How To Install CodeIgniter on Fedora 42

Installing CodeIgniter on Fedora 42 offers developers a powerful combination of a robust PHP framework with a cutting-edge Linux distribution. CodeIgniter stands out among PHP frameworks for its lightweight footprint, impressive performance, and straightforward implementation of the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture. This guide walks you through the complete installation process, from preparing your Fedora 42 environment to optimizing your CodeIgniter setup for development.

Table of Contents

Introduction

CodeIgniter represents one of the most efficient PHP frameworks available today. Its small footprint and minimal configuration requirements make it an excellent choice for developers looking to build dynamic web applications quickly. The framework provides a rich set of libraries for common tasks while maintaining exceptional performance compared to other frameworks.

Fedora 42, the latest release from the Fedora Project, provides a solid foundation for modern web development with its up-to-date packages and security features. The distribution comes with excellent support for PHP development environments, making it an ideal platform for CodeIgniter applications.

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn not only how to install CodeIgniter on Fedora 42 but also how to configure your environment for optimal performance and security. By following these steps, you’ll establish a professional development environment ready for building sophisticated web applications.

Prerequisites

Before beginning the CodeIgniter installation process, ensure your system meets the necessary requirements and you have the required background knowledge.

System Requirements

CodeIgniter 4, the latest major version, requires:

PHP version 7.4 or higher (PHP 8.0+ recommended for best performance)
MySQL 5.1+ or MariaDB 10.0+ for database functionality
At least 2GB RAM (4GB recommended for development environment)
Minimum 20GB free disk space for system, web server, and application files

Fedora 42 typically ships with newer versions of these components, but it’s always good to verify before proceeding.

Required Knowledge

While this guide provides detailed instructions, basic familiarity with these concepts will help:

Linux command line navigation and basic commands
Web server concepts and configuration principles
PHP development fundamentals
Database management basics

Complete beginners can still follow along, but may need to research some concepts further.

User Privileges

Most installation steps require administrative privileges. You should either:

Have root access to your Fedora 42 system
Use a regular user account with sudo privileges

For security reasons, it’s recommended to create a dedicated user with sudo privileges rather than working directly as root. If needed, create a new user with:

# Create new user
sudo useradd -m username

# Set password
sudo passwd username

# Add user to wheel group for sudo access
sudo usermod -aG wheel username

Step 1: Update the System

Always begin with a fully updated system. This ensures compatibility with the latest packages and includes important security patches.

First, update the package repository information:

sudo dnf check-update

Next, upgrade all installed packages to their latest versions:

sudo dnf upgrade -y

The -y flag automatically confirms the upgrade prompt. This process may take several minutes depending on your system and internet connection speed. After updating, it’s advisable to reboot your system to ensure all updates are properly applied:

sudo systemctl reboot

Once your system restarts, verify the update was successful by checking the Fedora version:

cat /etc/fedora-release

This should confirm you’re running Fedora 42.

Step 2: Install Required Software

CodeIgniter runs on the traditional LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP). Let’s install each component.

Apache Web Server Installation

Apache is one of the most popular web servers and works excellently with CodeIgniter applications.

Install Apache with:

sudo dnf install httpd -y

Start the Apache service and enable it to launch automatically at system startup:

sudo systemctl start httpd
sudo systemctl enable httpd

Verify Apache is running correctly:

sudo systemctl status httpd

You should see “active (running)” in the output. Test Apache by opening a web browser and navigating to http://localhost or http://your-server-ip. You should see the default Apache test page.

PHP and Extensions Installation

CodeIgniter 4 requires PHP 7.4 or newer. Fedora 42 typically includes PHP 8.1 or newer in its repositories.

Install PHP and necessary extensions:

sudo dnf install php php-cli php-fpm php-mysqlnd php-zip php-devel php-gd php-mcrypt php-mbstring php-curl php-xml php-pear php-bcmath php-json php-intl php-sqlite3 -y

This command installs PHP with extensions required by CodeIgniter and most modern web applications.

Verify your PHP installation by checking the version:

php -v

Create a test PHP file to ensure PHP is working with Apache:

sudo echo "" > /var/www/html/info.php

Access this file in your browser at http://localhost/info.php or http://your-server-ip/info.php. If you see the PHP information page, PHP is correctly installed and working with Apache.

For security, remember to remove this file after testing:

sudo rm /var/www/html/info.php

MySQL/MariaDB Installation

CodeIgniter supports various databases, but MySQL/MariaDB is the most common choice.

Install MariaDB (MySQL fork):

sudo dnf install mariadb-server -y

Start and enable the MariaDB service:

sudo systemctl start mariadb
sudo systemctl enable mariadb

Secure your MariaDB installation:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Follow the prompts to:

Set a root password
Remove anonymous users
Disallow root login remotely
Remove test database
Reload privilege tables

Create a database for your CodeIgniter application:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Enter your root password, then at the MariaDB prompt:

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

Remember to replace ‘your_strong_password’ with an actual secure password.

Composer Installation

Composer is the recommended way to install CodeIgniter and manage PHP dependencies.

Install Composer:

sudo dnf install composer -y

Verify the installation:

composer --version

Step 3: Download CodeIgniter

There are two methods to install CodeIgniter: using Composer (recommended) or manual download.

Using Composer Method

The Composer method is preferred as it handles dependencies automatically and simplifies updates.

Navigate to your web directory:

cd /var/www

Create a new CodeIgniter project:

sudo composer create-project codeigniter4/appstarter ci4app

This command creates a new directory called ci4app with a fresh CodeIgniter installation.

Manual Download Method

If you prefer not to use Composer, download CodeIgniter directly:

cd /var/www
sudo wget https://github.com/codeigniter4/framework/archive/refs/tags/v4.3.5.zip
sudo unzip v4.3.5.zip
sudo mv framework-4.3.5 ci4app
sudo rm v4.3.5.zip

Note: Check the CodeIgniter GitHub repository for the latest version number and adjust the commands accordingly.

File Organization Best Practices

For security and organization:

Keep the system directory outside the web root if possible
Only expose the public directory to the web server
Maintain proper separation between application and system files

Ideally, structure your files like this:

/var/www/
├── ci4app/            # CodeIgniter application (not directly web-accessible)
│   ├── app/           # Your application code
│   ├── system/        # CodeIgniter system files
│   ├── public/        # Web-accessible directory (document root)
│   └── ...

Step 4: Configure Apache for CodeIgniter

CodeIgniter uses a front controller pattern where all requests go through index.php. Apache needs to be configured to handle this correctly.

Creating Virtual Host Configuration

Create a virtual host configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/httpd/conf.d/ci4app.conf

Add the following configuration:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName ci4app.local
    # Or use your actual domain: ServerName yourdomain.com
    
    DocumentRoot /var/www/ci4app/public
    
    <Directory /var/www/ci4app/public>
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
        Options -Indexes +FollowSymLinks
    </Directory>
    
    ErrorLog /var/log/httpd/ci4app-error.log
    CustomLog /var/log/httpd/ci4app-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

This configuration:

Directs requests for ci4app.local to your CodeIgniter installation
Sets the document root to the public directory
Allows .htaccess to override configurations
Disables directory listing for security
Creates separate log files for this application

Enable mod_rewrite

CodeIgniter uses Apache’s rewrite module for clean URLs:

sudo dnf install mod_rewrite -y

Fedora typically loads the module automatically after installation.

Configuring .htaccess

Create an .htaccess file in the public directory:

sudo nano /var/www/ci4app/public/.htaccess

Add the following content:

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
    RewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php/$1 [L]
</IfModule>

<IfModule !mod_rewrite.c>
    ErrorDocument 404 index.php
</IfModule>

This configuration tells Apache to:

Enable URL rewriting
Check if the requested URL doesn’t match a file or directory
Forward the request to index.php, passing the URL segment as an argument
Provide a fallback for servers without mod_rewrite

Restart Apache

Apply your configuration changes:

sudo systemctl restart httpd

If you encounter errors, check your configuration with:

sudo apachectl configtest

Step 5: Set Permissions

Correct file permissions are crucial for security and functionality. Set proper ownership:

sudo chown -R apache:apache /var/www/ci4app

Set directory permissions:

sudo find /var/www/ci4app -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;

Set file permissions:

sudo find /var/www/ci4app -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;

Make writable directories writable:

sudo chmod -R 775 /var/www/ci4app/writable

For enhanced security on production servers, use more restrictive permissions. These settings provide a balance between security and functionality for development environments.

Step 6: Configure CodeIgniter

Now configure CodeIgniter for your environment.

Environment Setup

Create an environment file by copying the template:

cd /var/www/ci4app
sudo cp env .env

Edit the environment file:

sudo nano .env

Set the environment to development:

CI_ENVIRONMENT = development

In production, you would change this to production, which disables error display and enables other production-specific behaviors.

Base URL Configuration

In the same .env file, set your base URL:

app.baseURL = 'http://ci4app.local/'

Replace ci4app.local with your actual domain or IP address. This URL should match the ServerName in your Apache configuration.

Database Configuration

Configure your database connection in the .env file:

database.default.hostname = localhost
database.default.database = codeigniter
database.default.username = ciuser
database.default.password = your_strong_password
database.default.DBDriver = MySQLi

Replace your_strong_password with the password you created earlier.

Other Important Settings

While still editing the .env file, configure these additional settings:

# Cache settings
cache.handler = file
cache.backupHandler = file

# Session settings
session.driver = 'CodeIgniter\Session\Handlers\FileHandler'
session.cookieName = 'ci_session'
session.expiration = 7200
session.savePath = WRITEPATH . 'session'

# Security settings
security.csrfProtection = 'cookie'
security.tokenRandomize = true

Save and close the file.

Step 7: Configure Firewall

Fedora uses firewalld as its default firewall. Configure it to allow web traffic:

# Allow HTTP traffic
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http

# Allow HTTPS traffic (for future use)
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=https

# Reload firewall settings
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Verify the settings:

sudo firewall-cmd --list-services

You should see http and https among the allowed services.

For development environments, you might be tempted to disable the firewall entirely, but it’s better to configure it properly as this more closely matches production environments.

Step 8: Testing Your Installation

Now test your CodeIgniter installation.

First, update your host file to recognize your local domain (if using one):

sudo nano /etc/hosts

Add:

127.0.0.1   ci4app.local

Access your site by visiting http://ci4app.local or http://localhost in your browser. You should see the CodeIgniter welcome page.

Create a simple test controller to verify functionality:

sudo nano /var/www/ci4app/app/Controllers/Test.php

Add:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

class Test extends BaseController
{
    public function index()
    {
        return 'CodeIgniter is working correctly!';
    }
}

Access this controller at http://ci4app.local/test.

Common Troubleshooting

If you encounter a “404 Not Found” error:

Check Apache error logs: sudo tail -f /var/log/httpd/ci4app-error.log
Verify mod_rewrite is enabled: sudo httpd -M | grep rewrite
Check .htaccess configuration and file permissions

If you see a database connection error:

Verify database credentials in .env
Confirm MariaDB is running: sudo systemctl status mariadb
Test database connection manually: mysql -u ciuser -p codeigniter

Step 9: Development Environment Setup

Configure your development environment for optimal productivity.

Error Reporting

For development, enable detailed error reporting in .env:

CI_DEBUG = true

This shows the CodeIgniter debug toolbar and detailed error messages.

Development Tools

Install these useful development tools:

# PHP linting and static analysis
sudo dnf install php-codesniffer -y

# Version control
sudo dnf install git -y

Configure Git for your project:

cd /var/www/ci4app
git init

Create a .gitignore file:

sudo nano .gitignore

Add standard CodeIgniter exclusions:

.env
writable/cache/*
writable/logs/*
writable/session/*
writable/uploads/*
writable/debugbar/*
vendor/

IDE Recommendations

For efficient CodeIgniter development, consider:

Visual Studio Code with PHP extensions
PhpStorm (premium IDE with excellent PHP support)
Sublime Text with PHP packages

For VS Code, install these extensions:

PHP Intelephense
PHP Debug
PHP DocBlocker
EditorConfig

Step 10: Security Enhancements

Implement these additional security measures.

Disabling Directory Listings

Apache’s directory listing feature should be disabled (already done in our virtual host configuration). Verify by creating an empty directory and attempting to access it.

Protecting Sensitive Files

Add protection for configuration and system files:

sudo nano /var/www/ci4app/public/.htaccess

Add these rules:

# Deny access to dot files
<FilesMatch "^\.">
    Order allow,deny
    Deny from all
</FilesMatch>

# Deny access to composer files
<FilesMatch "composer\.(json|lock)">
    Order allow,deny
    Deny from all
</FilesMatch>

Security Headers Configuration

Add security headers in .htaccess:

# Security headers
<IfModule mod_headers.c>
    Header set X-Content-Type-Options "nosniff"
    Header set X-Frame-Options "SAMEORIGIN"
    Header set X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block"
    Header set Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'"
</IfModule>

CSRF Protection Setup

CodeIgniter includes CSRF protection. Ensure it’s enabled in your application:

sudo nano /var/www/ci4app/app/Config/Filters.php

Verify that the CSRF filter is enabled:

public $globals = [
    'before' => [
        // ...
        'csrf',
        // ...
    ],
    // ...
];

Step 11: Performance Optimization

Optimize your installation for better performance.

Enabling PHP Opcode Caching

Install and enable OPcache:

sudo dnf install php-opcache -y

Configure OPcache:

sudo nano /etc/php.d/10-opcache.ini

Adjust these settings:

opcache.enable=1
opcache.memory_consumption=128
opcache.interned_strings_buffer=8
opcache.max_accelerated_files=4000
opcache.revalidate_freq=60
opcache.fast_shutdown=1
opcache.enable_cli=1

Apache Performance Tuning

Edit Apache configuration:

sudo nano /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

Add or modify:

# Enable compression
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html text/plain text/xml text/css text/javascript application/javascript

# Enable caching
<IfModule mod_expires.c>
    ExpiresActive On
    ExpiresByType image/jpg "access plus 1 year"
    ExpiresByType image/jpeg "access plus 1 year"
    ExpiresByType image/gif "access plus 1 year"
    ExpiresByType image/png "access plus 1 year"
    ExpiresByType text/css "access plus 1 month"
    ExpiresByType application/javascript "access plus 1 month"
</IfModule>

Database Query Optimization

Configure your database settings for better performance:

sudo nano /var/www/ci4app/app/Config/Database.php

Enable query caching:

public $default = [
    // ...
    'DBDebug'  => true,
    'cacheOn'  => true,
    'cacheDir' => '',
    // ...
];

Congratulations! You have successfully installed CodeIgniter. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing CodeIgniter PHP framework on your Fedora 42 Linux system. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official CodeIgniter website.

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