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Monica CRM can be self-hosted on Ubuntu behind Nginx, but the dependable installation path depends on the exact Monica release you choose. For a current deployment, select the stable 4.x branch, verify that release’s PHP, database and extension matrix, then either run Monica’s documented FPM container behind Nginx or follow its release-specific manual instructions with host-installed PHP-FPM. Do not copy older Ubuntu 18.04, PHP 7.4, Monica 2.18.0 or Apache tutorials into a modern server.
This guide explains the architecture, preparation, validation and operational work required for both routes. It deliberately does not invent a one-size-fits-all Nginx virtual host or package list: the current official manual-install commands, supported extensions and PHP-FPM settings must be taken from the documentation for the stable release you actually deploy.
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Choose between a host installation, where Ubuntu owns Nginx, PHP-FPM, Composer and the database, and a container installation, where Monica runs in Docker while Nginx remains the public-facing proxy. Neither route is universally better; the right choice depends on who will maintain packages, containers, backups and upgrades.
| Route | Web-server integration | Operational ownership | Updates | Persistent data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manual host installation | Ubuntu Nginx forwards PHP requests to the host’s PHP-FPM pool. | You maintain Ubuntu packages, PHP extensions, Composer, Nginx and the database. | Follow the selected Monica release’s upgrade procedure and dependency requirements. | Back up the database and Monica’s storage directory separately. |
| Docker FPM image | Monica’s FPM image sits behind a proxy web server such as Nginx; it is not the same as the Apache image. | You maintain image versions, containers, the proxy, database and volumes. | Pull and migrate only according to the release documentation; keep the previous image available for rollback planning. | Persist the database and /var/www/html/storage; a disposable container filesystem is not a backup. |
The official container documentation specifically describes the FPM-behind-a-proxy architecture. If you use Docker, do not publish the FPM container as though it were a complete web server.
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What should you verify before touching Ubuntu?
Start with a version decision, not with package commands. The project repository identifies the main branch as development and directs users seeking a stable current version to the 4.x branch. Select a specific stable release and read that release’s installation page before installing dependencies.
Confirm the release and support matrix
- Record the exact Monica tag or release version you intend to deploy.
- Check that release’s supported Ubuntu versions, PHP version, required PHP extensions, database engines and database versions.
- Confirm whether the release expects a particular Composer generation, Node build step or queue/scheduler mechanism.
- Use the release documentation’s Nginx and PHP-FPM examples rather than a configuration copied from an unrelated Laravel application.
A surfaced project README lists PHP 8.1 or newer, a PHP-capable server such as Nginx, Composer and MySQL, and recommends 1.5 GB of RAM because update builds can use substantial memory. That README result came from a repository fork, so treat those values as a checklist to verify against your chosen stable release, not as a release-independent contract.
Size the server realistically
Reserve at least the memory recommended by the selected release. The 1.5 GB figure above is a project README recommendation for build headroom, not an independently measured performance threshold. Leave additional disk space for the operating system, database growth, logs, uploaded files and temporary update files.
Prepare a hostname and network policy
Use a dedicated hostname such as crm.example.net, point DNS to the Ubuntu host and decide whether Nginx will terminate TLS directly. Permit only the ports you need: normally SSH for administration and HTTP/HTTPS for the application. Keep the database bound to localhost or an internal network unless the release architecture explicitly requires remote access.
How do I validate the Ubuntu, Nginx, PHP-FPM and database prerequisites?
Install only the package versions named by the Monica release documentation. Ubuntu’s package names and default PHP version vary by release, so a command copied from an older guide can silently install an incompatible runtime.
Check the host and available resources
After provisioning Ubuntu, verify the kernel architecture, free memory and disk capacity before installing the application:
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free -hshows available memory and swap.df -hshows free space on the application and database filesystems.systemctl is-active nginxconfirms whether Nginx is running after installation.
Enable swap only according to your hosting and Ubuntu administration policy; swap can prevent an update build from being killed, but it does not replace adequate RAM.
Check PHP-FPM and extensions
Run php -v and compare the reported version with the selected Monica release. Run php -m and compare the loaded extensions one by one with that release’s requirements. Confirm the PHP-FPM service and its listening endpoint—usually a Unix socket or TCP address—using the service status and pool configuration supplied by your Ubuntu version.
Do not assume that a generic PHP list is sufficient. Missing extensions often appear only when Composer resolves dependencies or when Monica runs migrations, and an extension name can differ between Ubuntu releases.
Check Composer and the database client
Verify Composer with composer --version and the database client with mysql --version (or the command specified by your MariaDB installation). The database server must meet the selected Monica release’s engine and version requirements; the README’s mention of MySQL does not establish every supported MySQL or MariaDB version.
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Use nginx -t after every configuration change. A successful syntax test does not prove that PHP requests reach the correct FPM pool, that the document root is correct or that Monica’s storage is writable, so plan a separate application-level check after deployment.
How do I perform a manual Monica installation on Ubuntu?
A manual installation is a sequence of release-specific gates. The broad order below is safe, but the exact commands, directory names, environment variables, migration commands and Nginx directives must come from the documentation for the selected stable release.
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- Select and pin the stable source. Use the documented stable 4.x tag or release archive, not the in-development main branch. Keep the version recorded in your change log so a later administrator knows exactly what was installed.
- Install the verified platform dependencies. Install the Ubuntu Nginx package, the PHP-FPM version and extensions named by the release, Composer, and the supported MySQL or MariaDB server. Do not substitute the PHP 7.4 and Apache package set from historical Monica 2.18.0 instructions.
- Create a dedicated database and account. Follow the release documentation for the database name, character set, collation and account privileges. Use a long unique password stored in your secret-management process rather than in shell history or public configuration.
- Place the Monica application files. Use the release’s recommended download or Git workflow and keep the application outside arbitrary public upload directories. The documentation will identify the directory Nginx should expose and the directories that must remain private.
- Resolve PHP dependencies. Run the Composer command specified for that release from the application directory. If Composer reports an incompatible PHP version or missing extension, stop and correct the platform matrix instead of forcing dependency resolution.
- Create application configuration and secrets. Populate the environment or configuration file with the application URL, database connection, mail settings and cryptographic secret required by the release. Generate secrets with the documented command and protect the file from other system users.
- Run the documented initialization and migrations. Use the release’s setup command to create tables and seed required data. Watch for errors, record the migration result and do not expose the site publicly until the database initialization completes.
- Set ownership and writable paths. Give the PHP-FPM user only the access needed by the application. Make Monica’s documented cache, logs and storage locations writable; do not make the entire code tree world-writable.
- Configure Nginx from the release example. Set the server name, TLS or temporary HTTP listener, the documented application root, static-file handling and the FastCGI pass-through to the correct PHP-FPM socket or address. Keep private configuration and storage outside direct download paths.
- Validate locally before DNS cutover. Run
nginx -t, reload Nginx, inspect the PHP-FPM service status and request the site through the hostname. Confirm that the login page loads, static assets resolve, a test contact can be created and logs contain no permission or database errors.
The missing detail in many online tutorials is the version gate: a syntactically valid Nginx file can still be wrong for a particular Monica release. If the official release documentation does not provide a manual Ubuntu/PHP-FPM recipe, use the documented Docker architecture or obtain clarification from the project rather than adapting an old Apache guide.
How does the Docker FPM route work with Nginx?
Docker is the more clearly documented Nginx-compatible route in the available project material. Monica provides an FPM image intended to serve FastCGI requests, while Nginx acts as the proxy web server. The image choice matters: an Apache image and an FPM image have different responsibilities.
Keep the layers separate
- Nginx receives HTTP and HTTPS traffic, serves or proxies according to the container documentation and forwards PHP requests to the FPM container.
- The Monica FPM container runs the application process; it is not a replacement for the public proxy.
- The database runs in its own service or on a managed host supported by the selected release.
- Persistent volumes retain the database and
/var/www/html/storageacross container replacement.
Validate persistence before production
Stop and recreate the application container in a staging environment. Confirm that contacts, uploaded files, generated assets and configuration survive. A successful container restart proves little if the volume mapping is wrong; test restoration from a database dump and a copy of the storage volume before relying on the deployment.
Pin versions and document upgrades
Use an explicit stable image tag or release reference rather than an unpinned moving tag. Read the release notes for migration requirements, keep the previous image available and take backups before replacing the running container. The proxy configuration must continue to target the new FPM service endpoint after an update.
What Nginx and PHP-FPM details commonly break?
Nginx and PHP-FPM communicate through a socket or TCP address. The PHP-FPM pool and the Nginx FastCGI target must refer to the same endpoint, and the service account must be able to access a Unix socket when one is used.
| Symptom | Likely area | Safe diagnostic |
|---|---|---|
| 502 Bad Gateway | Nginx cannot reach the PHP-FPM socket or address. | Check the PHP-FPM service status, pool endpoint and Nginx error log; then run nginx -t. |
| 404 for every application route | Wrong document root or missing front-controller handling. | Compare the root and rewrite directives with the selected release’s official Nginx example. |
| 500 error during first login | Missing extension, invalid environment setting, failed migration or unwritable cache/storage. | Read the Monica and PHP-FPM logs, verify php -m, and confirm the database migration result. |
| CSS or JavaScript missing | Incorrect static-file root, asset build or proxy path. | Inspect the browser request URL and compare static-file handling with the release documentation. |
| Uploads disappear after a restart | Storage is inside an ephemeral container filesystem or is not included in backups. | Verify the persistent mapping for /var/www/html/storage and restore a test copy. |
How should I finish production configuration?
Installation is not complete when the login page appears. Finish these operational tasks using the commands and settings documented for the selected release.
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HTTPS and trusted host settings
Issue a certificate for the real hostname, configure Nginx to redirect plain HTTP where appropriate and set Monica’s application URL and trusted-host settings consistently. Test both the certificate chain and redirects from an external network.
Mail delivery
Configure an authenticated SMTP service in the application’s environment settings. Send a password-reset or invitation message and verify the envelope sender, TLS mode and delivery logs. Do not assume that local Ubuntu mail delivery is enabled or suitable.
Scheduled work
Monica may require scheduled tasks for reminders, notifications or maintenance. Use the scheduler mechanism named by the selected release, run it under the correct application account and inspect its logs after a test interval. A web request succeeding does not prove that scheduled work is running.
Backups
Back up the database and Monica’s storage directory as separate, restorable artifacts. Protect backup credentials, retain copies away from the Ubuntu host and perform a test restore on another environment. Include the deployment version and configuration secrets in your recovery documentation without exposing secrets in the backup inventory.
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Read the target release notes first. An update can require a newer PHP runtime, Composer dependency rebuilds, database migrations or additional memory during the build.
- Record the currently running Monica version, PHP version, database version and image or source reference.
- Verify that the target release supports your Ubuntu, PHP, database and web-server stack.
- Take and verify a database backup and a copy of the persistent storage directory.
- Schedule maintenance, preserve the current release for rollback and apply the documented dependency or image change.
- Run the release’s migration and cache/build steps, watching memory and logs.
- Test login, contact creation, search, uploads, mail and scheduled tasks before reopening the service.
If an update fails, restore the database and storage together with the prior application version. Rolling back only the code while retaining a partially migrated database can leave the installation in a state the older release cannot read.
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What should be on the final deployment checklist?
- Stable 4.x release selected and recorded; main branch avoided unless intentionally running development software.
- Ubuntu, PHP, extensions, Composer and MySQL/MariaDB versions confirmed against that release’s documentation.
- At least the project’s documented memory recommendation available, with disk and backup capacity checked.
- Nginx passes
nginx -tand reaches the correct PHP-FPM socket or FPM container. - Database credentials, application secret, URL and mail settings stored securely.
- HTTPS works, redirects are correct and the hostname is configured.
- Application storage and database are persistent and restorable.
- Scheduled tasks execute under the intended account.
- A documented upgrade and rollback procedure exists before the first production update.
The historical Ubuntu tutorial that names Ubuntu 18.04, PHP 7.4, Monica 2.18.0 and Apache is useful only as evidence that older instructions exist; it is not a current Nginx installation recipe. For a reliable deployment, let the stable release’s own compatibility table and installation documentation determine every version-sensitive command.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install Monica on Ubuntu without Docker?
Yes, Monica is self-hostable and its project materials list Nginx as a PHP-capable server for a manual setup. The exact PHP extensions, database versions, Composer command and Nginx configuration must match the stable release you select, so avoid treating an older tutorial as a supported recipe.
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The repository identifies main as development and points users seeking the stable current version to the 4.x branch. Use a pinned stable release unless you deliberately accept development software and can manage breaking changes.
Does the Monica FPM container include a public web server?
No. The FPM image is designed to serve FastCGI and should sit behind a proxy such as Nginx. Using the Apache image and the FPM image interchangeably can produce an incomplete or unreachable deployment.
What must I back up for Monica?
Back up both the database and the persistent storage directory, including the container path /var/www/html/storage when using the documented FPM architecture. Test restoring both together; a database-only backup cannot restore uploaded files.
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