How To Install Uptime Kuma on AlmaLinux 9

In this tutorial, we will show you how to install Uptime Kuma on AlmaLinux 9. In today’s digital landscape, ensuring the uptime and performance of websites and services is crucial for maintaining user satisfaction and business continuity. Uptime Kuma, a self-hosted monitoring tool, offers a robust solution for tracking the availability and performance of various services, including HTTP(s), TCP, Ping, and more. This guide will walk you through the process of installing Uptime Kuma on AlmaLinux 9, a popular Linux distribution known for its stability and compatibility.

Introduction to Uptime Kuma

Uptime Kuma is designed to provide real-time status updates, customizable alerting options, and detailed metrics, making it an ideal choice for web administrators and developers seeking a reliable and user-friendly monitoring tool. Its intuitive interface and ease of setup make it accessible to users of all skill levels.

Prerequisites for Installation

Before proceeding with the installation, ensure you have the following prerequisites in place:

• AlmaLinux 9 Server: You need a dedicated server or KVM VPS running AlmaLinux 9.
• User with sudo Privileges: Ensure you have a user account with sudo privileges to execute commands that require elevated permissions.
• Basic Knowledge of Terminal Commands: Familiarity with basic terminal commands is necessary for navigating through the installation process.

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

Step 1: Update Your System

Updating your system ensures that all packages are up-to-date, which is essential for a smooth installation process.

sudo dnf update -y

This command updates your package index and upgrades all installed packages to their latest versions.

Step 2: Install Node.js and npm

Uptime Kuma requires Node.js version 14 or higher. Here’s how you can install Node.js and npm on AlmaLinux 9:

1. Enable the Node.js Repository: AlmaLinux 9 uses the `dnf` package manager, which doesn’t include Node.js by default. You can enable the EPEL repository to install Node.js.

   sudo dnf install -y epel-release

2. Install Node.js: Once the EPEL repository is enabled, you can install Node.js. However, AlmaLinux 9 might not have the latest Node.js version available in its repositories. For the latest version, you can use a NodeSource repository.

   curl -fsSL https://rpm.nodesource.com/setup_18.x | sudo bash -
   sudo dnf install -y nodejs

   This command installs Node.js version 18.x, which is compatible with Uptime Kuma.

Step 3: Install Git

Git is required to clone the Uptime Kuma repository from GitHub. If Git is not already installed, you can install it using:

sudo dnf install -y git

Step 4: Clone and Install Uptime Kuma

Now, let’s clone the Uptime Kuma repository and install it:

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/louislam/uptime-kuma.git
   cd uptime-kuma

2. Install Dependencies and Build Uptime Kuma:

   npm run setup

   This command installs the necessary dependencies and builds Uptime Kuma.

Step 5: Install and Configure PM2

PM2 is a process manager for Node.js applications that ensures Uptime Kuma runs continuously in the background.

1. Install PM2:

   npm install pm2 -g

2. Start Uptime Kuma with PM2:

   pm2 start server/server.js

   This command starts Uptime Kuma using PM2.

3. Enable PM2 to Start at Boot:
   To ensure PM2 starts automatically on system reboot, execute:

   sudo env PATH=$PATH:/usr/bin pm2 startup systemd

   Follow the instructions provided by PM2 to complete the setup.

Step 6: Configure Firewall Rules

To allow access to Uptime Kuma, you need to configure your firewall rules. AlmaLinux 9 uses `firewalld` by default. Here’s how you can open the necessary ports:

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=public --add-port=3001/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

This opens port 3001, which is the default port for Uptime Kuma.

Configuring Uptime Kuma for Secure Access

Securing access to Uptime Kuma is crucial to prevent unauthorized access. Here’s how you can set up HTTPS using a reverse proxy server like Nginx:

Step 1: Install Nginx

If Nginx is not already installed, you can install it using:

sudo dnf install -y nginx

Step 2: Configure Nginx as a Reverse Proxy

1. Create a Configuration File:
Create a new file in the `/etc/nginx/conf.d/` directory, for example, `uptime-kuma.conf`.

server {
        listen 80;
        server_name yourdomain.com;

        location / {
            proxy_pass http://localhost:3001;
            proxy_http_version 1.1;
            proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
            proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
            proxy_set_header Host $host;
            proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
        }
    }

Replace `yourdomain.com` with your actual domain name.

2. Enable HTTPS:
To enable HTTPS, you can obtain a free SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt using Certbot.

sudo dnf install -y certbot python3-certbot-nginx
sudo certbot --nginx

Follow the prompts to configure your SSL certificate.

3. Restart Nginx:
After configuring Nginx, restart the service to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Setting Up Monitoring with Uptime Kuma

Once Uptime Kuma is installed and configured, you can start setting up monitors for your services.

Creating Monitors

1. Access Uptime Kuma Dashboard:

Navigate to `http://yourdomain.com` (or the IP address of your server if you haven’t configured a domain) to access the Uptime Kuma dashboard.

2. Create a New Monitor:

• Click on the “Add Monitor” button.
• Choose the type of monitor you want to create (e.g., HTTP, HTTPS, TCP).
• Enter the URL or IP address of the service you want to monitor.
• Set the heartbeat interval and alert settings as needed.

Customizing Alerts

Uptime Kuma allows you to customize alert settings to notify you when a service goes down. You can configure notifications via email, Discord, or other platforms.

1. Configure Notification Settings:

• Go to the “Settings” section.
• Click on “Notifications”.
• Choose your preferred notification method and configure it according to the instructions provided.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

During the installation or setup process, you might encounter some common issues. Here are some troubleshooting tips:

• Uptime Kuma Not Starting:
  Check if PM2 is running and if Uptime Kuma is listed among the processes. If not, try restarting PM2 or manually starting Uptime Kuma.
• Service Reports as DOWN:
  Ensure that the service you are monitoring is accessible from the server running Uptime Kuma. Check firewall rules and network connectivity.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Uptime Kuma. Thanks for using this tutorial to install the latest version of the Uptime Kuma monitoring tool on AlmaLinux 9. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official Uptime Kuma website.