running and ready for Apache integration. 
- 
-=== Step 1: Nuke the Old Database (If Exists) === 
- 
-Log in to MySQL/MariaDB as root and drop any existing Pixelfed-related database to start fresh. 
- 
-<code bash> 
-mysql -u root -p 
-</code> 
- 
-Inside the MySQL shell, run: 
- 
-<code sql> 
-DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS pixelfed; 
-DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS pixel; 
-EXIT; 
-</code> 
- 
-=== Step 2: Create the New 'pixel' Database and User === 
- 
-Create a new database named 'pixel' with a dedicated user for security. Log in to MySQL as root again. 
- 
-<code bash> 
-mysql -u root -p 
-</code> 
- 
-Inside the MySQL shell, run: 
- 
-<code sql> 
-CREATE DATABASE pixel CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci; 
-CREATE USER IF NOT EXISTS 'pixel'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'lweRt5-xmcvQW2_poRtyUG51.78345^'; 
-GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON pixel.* TO 'pixel'@'localhost'; 
-FLUSH PRIVILEGES; 
-EXIT; 
-</code> 
- 
-This sets up a UTF-8 compatible database optimized for Pixelfed's schema. 
- 
-=== Step 3: Nuke the Old Pixelfed Directory (If Exists) === 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo rm -rf /var/www/pixelfed 
-</code> 
- 
-=== Step 4: Clone Fresh Pixelfed from Git (Dev Branch) === 
- 
-Clone the latest development branch from the official repository. The 'dev' branch often includes fixes and features not yet in stable. 
- 
-<code bash> 
-cd /var/www 
-git clone -b dev https://github.com/pixelfed/pixelfed.git pixelfed 
-</code> 
- 
-=== Step 5: Set Permissions for the New Installation === 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/pixelfed 
-sudo chmod -R 775 /var/www/pixelfed/storage /var/www/pixelfed/bootstrap/cache 
-</code> 
- 
-This prevents permission errors during runtime, such as failed uploads or cache writes. 
- 
-=== Step 6: Install Dependencies with Composer === 
- 
-<code bash> 
-cd /var/www/pixelfed 
-sudo -u www-data composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader 
-</code> 
- 
-This pulls in Laravel and other required packages without development tools for a production setup. 
- 
-=== Step 7: Configure the .env File === 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo nano /var/www/pixelfed/.env 
-</code> 
- 
-Paste or update with the following content (replace placeholders if needed, e.g., passwords, domains, or mail settings): 
- 
-<code ini> 
-APP_NAME="GNU/Linux Pics" 
-APP_ENV=production 
-APP_KEY= # Generated later 
-APP_DEBUG=false 
-APP_URL=https://gnulinux.pics 
-APP_DOMAIN=gnulinux.pics 
-ADMIN_DOMAIN=gnulinux.pics 
-SESSION_DOMAIN=gnulinux.pics 
-DB_CONNECTION=mysql 
-DB_HOST=127.0.0.1 
-DB_PORT=3306 
-DB_DATABASE=pixel 
-DB_USERNAME=pixel 
-DB_PASSWORD=lweRt5-xmcvQW2_poRtyUG51.78345^ 
-REDIS_HOST=127.0.0.1 
-REDIS_PASSWORD=null 
-REDIS_PORT=6379 
-REDIS_CLIENT=predis 
-REDIS_SCHEME=tcp 
-CACHE_DRIVER=redis 
-QUEUE_CONNECTION=redis 
-SESSION_DRIVER=redis 
-HORIZON_PREFIX=horizon- 
-MAIL_MAILER=smtp 
-MAIL_HOST=mail.haacksnetworking.org 
-MAIL_PORT=587 
-MAIL_USERNAME=webmaster 
-MAIL_PASSWORD==R0undC@arg3dTer$sProduc3!inu73@4r!ied 
-MAIL_ENCRYPTION=tls 
-MAIL_FROM_ADDRESS=webmaster@haacksnetworking.org 
-MAIL_FROM_NAME="GNU/Linux Pics" 
-ACTIVITY_PUB=true 
-AP_REMOTE_FOLLOW=true 
-AP_INBOX=true 
-AP_OUTBOX=true 
-AP_SHAREDINBOX=true 
-RELAY=true 
-OPEN_REGISTRATION=true 
-ENFORCE_EMAIL_VERIFICATION=true 
-PF_MAX_USERS=1000 
-PF_OPTIMIZE_IMAGES=true 
-IMAGE_QUALITY=80 
-MAX_PHOTO_SIZE=15000 
-MAX_CAPTION_LENGTH=500 
-MAX_ALBUM_LENGTH=4 
-INSTANCE_DISCOVER_PUBLIC=true 
-PF_ENABLE_CLOUD=false 
-FILESYSTEM_CLOUD=s3 
-#AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID= 
-#AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY= 
-#AWS_DEFAULT_REGION= 
-#AWS_BUCKET= 
-#AWS_URL= 
-#AWS_ENDPOINT= 
-#AWS_USE_PATH_STYLE_ENDPOINT=false 
-</code> 
- 
-Save and exit. 
- 
-=== Step 8: Run Database Migrations === 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan migrate --force 
-</code> 
- 
-=== Step 9: Create the Public Storage Symlink (Critical for Images) === 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan storage:link 
-</code> 
- 
-Verify the symlink: 
- 
-<code bash> 
-ls -l /var/www/pixelfed/public/storage 
-</code> 
- 
-Expected output: ''storage -> ../storage/app/public'' 
- 
-If images fail to display after uploads, recheck permissions: 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/pixelfed/storage 
-sudo chmod -R 775 /var/www/pixelfed/storage 
-#oauth bits require stronger perms 
-sudo chmod 600 /var/www/pixelfed/storage/oauth-private.key 
-sudo chmod 600 /var/www/pixelfed/storage/oauth-public.key 
-</code> 
- 
-=== Step 10: Generate Application Key === 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan key:generate 
-</code> 
- 
-=== Step 11: Set Up Passport for OAuth === 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan passport:keys --force 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan passport:install --force 
-</code> 
- 
-=== Step 12: Set Up Horizon for Queue Worker === 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan horizon:install 
-</code> 
- 
-=== Step 13: Cache Configurations, Routes, and Views === 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan config:cache 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan route:cache 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan view:cache 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan optimize 
-</code> 
- 
-=== Step 14: Configure Apache Virtual Hosts === 
- 
-For the non-SSL site (HTTP redirect): 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/000-default.conf 
-</code> 
- 
-Paste: 
- 
-<code apache> 
-<VirtualHost *:80> 
-    ServerName gnulinux.pics 
-    RewriteEngine On 
-    RewriteCond %{SERVER_NAME} =gnulinux.pics 
-    RewriteRule ^ https://%{SERVER_NAME}%{REQUEST_URI} [END,NE,R=permanent] 
-</VirtualHost> 
-</code> 
- 
-For the SSL site: 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/000-default-le-ssl.conf 
-</code> 
- 
-Paste: 
- 
-<code apache> 
-<VirtualHost *:443> 
-    ServerName gnulinux.pics 
-    SSLEngine on 
-    SSLCertificateFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/gnulinux.pics/fullchain.pem 
-    SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/gnulinux.pics/privkey.pem 
-    Include /etc/letsencrypt/options-ssl-apache.conf 
-    DocumentRoot /var/www/pixelfed/public 
-    <Directory /var/www/pixelfed/public> 
-        Options Indexes FollowSymLinks 
-        AllowOverride All 
-        Require all granted 
-    </Directory> 
-    <FilesMatch \.php$> 
-        SetHandler "proxy:unix:/run/php/php8.4-fpm.sock|fcgi://localhost/" 
-    </FilesMatch> 
-    LimitRequestBody 524288000 
-    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/gnulinux-pics_error.log 
-    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/gnulinux-pics_access.log combined 
-</VirtualHost> 
-</code> 
- 
-Ensure ''AllowOverride All'' in main config: 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo nano /etc/apache2/apache2.conf 
-</code> 
- 
-In the ''<Directory /var/www/>'' block ensure: 
- 
-<code apache> 
-<Directory /var/www/> 
-    Options Indexes FollowSymLinks 
-    AllowOverride All 
-    Require all granted 
-</Directory> 
-</code> 
- 
-=== Step 15: Configure .htaccess for URL Rewrites === 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo nano /var/www/pixelfed/public/.htaccess 
-</code> 
- 
-Paste: 
- 
-<code apache> 
-Options +FollowSymLinks -Indexes 
-RewriteEngine On 
-RewriteCond %{HTTP:Authorization} . 
-RewriteRule .* - [E=HTTP_AUTHORIZATION:%{HTTP:Authorization}] 
-RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d 
-RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f 
-RewriteRule ^ index.php [L] 
-</code> 
- 
-=== Step 16: Create and Enable Horizon Systemd Service === 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/pixelfed.service 
-</code> 
- 
-Paste: 
- 
-<code ini> 
-[Unit] 
-Description=Pixelfed Horizon Queue Worker (Laravel Horizon) 
-After=network.target apache2.service php8.4-fpm.service redis-server.service mariadb.service 
-Wants=apache2.service php8.4-fpm.service redis-server.service mariadb.service 
- 
-[Service] 
-Type=simple 
-User=www-data 
-Group=www-data 
-WorkingDirectory=/var/www/pixelfed 
-ExecStart=/usr/bin/php artisan horizon 
-Restart=on-failure 
-RestartSec=5s 
-StandardOutput=journal 
-StandardError=journal 
-NoNewPrivileges=yes 
-PrivateTmp=true 
-ProtectSystem=strict 
-ProtectHome=yes 
-ReadWritePaths=/var/www/pixelfed/storage 
-ReadWritePaths=/var/www/pixelfed/bootstrap/cache 
- 
-[Install] 
-WantedBy=multi-user.target 
-</code> 
- 
-Then: 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo systemctl daemon-reload 
-sudo systemctl enable pixelfed.service 
-sudo systemctl restart pixelfed.service 
-sudo systemctl status pixelfed.service 
-journalctl -u pixelfed.service -n 50 
-</code> 
- 
-=== Step 17: Restart All Services === 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo apache2ctl configtest 
-sudo systemctl reload apache2 
-sudo systemctl restart apache2 php8.4-fpm pixelfed.service redis-server 
-</code> 
- 
-=== Step 18: Create Admin User === 
- 
-<code bash> 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan user:create 
-</code> 
- 
-Follow prompts (example values): 
- 
-  * Name: Admin 
-  * Username: admin 
-  * Email: webmaster@haacksnetworking.org 
-  * Password: 8gHpw#45_mnb456Cv-plw@33:pw 
-  * Make this user an admin? yes 
- 
-=== Step 19: Verification and Debugging Checks === 
- 
-  * Check Redis: 
-<code bash> 
-redis-cli ping 
-redis-cli keys "horizon:*" 
-sudo systemctl status redis-server 
-sudo systemctl status pixelfed.service 
-journalctl -u pixelfed.service -n 50 
-</code> 
- 
-  * Verify queue config: 
-<code bash> 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan config:show queue | grep default 
-</code> 
- 
-  * Check well-known / NodeInfo: 
-<code bash> 
-curl -s https://gnulinux.pics/.well-known/nodeinfo 
-curl -s https://gnulinux.pics/api/nodeinfo/2.0 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan route:list | grep -i nodeinfo 
-</code> 
- 
-  * Federation test: 
-<code bash> 
-curl -I https://pixelfed.social/.well-known/nodeinfo 
-curl -I https://mastodon.social/.well-known/nodeinfo 
-</code> 
- 
-  * Check logs: 
-<code bash> 
-tail -n 100 /var/www/pixelfed/storage/logs/laravel.log | grep -i "activitypub\|federat\|outbox\|inbox\|error\|fail\|exception" 
-</code> 
- 
-=== Update Instructions === 
- 
-<code bash> 
-cd /var/www/pixelfed 
-git pull origin dev 
-sudo -u www-data composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan migrate --force 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan config:cache 
-sudo -u www-data php artisan route:cache 
-sudo systemctl restart pixelfed.service apache2 php8.4-fpm redis-server 
-</code> 
- 
-Always check GitHub for release notes before updating.  
- 
- 
- --- //[[alerts@haacksnetworking.org|oemb1905]] 2026/03/01 17:36// 
computing/pixelfed.1772387113.txt.gz · Last modified: by oemb1905

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