# Installation

## Requirements

| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS |
| Architecture | x86_64 |
| RAM | 2 GB minimum · 4 GB recommended |
| Disk | 20 GB minimum |
| Access | Root (or `sudo`) |
| License | Free or paid — [get one at nixpanel.io](https://nixpanel.io/#pricing) |

> **Fresh server recommended.** NixPanel installs and configures Apache, MariaDB, PowerDNS, Exim, Dovecot, and other services. Installing on a server with existing software may cause conflicts.

---

## One-line Install

```bash
bash <(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixReaper/nixpanel/main/install.sh)
```

The installer is **self-updating** — it always fetches the latest version from GitHub before running, so you never need to re-download it.

---

## Inspect Before Running

If you prefer to review the script first:

```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixReaper/nixpanel/main/install.sh -o install.sh
less install.sh
sudo bash install.sh
```

---

## What Gets Installed

| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| Apache 2 + PHP-FPM 8.2 & 8.3 | Web server with multi-PHP support |
| MariaDB | Database server (WordPress-compatible) |
| PowerDNS | DNS server |
| Exim 4 | Mail transfer agent |
| Dovecot | IMAP / POP3 server |
| SpamAssassin | Spam filtering |
| Fail2ban | Brute-force protection |
| Let's Encrypt (certbot) | Free SSL certificates |
| NixPanel | Control panel (ports 2083 and 2087) |

---

## Installer Prompts

During installation you will be asked for:

- **Admin username, password, and email** — your NixPanel admin account
- **Server hostname** — the domain or IP your panel will be accessed from (e.g. `panel.example.com`)
- **NixPanel license key** — found in your [dashboard](https://nixpanel.io/dashboard) after signing up

---

## Ports Used

| Port | Service |
|---|---|
| `2087` | NixServer — WHM-style admin panel |
| `2083` | NixClient — cPanel-style user panel |
| `25` | SMTP (Exim) |
| `143` / `993` | IMAP / IMAPS (Dovecot) |
| `110` / `995` | POP3 / POP3S (Dovecot) |
| `53` | DNS (PowerDNS) |

Make sure your firewall allows these ports for the relevant services.

---

## After Installation

Access your panels at:

```
http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:2087   ← NixServer (admin)
http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:2083   ← NixClient (users)
```

**Add SSL immediately:**

```bash
certbot --apache
```

---

## Re-running the Installer

The installer uses step tracking — if it fails partway through, you can safely re-run it and it will skip completed steps:

```bash
sudo bash install.sh
```

To force a specific step to re-run, delete its tracking file:

```bash
rm /var/lib/nixpanel/install/<step_name>.done
sudo bash install.sh
```

---

## Updating NixPanel

```bash
sudo bash /opt/nixpanel/scripts/update.sh
```

Or click **Upgrade Panel** in the NixServer sidebar.

---

## Useful Commands

```bash
# View panel logs
journalctl -u nixpanel -f

# Restart the panel
systemctl restart nixpanel

# Check service status
systemctl status nixpanel apache2 mariadb
```

---

## Need Help?

- **Email:** support@nixpanel.io
- **Issues:** [github.com/NixReaper/nixpanel/issues](https://github.com/NixReaper/nixpanel/issues)