Debian/Ubuntu

The Debian package, which is also found in Ubuntu, does some odd things to MediaWiki to fit in with the odd things Debian does to Apache.

This page should list those changes, for the benefit of end users coming from using a tarball.


 * pkg-mediawiki-devel list at Debian

Status
Distro packages have previously been regarded as unsupported and not recommended by WMF. Despite this people have been installing the distro versions anyway, and ending up with an insecure, outdated and unsupportable installation. So WMF is now actively working with distros to get the distro packages into a supportable condition, on the package mailing lists and on mediawiki-distributors.

To this end, specified versions will be maintained as long-term supported (LTS), with support from WMF and the distro packagers. The first release so blessed is 1.19, which should make it into Debian wheezy and hopefully Ubuntu 12.10.

Debian changes to Apache
README.debian details much of what you need to know.


 * httpd conf in /etc/apache2
 * htdocs in /var/www (default)
 * logs in /var/log/apache2 (default)

Sysadmins coming from using Apache tarballs should read this page.

Debian changes to MediaWiki

 * The package chooses PostgreSQL over MySQL, even though MediaWiki is written to MySQL and Postgres is an afterthought, due to a packager's personal preference.
 * The package is maintained primarily with a view to being a component of FusionForge, rather than as a standalone for people who just want to install a wiki.
 * Apache rules are added in /etc/mediawiki/apache.conf
 * The installer tells you to move the wiki configuration to /etc/mediawiki/LocalSettings.php
 * The MediaWiki code is in /usr/share/mediawiki/, but
 * LocalSettings.php and AdminSettings.php are symlinks to /etc/mediawiki/LocalSettings.php and /etc/mediawiki/AdminSettings.php
 * config/</tt>, extensions/</tt>, and images/</tt> are symlinks to /var/lib/mediawiki/config/</tt>, etc.
 * /var/lib/mediawiki/</tt> has config/</tt>, extensions/</tt>, and images/</tt>, along with symlinks back to /usr/share/mediawiki/includes/</tt>, /usr/share/mediawiki/index.php</tt>, etc.
 * todo: mediawiki-extensions and mediawiki-math

If you install MediaWiki from tarball anyway
If you really want to use the MediaWiki tarball (e.g., you want the very latest MediaWiki, or you want to test a beta), installing the MediaWiki distro package can be very handy for pulling in prerequisites.