Plugin Installation Guide

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  1. Plugin Installation Guide

This guide details the process of installing plugins (extensions) on our MediaWiki 1.40 installation. It is intended for system administrators and those with server access. Incorrect installation can lead to site instability, so follow these instructions carefully. Please read the MediaWiki documentation before proceeding.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

  • Access to the server via SSH or a similar remote access method.
  • A text editor capable of handling plain text files (e.g., vim, nano, emacs).
  • A backup of your `LocalSettings.php` file. This is *critical* in case of errors. See Backups for details.
  • Knowledge of basic Linux commands. Refer to Linux Basics if needed.
  • A downloaded copy of the plugin you wish to install. Plugins are typically available from the MediaWiki Extension Directory.

Downloading and Uploading Plugins

Plugins are downloaded as `.tar.gz` or `.zip` archives. Once downloaded to your local machine, you must upload them to the appropriate directory on the server.

The standard location for extensions is `/var/www/html/extensions/` (this path may vary depending on your server configuration – consult your server administrator if unsure). Use a tool like `scp` or `sftp` to transfer the archive.

Example using `scp`:

```bash scp /path/to/plugin.tar.gz user@server:/var/www/html/extensions/ ```

After uploading, you'll need to extract the archive on the server. Navigate to the `/extensions/` directory via SSH and use the `tar` command:

```bash cd /var/www/html/extensions/ tar -xzvf plugin.tar.gz ```

If the archive is a `.zip` file, use the `unzip` command:

```bash unzip plugin.zip ```

Configuring LocalSettings.php

The core of plugin installation involves modifying the `LocalSettings.php` file. This file contains the MediaWiki configuration.

1. Connect to the server via SSH. 2. Open `LocalSettings.php` in a text editor. The typical path is `/var/www/html/LocalSettings.php`. 3. Locate the section that already lists extensions (if any). If there isn’t one, add it near the end of the file, *before* the line that reads `if ( defined( 'MW_INSTALLER' ) ) {`. 4. Add the following line for each plugin you wish to enable, replacing `PluginName` with the name of the directory created when you extracted the plugin archive:

```php require_once("$IP/extensions/PluginName/PluginName.php"); ```

For example, if you installed the "Semantic Drilldown" plugin, the line would be:

```php require_once("$IP/extensions/SemanticDrilldown/SemanticDrilldown.php"); ```

Recommended Plugins

The following table lists several useful plugins and their descriptions:

Plugin Name Description Difficulty
Semantic MediaWiki Enables structured data and querying within wiki pages. High VisualEditor A WYSIWYG editor for easier page editing. Medium Cite Simplifies the process of adding and managing citations. Medium Scribunto Allows embedding of Lua scripts for complex templates. High CategoryTree Provides a navigable tree view of categories. Easy

Caching and Maintenance

After adding the plugin configuration to `LocalSettings.php`, you need to clear the MediaWiki cache to ensure the changes take effect.

1. Log in to the server via SSH. 2. Navigate to the MediaWiki directory. 3. Run the following command:

```bash php maintenance/rebuildIndices.php ```

This command rebuilds the search index and clears the cache. This process can take a significant amount of time depending on the size of your wiki.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues after installing a plugin:

  • **Check the PHP error logs:** The error logs are usually located in `/var/log/apache2/error.log` or a similar location. See Error Logs for details.
  • **Review the MediaWiki debug log:** Enable debugging in `LocalSettings.php` by setting `$wgDebug = true;`. This will output detailed information about any errors. See Debugging MediaWiki.
  • **Verify the plugin’s documentation:** The plugin’s documentation may contain specific installation instructions or known issues.
  • **Disable the plugin:** Comment out the `require_once` line in `LocalSettings.php` to temporarily disable the plugin and see if the problem resolves.
  • **Consult the MediaWiki forums:** The MediaWiki forums are a valuable resource for troubleshooting issues.

Plugin Compatibility & System Requirements

The following table shows the general system requirements and compatibility notes:

Requirement Specification
PHP Version >= 7.4 (Recommended: 8.1) MySQL/MariaDB Version >= 5.7 Web Server Apache or Nginx Operating System Linux (Recommended: Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS)

The following table details common compatibility issues:

Issue Possible Solution
White Screen of Death Check PHP error logs. Missing dependencies or configuration errors are common. Plugin Not Loading Verify the `require_once` line in `LocalSettings.php` is correct. Ensure the plugin directory exists. Database Errors Check database credentials in `LocalSettings.php`. Verify the database server is running. Performance Issues Optimize database queries. Enable caching. Consider upgrading server hardware.

Security Considerations

Always download plugins from trusted sources, such as the MediaWiki Extension Directory. Before installing any plugin, review its code and documentation to understand its functionality and potential security implications. Keep your plugins updated to address any security vulnerabilities. Refer to the Security Best Practices guide for more information.


Help:Contents Manual:Configuration Manual:Extensions Special:MyPreferences Special:Search Special:Statistics Help:Formatting Help:Linking Help:Templates Help:Categories MediaWiki PHP MySQL SSH Backups Linux Basics Error Logs Debugging MediaWiki MediaWiki forums Security Best Practices Server administrator


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