You can run DokuWiki on an Ubuntu VPS without MySQL or PostgreSQL. DokuWiki stores wiki pages, media, indexes, revisions and configuration in files; Nginx serves those files and passes PHP requests to PHP-FPM. A dependable deployment therefore consists of five jobs: install the current PHP requirements, give PHP-FPM access only to the DokuWiki data it must write, configure Nginx to block private directories, finish the browser installer and ACL setup, then enforce HTTPS and maintain off-server backups.
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The commands below use /var/www/dokuwiki and the example hostname wiki.example.com. Package names, PHP versions and the PHP-FPM socket vary with the Ubuntu release and the current DokuWiki release, so verify those three details before applying the configuration.
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What the finished deployment looks like
A browser requests a page from Nginx. Nginx returns images, CSS and JavaScript directly, while requests that need DokuWiki are sent to PHP-FPM through a Unix socket. DokuWiki reads and writes its file tree; there is no database server in the basic installation.
| Component | Role | Decision you must make |
|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu VPS | Operating system, storage, firewall and system services | Choose capacity for your page count, media library, traffic and backup retention; authoritative figures are workload-dependent. |
| Nginx | HTTP/TLS termination, static files, URL routing and access restrictions | Use a server block for the wiki hostname and deny private paths before they reach PHP. |
| PHP-FPM | Executes DokuWiki PHP entry points | Use the socket belonging to the installed PHP version and the service account configured by that pool. |
| DokuWiki files | Pages, media, indexes, revisions, cache, configuration and extensions | Keep the complete directory backed up off the VPS and make only required subdirectories writable. |
| DNS and TLS | Maps the hostname to the VPS and encrypts browser traffic | Point the hostname at the VPS, obtain a valid certificate and redirect HTTP to HTTPS. |
1. Prepare the Ubuntu VPS
Create DNS and confirm the host
Create an A record (and an AAAA record if the VPS will serve IPv6) for the wiki hostname. Wait for the record to resolve to the VPS before requesting a certificate. Keep SSH access available from your administration network; do not enable a firewall policy that locks you out.
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Update packages and install the web stack
Install Nginx, PHP-FPM and the extensions listed in the requirements for the DokuWiki release you are deploying. The exact package names and PHP-version requirements change, so treat this as a pattern rather than a timeless list:
sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade
sudo apt install nginx php-fpm php-cli php-xml php-gd php-curl php-zip php-mbstring tarSome releases or plugins require additional PHP extensions. Check the current DokuWiki requirements and install their Ubuntu equivalents before opening the installer. Confirm that both services are enabled:
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sudo systemctl enable --now nginx
sudo systemctl enable --now php8.3-fpmReplace php8.3-fpm with the service installed on your VPS. List the active pool and socket if you are unsure:
systemctl list-units --type=service 'php*-fpm.service'
ls -l /run/php/
grep -R '^user =' /etc/php/*/fpm/pool.d/www.confThe socket path in the Nginx configuration must match the file shown under /run/php. The pool’s user and group values identify the account that needs write access.
Open only the required firewall ports
sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw status verboseIf your provider supplies a separate network firewall, allow TCP 22 only from trusted administration addresses and TCP 80 and 443 for web traffic. Port 80 is useful for certificate issuance and should redirect to HTTPS once TLS is active.
2. Download and unpack DokuWiki
Download the stable DokuWiki tarball from the project’s official download channel on a workstation or the VPS. Verify the archive if the project publishes a checksum, then copy it to a temporary directory on the server. Do not unpack an unknown archive into a public document root.
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sudo mkdir -p /var/www
sudo tar -xzf /tmp/dokuwiki-stable.tgz -C /var/www
sudo mv /var/www/dokuwiki-* /var/www/dokuwiki
sudo rm /tmp/dokuwiki-stable.tgzThe extracted directory name depends on the release. If the wildcard matches more than one directory, rename the intended release explicitly instead of allowing the shell to choose. The final document root should be /var/www/dokuwiki, containing doku.php, conf, data, inc, bin and the other release directories.
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3. Set ownership and permissions without overexposing the VPS
DokuWiki’s installer and runtime must write pages, media, indexes, revisions, cache and configuration. Its installer documentation describes ordinary files as the storage for pages and related information such as images, search indexes and old revisions. Nginx itself normally reads the tree; PHP-FPM is the process that writes it.
Find the service account first
Ubuntu packages commonly use www-data, but do not assume that on a custom PHP-FPM pool. Use the pool configuration command shown above and substitute the reported account in the following commands.
A practical initial permission layout
The following keeps application code owned by root while giving the web account ownership of the directories the installer must change:
sudo chown -R root:www-data /var/www/dokuwiki
sudo find /var/www/dokuwiki -type d -exec chmod 750 {} +
sudo find /var/www/dokuwiki -type f -exec chmod 640 {} +
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/dokuwiki/data /var/www/dokuwiki/conf
sudo chmod -R u+rwX /var/www/dokuwiki/data /var/www/dokuwiki/confIf your pool uses another account, replace both occurrences of www-data. The installer may also need to create or update extension files when you use its plugin manager. Grant write access to the specific extension directory only for that operation, then remove the write permission if your update process deploys extensions outside the browser.
Do not use chmod -R 777, make the entire VPS writable, or place the data directory outside the permission model without a clear reason. After installation, inspect permissions with namei -l /var/www/dokuwiki/data and verify that the PHP account can create a test file in the intended writable directories.
4. Configure Nginx and PHP-FPM
Create a dedicated server block
Create /etc/nginx/sites-available/dokuwiki and enable it with a symlink. This baseline serves static assets, routes unknown paths through DokuWiki, blocks the sensitive directories, and refuses PHP files that are not explicitly allowed.
server {
listen 80;
listen [::]:80;
server_name wiki.example.com;
root /var/www/dokuwiki;
index doku.php;
location = /install.php {
try_files $uri =404;
include fastcgi_params;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
fastcgi_param HTTPS $https if_not_empty;
fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock;
}
location ~ ^/(data|conf|bin|inc)(/|$) {
return 404;
}
location ~ /.(?!well-known) {
return 404;
}
location ~ ~$ {
return 404;
}
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ @dokuwiki;
}
location @dokuwiki {
rewrite ^/_media/(.*)$ /lib/exe/fetch.php?media=$1&$args last;
rewrite ^/_detail/(.*)$ /lib/exe/detail.php?media=$1&$args last;
rewrite ^/_export/([^/]+)/(.*)$ /doku.php?do=export_$1&id=$2&$args last;
rewrite ^/(.*)$ /doku.php?id=$1&$args last;
}
location ~ ^/(doku|feed).php$ {
include fastcgi_params;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
fastcgi_param HTTPS $https if_not_empty;
fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock;
}
location ~ ^/lib/exe/(fetch|detail|ajax|css|js|indexer|opensearch).php$ {
include fastcgi_params;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
fastcgi_param HTTPS $https if_not_empty;
fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock;
}
location ~ .php$ {
return 404;
}
}
Replace both socket paths with the socket installed on your server. The exact PHP entry points can differ with a DokuWiki release or an extension. If a documented plugin endpoint needs PHP execution, add a narrowly scoped location before the final catch-all; do not replace the catch-all with unrestricted execution of every PHP file.
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The /install.php location is temporary. It lets you complete the first-run installer, while the final PHP catch-all prevents unapproved scripts. After setup, change that exact location to return 404; or remove the file and reload Nginx.
Enable the site and validate the syntax
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/dokuwiki /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/dokuwiki
sudo rm -f /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/default
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginxIf nginx -t reports an error, fix it before reloading. Common causes are a PHP socket copied from another Ubuntu release, a duplicate server_name, or a missing semicolon in a location block.
Protect the site with HTTPS
Obtain a certificate for the wiki hostname from a trusted certificate authority, then configure a TLS server on port 443 with the certificate and private-key paths supplied by that authority. Redirect every HTTP request to HTTPS after certificate issuance:
server {
listen 80;
listen [::]:80;
server_name wiki.example.com;
return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}Keep the same document root, private-path rules and PHP handler in the TLS server block. Include modern TLS defaults supplied by your certificate tooling, set HSTS only after you are certain HTTPS will remain available, and reload after another nginx -t. Test a page, a login, a media download and a deliberately requested private path over HTTPS.
5. Run the browser installer
- Open
https://wiki.example.com/install.phpwhile the temporary installer location is enabled. - Enter the wiki name, choose the license and create a strong administrator account. Store the credentials in a password manager rather than in a shell history or shared note.
- Enable ACLs. ACL setup provides administrator login and the administration menu used for users, permissions, plugins and configuration.
- Finish the installer, then sign in and confirm that the dashboard loads without PHP errors.
- Disable or remove the installer immediately. In Nginx, replace the exact
/install.phpblock withlocation = /install.php { return 404; }, runsudo nginx -tand reload.
A request to /install.php must now return 404, not the installer. A request to a file under /data/, /conf/, /bin/ or /inc/ must likewise fail without revealing source or metadata.
6. Configure ACLs and friendly URLs
Define permissions deliberately
Start with three explicit audiences: anonymous visitors, registered users and administrators. Assign permissions by namespace or page rather than granting global write access. For a private project wiki, deny anonymous access, permit registered users to read or edit only the namespaces they need, and reserve full control for administrators. Test each role in a separate browser session or private window so an administrator cookie does not hide a faulty rule.
Enable rewrite options only after routing works
DokuWiki’s configuration manager exposes the userewrite and useslash options. Enable the rewrite mode that corresponds to the Nginx rules you installed, then enable slash-style URLs only after page creation, media links, exports and login redirects work. If a change produces 404 errors, return to the previous setting and inspect the Nginx error log before changing several options at once.
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Friendly URLs are a presentation choice, not a security feature. The security boundary remains the Nginx deny rules, the PHP allowlist and the ACL policy.
7. Verify the deployment before inviting users
- Page lifecycle: log in, create a page, edit it twice, view its revision history and delete or restore it according to your retention policy.
- Media: upload an image, embed it in a page, download it and confirm that the file is stored under the intended data tree.
- ACLs: test anonymous, registered and administrator sessions against both public and restricted namespaces.
- Private paths: request
/conf/,/data/,/bin/,/inc/, a hidden file and an arbitrary.phppath; each should be denied or return 404. - HTTPS: confirm that HTTP redirects, the certificate name matches the hostname and no login or media request falls back to HTTP.
- Logs: review Nginx and PHP-FPM logs for permission errors, failed socket connections and unexpected script requests.
- Recovery: perform a small restore into a separate test directory before treating the backup as usable.
Common failures and precise fixes
502 Bad Gateway
Nginx cannot reach PHP-FPM. Check that the service is running, that the socket exists and that the fastcgi_pass path matches it exactly. A PHP-FPM upgrade often changes the versioned socket name; update the server block and reload Nginx.
The installer reports that files are not writable
The PHP-FPM account cannot write one or more required directories, or a parent directory lacks execute permission. Confirm the pool account, inspect every path component with namei -l, and grant write access to DokuWiki’s data and configuration directories rather than making the entire document root world-writable.
Pages work but media or exports return 404
The rewrite locations are incomplete or the corresponding PHP entry point is missing from the allowlist. Compare the requested path with the /_media/, /_detail/ and /_export/ rewrites, add only the documented endpoint required by your release, run nginx -t and reload.
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The DokuWiki rewrite setting does not match the Nginx routing rule, or the named location is not being reached. Temporarily disable friendly URLs, verify that the home page and a direct page work, then enable the matching rewrite mode and retest one URL pattern at a time.
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Check that the deny locations appear in the active server block, that another server block is not answering the hostname, and that Nginx was reloaded after the edit. Test with the exact URL and inspect the access log to see which server handled the request.
Plugin installation fails
The extension directory is not writable by PHP-FPM, outbound network access is restricted, or the plugin is incompatible with the current DokuWiki/PHP release. Install compatible versions through a controlled deployment, grant temporary write access only where necessary, and remove it afterward.
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Maintenance, upgrades and backups
Keep the core and extensions current
Upstream maintainers recommend the latest DokuWiki release for security updates; distributions may backport fixes, but their package version and release cadence differ. Track the DokuWiki release notes, PHP security updates and every installed extension. Test upgrades in a staging copy when the wiki is important, then update during a maintenance window.
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Back up the file-based data off the VPS
Back up the complete DokuWiki directory, with special attention to data/, conf/ and media. Also retain the Nginx server block, PHP-FPM pool settings, TLS renewal configuration and a record of the Ubuntu package versions. Keep at least one copy on a different system or storage provider; a snapshot on the same VPS does not protect against account loss or disk failure.
Because the application is file-based, a restore is a directory restore: stop writes or put the wiki in maintenance mode, restore the files with the correct owner and permissions, verify the Nginx root and PHP socket, then test login, page history, media and ACLs. Schedule restore drills so a backup is measured by recovery time and correctness, not merely by whether a file was copied.
Native Nginx/PHP-FPM versus a container on the same VPS
A native installation exposes Ubuntu, Nginx and PHP-FPM directly. A container can package the application and its PHP runtime, but it does not remove the need for TLS, permissions, backups or updates.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match| Concern | Native Nginx and PHP-FPM | Container deployment |
|---|---|---|
| Updates | You update Ubuntu packages, PHP-FPM, DokuWiki and extensions separately. | You replace the image and manage host, image and extension update schedules. |
| TLS termination | Nginx on the VPS can terminate TLS directly. | The official Docker image is intended to sit behind a reverse proxy that handles SSL termination and authentication. |
| Persistent data | The DokuWiki directory is the backup and restore unit. | Mount the image’s persistent /storage volume and back it up; a disposable container layer is not a backup. |
| Filesystem permissions | Set ownership between the PHP-FPM account and the DokuWiki tree. | Match the volume’s owner and permissions to the runtime user inside the container. |
| Observability | Use systemd, Nginx logs and PHP-FPM logs on Ubuntu. | Collect container logs and monitor the reverse proxy, volume and container health. |
| Recovery | Restore files, packages and configuration on a replacement VPS. | Start a known image with the restored persistent volume and proxy configuration. |
Choose native deployment when you want direct control of the Ubuntu and Nginx configuration and are comfortable maintaining PHP-FPM. Choose a container when image-based deployment and a persistent-volume workflow fit your operations. NGINX Unit should not be selected as a new foundation: its documentation states that it was archived and unmaintained as of October 2025.
Quick Recap
Security checklist for the final server
- Use a current Ubuntu release and apply security updates.
- Use a PHP version supported by the DokuWiki release and keep PHP-FPM patched.
- Serve the wiki through HTTPS with a valid certificate and redirect HTTP.
- Block or remove
install.phpafter installation. - Return 404 or deny access to
conf,data,binandinc. - Reject hidden files, editor backups and unapproved PHP paths.
- Give the PHP-FPM account write access only to the DokuWiki directories that require it.
- Enable ACLs and test permissions using non-administrator accounts.
- Back up the complete file tree and relevant server configuration off-server.
- Test a restore and review logs after upgrades.
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