How to Install Discourse Forum with LightNode VPS?

Introduction

Discourse is a modern, open-source forum and discussion platform designed for the next decade of the Internet. It functions as a mailing list, discussion forum, and chat room all in one, promoting civilized discourse and community building. Its real-time updates and expansive feature set encourage engaging and dynamic discussions. Built with responsiveness and extensibility in mind, it integrates with mobile devices and can be customized or expanded with plugins to fit various community needs. Discourse aims to foster meaningful communication in a user-friendly environment.

Steps

Here's a detailed guide with the necessary commands to install Discourse on LightNode Ubuntu VPS:

Install Dependencies:

Run
```
bash <(wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/discourse/install-rails/main/linux)
```
to install
- Git,
- rbenv
- ruby-build
- Ruby
- Rails
- PostgreSQL
- SQLite
- Redis
- Bundler
- MailHog
- ImageMagick

Clone Discourse:

Use

git clone https://github.com/discourse/discourse.git ~/discourse

to clone the repository into your home folder.

Setup Database:

Create a role with your system username using
```
cd /tmp && sudo -u postgres createuser -s "$USER"
```
Bootstrap Discourse:

Navigate to the Discourse folder with
```
cd ~/discourse
```
Then install gems and JS dependencies using
```
bundle install
```
And
```
yarn install
```
After that, create and migrate the database using
```
bin/rails db:create
```
```
bin/rails db:migrate
```
And
```
RAILS_ENV=test bin/rails db:create db:migrate
```
Start Servers:

Use
```
bin/ember-cli -u
```
To start the rails and ember servers.
Create New Admin:

Create an admin account with
```
bin/rails admin:create
```
And follow the prompts.
Configure Mail:

Run
```
mailhog
```

For more details, refer to the Discourse Meta guide.

FAQ

What is Discourse forum VPS?

Discourse VPS is a virtual private server optimized for running the Discourse forum software, offering dedicated resources and enhanced performance for a robust community platform.

Can I change IP address in LightNode?

Yes, LightNode provides two chances to change your IP address for free.

What configuration do I need to open to install Discourse?

According to Discourse's official documentation, you need a VPS with at least 2v cores, 4GB RAM, that way you get the best experience.