DigitalOcean

1. DigitalOcean Server Configuration for MediaWiki 1.40

This article details the recommended server configuration for running MediaWiki 1.40 on DigitalOcean. It’s geared towards newcomers to both MediaWiki and DigitalOcean, providing a step-by-step guide to setting up a suitable environment. This focuses on a basic, functional setup; advanced configurations (like load balancing or caching) are beyond the scope of this document. We will cover droplet size, operating system selection, software installation, and basic security considerations.

== Droplet Selection and Operating System

DigitalOcean provides virtual servers, called “Droplets”, which are ideal for hosting MediaWiki. The appropriate droplet size depends on the expected traffic and content volume. For a small to medium-sized wiki, a droplet with at least 2 GB of RAM is recommended. Larger wikis with more users and complex extensions will require more resources.

We recommend using Ubuntu 22.04 LTS as the operating system. It’s widely supported, has a large community, and offers excellent package management via `apt`. Debian is also a suitable choice. Avoid using minimal images unless you are very comfortable with Linux administration, as they require more manual configuration.

Here’s a table summarizing recommended droplet specifications:

Droplet Size	RAM	vCPUs	SSD Storage	Estimated Cost (USD/month)
Basic	2 GB	1	50 GB	$6
Standard	4 GB	2	80 GB	$12
Premium	8 GB	4	160 GB	$24

== Software Installation

Once you have provisioned a DigitalOcean droplet, connect to it via SSH. The following steps outline the software installation process.

1. **Update the Package List:**

   ```bash
   sudo apt update
   ```

2. **Install Apache2:**

   ```bash
   sudo apt install apache2
   ```

3. **Install MariaDB:**

   ```bash
   sudo apt install mariadb-server
   ```
   Secure the MariaDB installation:
   ```bash
   sudo mysql_secure_installation
   ```

4. **Install PHP and Required Extensions:**

   ```bash
   sudo apt install php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql php-gd php-curl php-mbstring php-xml php-zip
   ```
   Verify PHP version:
   ```bash
   php -v
   ```

5. **Install other dependencies:**

   ```bash
   sudo apt install git
   ```

== MediaWiki Installation

1. **Download MediaWiki:**

   ```bash
   cd /var/www/html
   sudo git clone https://github.com/mediawiki/mediawiki.git
   sudo chown -R www-data:www-data mediawiki
   ```

2. **Configure Apache2:**

   Create a new Apache configuration file for MediaWiki:
   ```bash
   sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/mediawiki.conf
   ```
   Add the following content (adjust `/var/www/html/mediawiki` to your installation path):

   ```apache
   <VirtualHost *:80>
       ServerName yourdomain.com  # Replace with your domain
       DocumentRoot /var/www/html/mediawiki

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

       ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/mediawiki_error.log
       CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/mediawiki_access.log combined
   </VirtualHost>
   ```

   Enable the new configuration and disable the default one:
   ```bash
   sudo a2ensite mediawiki.conf
   sudo a2dissite 000-default.conf
   sudo systemctl restart apache2
   ```

3. **Run the MediaWiki Installation Script:**

   Access your wiki through your web browser (e.g., `http://yourdomain.com`). The MediaWiki installation script will guide you through the remaining steps, including database configuration.

4. **Database Configuration:** You'll need the MariaDB root password and create a dedicated database and user for MediaWiki.

== Security Considerations

• **Firewall:** Enable a firewall (like `ufw`) to restrict access to necessary ports (80 for HTTP, 443 for HTTPS, and 22 for SSH if you haven't disabled it).

   ```bash
   sudo ufw enable
   sudo ufw allow 80
   sudo ufw allow 443
   sudo ufw allow 22  # Only if you need SSH access
   ```

• **HTTPS:** Configure HTTPS using Let's Encrypt for secure communication. Use `certbot`:

   ```bash
   sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache
   sudo certbot --apache -d yourdomain.com
   ```

• **Regular Updates:** Keep your operating system and all installed software up to date.

   ```bash
   sudo apt update
   sudo apt upgrade
   ```

• **Strong Passwords:** Use strong, unique passwords for all user accounts, including the database user.

== Advanced Configuration

Once MediaWiki is installed, you can further configure it. Consider these options:

• **Caching:** Implement a caching system (like Memcached or Redis) to improve performance.
• **Extensions:** Install extensions to add functionality to your wiki.
• **Load Balancing:** For high-traffic wikis, consider using a load balancer to distribute traffic across multiple servers.
• **Backups:** Implement regular backups of your wiki's files and database.

Here's a table summarizing common PHP extensions and their purpose:

PHP Extension	Purpose
php-mysql	Connect to MySQL/MariaDB databases
php-gd	Image manipulation
php-curl	Making HTTP requests
php-mbstring	Multibyte string support
php-xml	XML parsing
php-zip	Zip archive support

Finally, here's a table detailing important files and directories within the MediaWiki installation:

File/Directory	Description
config/	Configuration files
includes/	Core MediaWiki code
extensions/	Directory for installed extensions
images/	Uploaded images
LocalSettings.php	Main configuration file

This guide provides a basic foundation for running MediaWiki 1.40 on DigitalOcean. Refer to the official MediaWiki documentation for more detailed information. Help:Contents provides further assistance. Manual:Configuration is a valuable resource.

Intel-Based Server Configurations

Configuration	Specifications	Benchmark
Core i7-6700K/7700 Server	64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 512 GB	CPU Benchmark: 8046
Core i7-8700 Server	64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2x1 TB	CPU Benchmark: 13124
Core i9-9900K Server	128 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 1 TB	CPU Benchmark: 49969
Core i9-13900 Server (64GB)	64 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD
Core i9-13900 Server (128GB)	128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD
Core i5-13500 Server (64GB)	64 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD
Core i5-13500 Server (128GB)	128 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD
Core i5-13500 Workstation	64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2 NVMe SSD, NVIDIA RTX 4000

AMD-Based Server Configurations

Configuration	Specifications	Benchmark
Ryzen 5 3600 Server	64 GB RAM, 2x480 GB NVMe	CPU Benchmark: 17849
Ryzen 7 7700 Server	64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2x1 TB NVMe	CPU Benchmark: 35224
Ryzen 9 5950X Server	128 GB RAM, 2x4 TB NVMe	CPU Benchmark: 46045
Ryzen 9 7950X Server	128 GB DDR5 ECC, 2x2 TB NVMe	CPU Benchmark: 63561
EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/1TB)	128 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe	CPU Benchmark: 48021
EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/2TB)	128 GB RAM, 2 TB NVMe	CPU Benchmark: 48021
EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/4TB)	128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe	CPU Benchmark: 48021
EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/1TB)	256 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe	CPU Benchmark: 48021
EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/4TB)	256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe	CPU Benchmark: 48021
EPYC 9454P Server	256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe

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⚠️ *Note: All benchmark scores are approximate and may vary based on configuration. Server availability subject to stock.* ⚠️