The Wikipedia software was developed collabortively by
many people, so it's something of a hodgepodge. The
main wiki software itself is written in PHP, and requires
the Apache web server and MySQL database. The optional
math rendering functions are written in Objective CAML,
which is required to compile them. The test suite is
written in Java, using several external libraries.

Recommended versions are: Apache 1.3.26 or later; MySQL
2.23.51 or later; PHP 4.2.2 or later. The installation at
wikipedia.org also uses the APC caching software, but
that's entirely optional and doesn't affect anything else.

The math rendering functions are more complex, and will
probably only work on Linux. Objective CAML (probably
3.06 or later) is required to compile texvc, but produces
static binaries. TeTeX and ImageMagick are required at
runtime, and ImageMagick requires GhostScript. These are
present in most Linux distributions.

Before installing the software, you must copy the file
"LocalSettings.sample" to "LocalSettings.php", and
"AdminSettings.sample" to "AdminSettings.php", and
customize both of the php files to your local setup
(things like installation parh, passwords, etc.) The
script install.php in the maintenance directory can then
be run to install the software.

Here are some more notes on building a system from scratch
the way it was done for the Wikipedia server:

Downloads:

  gcc-2.95.3.tar.gz
  mysql-3.23.51.tar.gz
  libiconv-1.8.tar.gz
  apache_1.3.26.tar.gz
  php-4.2.1.tar.gz
  apc-cvs.tar.gz

And for math support:
  ocaml-3.06.tar.gz
  (TeTeX, ImageMagick, and GhostScript come with most Linux distros)

1. MySQL strongly recommends using gcc 2.95 to compile MySQL.
  RedHat Linux comes with 2.96 by default, so you'll have to install
  2.95 first.  Use "../gcc*/configure --enable-shared"  If your Linux
  installation doesn't use gcc 2.96 you can skip this step.

2. Install MySQL source; add "mysql" user and group. Make sure the
  directory into which you installed gcc 2.95 appears before the
  directory of gcc 2.96 in your path.  Configure with:

  FLAGS="-O3 -mpentiumpro" CXX=gcc CXXFLAGS="-O3 -mpentiumpro -felide-constructors -fno-exceptions -fno-rtti" ./configure --prefix=/usr/local/mysql --enable-assembler --with-mysqld-ldflags=-all-static --disable-shared --with-extra-charset=complex

  Edit the file myisam/ftdefs.h, changing the define for minimum word
  length for fulltext indexing: #define MIN_WORD_LEN 2.  Update
  $wgDBminWordLen in LocalSettings.php to reflect this.  Build and
  install according to instructions.  Make root user as recommended;
  the root password will be required for the wiki installation script.

3. Unpack the phase3.zip source distribution, or check out the "phase3"
  module from CVS. Copy LocalSettings.sample to LocalSettings.php,
  AdminSettings.sample to AdminSettings.php, and customize them for
  things like local paths and passwords.  If desired, update
  FulltextStoplist.php from the MySQL sources if you have customized
  MySQL's stop list.

4. Optionally, install libiconv (http://www.gnu.org/software/libiconv/).
  This will be used by some language packages for converting
  native-charset URLs to and from UTF-8. If you're running an
  English-only wiki, this won't be necessary.

5. Unpack Apache distribution and begin configuring, but don't finish
  build yet. Configure with something like:

   OPTIM='-O2 -mpentiumpro' ./configure --with-layout=Apache

6. If you'll want to use Apache's mod_rewrite to make page-viewing URLs
  look like static links (as wikipedia.org does), install the included
  patch "apache-ampersand.diff" which is needed to support page titles
  with ampersands in them:

   patch -p0 < /path/to/maintenance/apache-ampersand.diff

7. Unpack and configure PHP. Configure with something like:

  ./configure --enable-apc --with-mysql=/usr/local/mysql --with-iconv=/usr/local/lib --with-apache=/home/lee/src/apache_1.3.26

  (using your own local paths, of course). Build and install as
  instructed. Set "register_globals" on in the config file.

8. Finish building Apache. Configure with something like:

  OPTIM='-O2 -mpentiumpro' ./configure --with-layout=Apache --enable-module=rewrite --activate-module=src/modules/php4/libphp4.a

  Update httpd.conf as needed for your site.  For example:

  <IfModule mod_php4.c>
    AddType application/x-httpd-php .php .php4 .phtml
    AddType application/x-httpd-php-source .phps
  </IfModule>
  <IfModule mod_php4.c>
    php_admin_flag engine off
  </IfModule>
  <Directory "DIRECTORY_OF_WIKI_SCRIPTS">
    <IfModule mod_php4.c>
      php_admin_flag engine on
    </IfModule>
  </Directory>
  RewriteEngine On
  RewriteMap ampescape int:ampescape
  RewriteRule ^/wiki/(.*)$ /wiki.phtml?title=${ampescape:$1} [L]

  It is *seriously* recommended that you configure the webserver
  to disable running of PHP scripts except in the script directories
  (the "php_admin_flag engine off/on" directives above) to prevent
  the uploading and running of malicious scripts.

9. Optionally, install APC, following standard instructions for
  installing as a Zend extension.

10. If using embedded TeX support, be sure TeX and ImageMagick are
  installed (they are common on most Linux distros and freely
  downloadable). Also get and install OCaml according to its
  instructions.

  You'll need to compile the texvc helper script; enter the math
  subdirectory of the source tree and run "make".

  If you don't want embedded TeX support, disable it by setting

   $wgUseTex = false;

  in LocalSettings.php

11. You should now be able to run the install.php script. Use PHP in
  command-line mode, i.e., type "php install.php". Should be run as
  root, or as a user or group able to create files and directories
  in the installation tree.

12. If you have Java installed and running, install the "ant" package
  from Apache (http://ant.apache.org/) and run ant in the testsuite
  directory to build the tests. Copy wikitest.prefs.sample to
  wikitest.prefs, and edit to reflect your local settings.  Then
  "./run WikiSuite -o -b" will run the whole test suite and report.

----

Don't forget that this is pre-release 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
Wikipedia 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://www.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikitech-l