Installing MediaWiki
---
-Starting with MediaWiki 1.2.0, it's possible to install
-and configure the wiki "in-place", as long as you have
-the necessary prerequesites available.
-
-In 1.3.0 the old command-line installer has been removed.
-A new command-line installer/upgrader may come soon...
+Starting with MediaWiki 1.2.0, it's possible to install and configure the wiki
+"in-place", as long as you have the necessary prerequisites available.
Required software:
-* Web server with PHP 4.1.2 or higher (4.3.x is preferred)
-* A MySQL server. 4.0.x is preferred, but 3.2.x should
- work as well.
+* Web server with PHP 5.x or higher.
+* A MySQL server, 4.0.14 or higher OR a Postgres server, 8.1 or higher
+
+MediaWiki is developed and tested mainly on Unix/Linux platforms, but should
+work on Windows as well.
-MediaWiki is developed and tested mainly on Unix/Linux
-platforms, but should work on Windows as well.
+If your PHP is configured as a CGI plug-in rather than an Apache module you may
+experience problems, as this configuration is not well tested. safe_mode is also
+not tested and unlikely to work.
-If your PHP is configured as a CGI plug-in rather than
-an Apache module you may experience problems, as this
-configuration is not well tested.
+If you want math support see the instructions in math/README
Don't forget to check the RELEASE-NOTES file...
-********************** WARNING **************************
-The web-based install is still somewhat experimental. It
-doesn't yet support updating the format of an existing
-MediaWiki database, the maintenance scripts aren't available,
-and there may be all kinds of horrible bugs or security
-problems that haven't been worked out yet.
+Additional documentation is available online, which may include more detailed
+notes on particular operating systems and workarounds for difficult hosting
+environments:
+
+http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Installation_guide
+
-HOWEVER it is much easier, safer, and more reliable than
-the old install.php, and does not require root access
-if you already have a database and user access to it.
+******************* WARNING *******************
-REMEMBER: ALWAYS BACK UP YOUR DATABASE BEFORE ATTEMPTING
-TO INSTALL OR UPGRADE!!!
+REMEMBER: ALWAYS BACK UP YOUR DATABASE BEFORE
+ATTEMPTING TO INSTALL OR UPGRADE!!!
+
+******************* WARNING *******************
----
In-place web install
----
-Decompress the MediaWiki installation archive either on
-your server, or on your local machine and upload the
-directory tree. Rename it from "mediawiki-1.x.x" to
+Decompress the MediaWiki installation archive either on your server, or on your
+local machine and upload the directory tree. Rename it from "mediawiki-1.x.x" to
something nice, like "wiki", since it'll be in your URL.
-To run the install script, you'll need to temporarily make
-the 'config' subdirectory writable by the web server. The
-simplest way to do this on a Unix/Linux system is to make
-it world-writable:
+ +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+ | Hint: If you plan to use a fancy URL-rewriting scheme to prettify your |
+ | URLs, you should put the files in a *different* directory from the |
+ | virtual path where page names will appear. |
+ | |
+ | See: http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Short_URL |
+ +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+
+To run the install script, you'll need to temporarily make the 'config'
+subdirectory writable by the web server. The simplest way to do this on a
+Unix/Linux system is to make it world-writable:
chmod a+w config
-Hop into your browser and surf into the wiki directory.
-It'll direct you into the config script. Fill out the form...
-remember you're probably not on an encrypted connection.
+Hop into your browser and surf into the wiki directory. It'll direct you into
+the config script. Fill out the form... remember you're probably not on an
+encrypted connection.
Gaaah! :)
-If all goes well, you should soon be told that it's set up
-your wiki database and written a configuration file. There
-should now be a 'LocalSettings.php' in the config directory;
-move it back up to the main wiki directory, and the wiki
+If all goes well, you should soon be told that it's set up your wiki database
+and written a configuration file. There should now be a 'LocalSettings.php' in
+the config directory; move it back up to the main wiki directory, and the wiki
should now be working.
-Once the wiki is set up, you should remove the config
-directory, or at least make it not world-writable (though
-it will refuse to config again if the wiki is set up).
+ +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+ | Security hint: if you have limited access on your server and cannot |
+ | change ownership of files, you might want to *copy* instead of *move* |
+ | LocalSettings.php. |
+ | |
+ | This will make the file owned by your user account instead of by |
+ | the web server, which is safer in case another user's account is |
+ | compromised. |
+ +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+
+Once the wiki is set up, you should remove the config directory, or at least
+make it not world-writable (though it will refuse to config again if the wiki
+is set up).
----
-Don't forget that this is free software under development!
-Chances are good there's a crucial step that hasn't made it
-into the documentation. You should probably sign up for the
-MediaWiki developers' mailing list; you can ask for help (please
-provide enough information to work with, and preferably be aware
-of what you're doing!) and keep track of major changes to the
-software, including performance improvements and security patches.
+Don't forget that this is free software under development! Chances are good
+there's a crucial step that hasn't made it into the documentation. You should
+probably sign up for the MediaWiki developers' mailing list; you can ask for
+help (please provide enough information to work with, and preferably be aware of
+what you're doing!) and keep track of major changes to the software, including
+performance improvements and security patches.
+
+http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-announce (low traffic)
-http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l (site admin support)
+http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l (site admin support)
-http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikitech-l (development)
+http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikitech-l (development)