Manual:Installation guide/en

This guide provides instructions on how to install and configure MediaWiki, both manually, and by easier alternatives. Installing more than one wiki and installing existing wikis are also covered. The appendices provide links to more detailed installation notes for specific system configurations and other less common uses of the software.

Upgrade guide
If you are already running MediaWiki, see the Upgrade guide.

Summary
For experienced users, here is the quick version of the installation instructions. Most users (like if you don't know how to install or check for the prerequisite software on your computer) will want to follow the main installation guide.

 Check that your system meets the following minimum requirements. (See Installation requirements for more details. Make sure to also check the RELEASE NOTES shipped with MediaWiki for requirements.) You'll need:
 * MediaWiki (current stable version is )
 * A web server such as Apache or IIS
 * Local or command line access is needed for running maintenance scripts

Image thumbnailing requires additional programs. (required by VisualEditor) and other services have their own requirements. Download MediaWiki and extract the archive to a web-accessible folder on your computer. Point your browser to the directory where MediaWiki was extracted and follow the link to the setup screen. It should be in the form. Replace directory with the path to your extracted MediaWiki folder. If installing on a local machine, replace domain with. If you install locally and later want to access your wiki from domain, then you will need to change LocalSettings.php from  to domain. If installed on a remote server, replace domain with your server's domain name (e.g. www.myserver.com). Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process. 
 * MediaWiki requires some PHP extensions to be installed. These extensions are enabled in PHP by default. The MediaWiki installer will point out missing PHP extensions. See Manual:Installation requirements for a full list.
 * A database server, that is, one of the following:

These instructions are deliberately brief. There is a lot that could go wrong, so if in doubt, you are advised to read the full instructions!

Main installation guide
Before installing MediaWiki, read these:
 * - Check these before going any further!

Alternatives to manual installation
You can avoid manual installation by using a pre-integrated MediaWiki software appliance, hosting services with 1-click installation, or wiki farms.

If you are installing for development or testing, consider using MediaWiki-Vagrant, a set of configuration scripts for Vagrant that automate the creation and update of a virtual machine that runs MediaWiki and your choice of extensions and services.

Official docker images are released on Docker Hub.

Wiki families (multiple wikis)

 * Main page: 

A wiki family is more than one wiki installed on the same computer.

Installing MediaWiki more than once
One approach is to install multiple instances of MediaWiki (such as with a software bundle like the Bitnami MediaWiki Stack) in different directories – one for each wiki. For example, you want an enterprise wiki and a personal wiki, and you want to keep them totally separate.

Multiple wikis with one MediaWiki
You could use a single installation of MediaWiki for multiple wikis, by either:


 * 1) Using a different database for each wiki. See .
 * 2) Using a different database prefix for each wiki. See .

Installing an existing wiki database
There are two methods to install a content copy of Wikipedia, Wiktionary, or some other wiki (for reading offline, for conducting experiments, and for mirroring/forking).

Either first install MediaWiki and then import a database dump of a Wikimedia wiki. See Manual:Importing XML dumps.

Another option is using offline reader software such as Kiwix. This does not involve setting up the MediaWiki software.

Advanced configuration
The following pages cover some of the more advanced configuration options:
 * Advanced configuration
 * Wiki administration

Installation assistance

 * FAQ: FAQ#Installation and configuration
 * MediaWiki installation errors
 * Ask questions and receive help about installing MediaWiki

System-specific instructions
The pages listed on give more detailed installation instructions aimed at specific systems. However, by and large is more up to date, and better written than the per system docs, and as such it is recommended you first consult  before looking at a per system installation documents.