How to Install Akaunting Accounting Software on Ubuntu 20.04?

Akaunting is a free, open-source accounting software that can be used to manage your finances, create invoices, track expenses, and generate financial reports. It is a great alternative to expensive commercial accounting software and is suitable for small to medium-sized businesses. In this article, we will guide you through the steps to install Akaunting on Ubuntu 20.04.

Prerequisites

Before starting the installation, ensure you have:

• Ubuntu 20.04 server with root or sudo access

• At least 1GB RAM and 10GB free disk space

• A domain name (optional but recommended for production)

Step 1: Update Your Ubuntu System

Before installing any software, update your Ubuntu system to ensure you have the latest security updates and bug fixes:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Required Dependencies

Install the necessary components including Apache web server, MariaDB database server, and PHP modules:

sudo apt install apache2 mariadb-server php php-common php-mysql php-gd php-cli php-mbstring php-intl php-xml php-zip unzip wget curl -y

Enable and start the services:

sudo systemctl enable apache2 mariadb
sudo systemctl start apache2 mariadb

Step 3: Secure MariaDB Installation

Run the MySQL security script to set a root password and remove insecure defaults:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Follow the prompts to set a strong root password and answer 'Y' to all security questions.

Step 4: Create Database and User

Open the MariaDB shell and create a database for Akaunting:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Execute the following SQL commands:

CREATE DATABASE akaunting_db;
CREATE USER 'akaunting_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_strong_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON akaunting_db.* TO 'akaunting_user'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Note: Replace your_strong_password with a secure password of your choice.

Step 5: Download and Install Akaunting

Download the latest version of Akaunting:

cd /tmp
wget https://github.com/akaunting/akaunting/releases/latest/download/Akaunting_3.0.x-Stable.zip

Extract and move the files to the web root:

sudo unzip Akaunting_3.0.x-Stable.zip -d /var/www/html/
sudo mv /var/www/html/akaunting-* /var/www/html/akaunting

Set proper permissions:

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/akaunting
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/akaunting
sudo chmod -R 775 /var/www/html/akaunting/storage
sudo chmod -R 775 /var/www/html/akaunting/bootstrap/cache

Step 6: Configure Apache Virtual Host

Create a new Apache virtual host configuration:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/akaunting.conf

Add the following configuration:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName your-domain.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/akaunting/public
    
    <Directory /var/www/html/akaunting/public>
        Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>
    
    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/akaunting_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/akaunting_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Enable the site and required Apache modules:

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

Step 7: Complete Web-Based Installation

Open your web browser and navigate to http://your-domain.com or http://your-server-ip. You will see the Akaunting installation wizard.

Follow these steps in the web installer:

• Requirements Check: Ensure all requirements are met

• Database Setup: Enter your database credentials from Step 4

• Company Details: Enter your company information

• Admin Account: Create your administrator account

Step 8: Enable HTTPS (Optional but Recommended)

For production environments, secure your installation with SSL/TLS:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache -y
sudo certbot --apache -d your-domain.com

Follow the prompts to obtain and install a free Let's Encrypt SSL certificate.

Step 9: Configure Cron Jobs

Set up cron jobs for recurring tasks like sending invoices and generating reports:

sudo crontab -e

Add the following line:

* * * * * php /var/www/html/akaunting/artisan schedule:run >> /dev/null 2>&1

Performance Optimization

For better performance, consider these optimizations:

• PHP Configuration: Increase memory_limit to 256M in /etc/php/7.4/apache2/php.ini

• Database Optimization: Configure MariaDB for your workload

• Caching: Enable APCu or Redis for better performance

Backup Strategy

Implement regular backups to protect your financial data:

# Database backup
mysqldump -u root -p akaunting_db > akaunting_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql

# File backup
tar -czf akaunting_files_$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz /var/www/html/akaunting

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Conclusion

Akaunting provides a powerful, open-source accounting solution suitable for small to medium-sized businesses. By following this installation guide, you now have a fully functional accounting system running on Ubuntu 20.04. Remember to keep your installation secure with regular updates, proper backups, and SSL encryption for production use.