How to Run Ghost on Linode?

10 minutes read

To run Ghost on Linode, you will need to follow these steps:

  1. Create a new Linode instance: Sign in to your Linode account, navigate to the Linodes section, and click on the "+ Add a Linode" button. Choose the desired location, plan, and distribution image.
  2. Deploy the Linode: Select the newly created Linode instance and click on the "Deploy an Image" button. Choose the Ghost image or a distribution like Ubuntu.
  3. Configure the Linode: Provide the necessary configuration details, such as the hostname, root password, and SSH keys. Set the size for your Linode, keeping in mind the requirements of Ghost.
  4. Boot the Linode: Once the configuration is complete, click on the "Deploy" button. Linode will now provision your new instance.
  5. Connect to the Linode: Use an SSH client to connect to your Linode. If you're using a Mac or Linux, you can use the terminal. If you're using Windows, tools like PuTTY can be used.
  6. Set up Ghost: Once connected to your Linode, follow the official Ghost installation guide. This will involve commands for downloading and installing Ghost, configuring the database, and setting up the required environment.
  7. Configure Ghost: After the installation, modify the ghost config file to provide the necessary specifics, such as the database details, URL, and any other settings you want to customize.
  8. Start Ghost: Run the command to start Ghost on your Linode. You can use "ghost start" to initiate the Ghost process.
  9. Set up Nginx (optional): To make your Ghost installation accessible through a domain name, you can set up Nginx as a reverse proxy. Configure Nginx to forward requests to your Ghost instance.
  10. Configure DNS (optional): If you want to access your Ghost installation using a custom domain, update your DNS settings to point the domain to your Linode's IP address.


That's a general overview of how to run Ghost on Linode.

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What is the email configuration for Ghost on Linode?

To configure Ghost on Linode, follow these steps to set up the email service:

  1. Log in to your Linode account and navigate to the Linode Manager.
  2. Click on your Ghost Linode instance to access the Linode Dashboard.
  3. Click on the "Remote Access" tab and note down the IP address assigned to your Linode instance.
  4. Connect to your Ghost Linode instance using SSH or any preferred terminal application.
  5. Once connected, update your operating system by running the following command: sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
  6. Install the required dependencies for sending emails by running the following command: sudo apt install sendmail
  7. Open the Ghost configuration file using a text editor. The default path is as follows: sudo nano /var/www/ghost/config.production.json
  8. Locate the "mail" section within the configuration file. If it doesn't exist, add the following lines under the "production" section: "mail": { "transport": "SMTP", "options": { "service": "SMTP provider", "host": "SMTP server host name", "port": "SMTP server port", "secureConnection": "false", "auth": { "user": "SMTP username", "pass": "SMTP password" } } } Replace the placeholders with your actual SMTP provider, server host, port, username, and password.
  9. Save the configuration file and exit the text editor.
  10. Restart your Ghost Linode instance by running the following command: sudo systemctl restart ghost


Your Ghost instance on Linode should now be configured to send emails using the specified SMTP provider.


How to set up email delivery for Ghost on Linode using SMTP?

To set up email delivery for Ghost on Linode using SMTP, follow these steps:

  1. First, you need to have a Linode server with Ghost installed. If you haven't already, follow Linode's guide on how to set up Ghost on the Linode server.
  2. Next, you need an SMTP service or server to handle the email delivery. Some popular options include Gmail, SendGrid, or Mailgun. Choose the one that suits your needs.
  3. Obtain the SMTP credentials (server address, port number, username, and password) from your chosen SMTP service or server.
  4. Connect to your Linode server via SSH.
  5. Navigate to the Ghost installation directory on your Linode server. The default installation directory is /var/www/ghost.
  6. Open the config.production.json file using a text editor such as nano or vim. You can use the following command to open the file with nano: nano config.production.json
  7. Look for the "mail" section in the config.production.json file. If it doesn't exist, add the following section to the file: "mail": { "transport": "SMTP", "options": { "service": "SMTP", "host": "YOUR_SMTP_SERVER", "port": YOUR_SMTP_PORT, "secureConnection": false, "auth": { "user": "YOUR_SMTP_USERNAME", "pass": "YOUR_SMTP_PASSWORD" } } }
  8. Replace YOUR_SMTP_SERVER, YOUR_SMTP_PORT, YOUR_SMTP_USERNAME, and YOUR_SMTP_PASSWORD with the corresponding credentials of your SMTP service or server.
  9. Save the changes to the config.production.json file and exit the text editor.
  10. Restart Ghost for the changes to take effect. You can restart Ghost using the following command: systemctl restart ghost
  11. Test the email delivery by sending a test email from your Ghost blog. If everything is set up correctly, you should receive the test email in your designated inbox.


By following these steps, you can successfully set up email delivery for Ghost on Linode using SMTP.


What is Ghost and why is it popular for running blogs?

Ghost is an open-source blogging platform that is popular among bloggers. It was developed as a modern alternative to traditional content management systems like WordPress.


One of the main reasons why Ghost is popular for running blogs is its simplicity and focus on writing. Unlike other platforms with bloated features, Ghost is designed specifically for blogging, enabling writers to create and publish content quickly and easily. Its clean and minimalist interface provides a distraction-free environment, allowing bloggers to concentrate on their writing.


Ghost also offers a range of built-in SEO (search engine optimization) features that help bloggers increase their website's visibility in search engines. It provides tools for optimizing metadata, generating XML sitemaps, and integrating with popular analytics services, helping bloggers improve their search engine rankings and attract more organic traffic.


Additionally, Ghost is highly customizable and flexible. It allows bloggers to create their own themes or choose from a variety of pre-designed themes, providing a visually appealing and personalized blogging experience. Its responsive design ensures that blogs look great on all devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones.


Furthermore, Ghost has a strong community support and a straightforward documentation system, making it easy to troubleshoot issues and get help when needed. Its active community constantly contributes new themes, plugins, and updates, offering bloggers new possibilities and keeping the platform up to date.


In summary, Ghost's popularity for running blogs stems from its simplicity, focus on writing, built-in SEO features, customization options, and strong community support. It offers a user-friendly environment for bloggers to create and manage their content effectively.


What is SQLite and why is it recommended for Ghost on Linode?

SQLite is a lightweight, file-based relational database management system (RDBMS) that is recommended for Ghost on Linode. It is a self-contained, serverless, and zero-configuration database engine.


SQLite is a popular choice for small to medium-sized applications where simplicity and low resource usage are important factors. It is particularly well-suited for single-user or low-traffic websites.


Here are a few reasons why SQLite is recommended for Ghost on Linode:

  1. Simplicity: SQLite eliminates the need for an external database server and complex setup. It is a simple library that directly interacts with the application, making it easy to integrate and maintain.
  2. Portability: Since SQLite operates on a file-based architecture, it is highly portable. The database is stored as a single file, which can be easily moved, copied, or backed up as needed.
  3. Low resource usage: SQLite is designed to be lightweight and requires minimal system resources. This makes it an excellent choice for low-powered devices or situations where optimizing resource usage is important.
  4. Performance: For small-scale applications and low-traffic websites like Ghost, SQLite can provide excellent performance. It is optimized for read-heavy workloads and operates efficiently with its in-memory caching mechanisms.
  5. Data integrity: SQLite provides robust ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) properties, ensuring data integrity even in the case of sudden failures or crashes.


However, it's worth noting that SQLite might not be suitable for high-traffic websites or large-scale applications that require concurrent write operations or complex querying capabilities. For such scenarios, a client-server model database system like MySQL or PostgreSQL may be more appropriate.


How to install Node.js on a Linode server for running Ghost?

To install Node.js on a Linode server for running Ghost, you can follow these steps:

  1. Connect to your Linode server via SSH.
  2. Update the package lists by running the following command:
1
sudo apt-get update


  1. Install Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager) by running the following command:
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sudo apt-get install nodejs npm


  1. Verify the installation by checking the installed versions of Node.js and npm:
1
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nodejs -v
npm -v


  1. Install the Ghost-CLI (Command Line Interface) globally by running the following command:
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sudo npm install ghost-cli@latest -g


  1. Change to the directory where you want to install Ghost (e.g., /var/www/):
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cd /var/www/


  1. Create a new directory for your Ghost blog and change to that directory:
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sudo mkdir ghost
cd ghost


  1. Install Ghost by running the following command:
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ghost install


  1. You will be prompted with several options during the installation. You can choose the desired options based on your configuration.
  2. Once the installation is complete, you can start Ghost by running the following command:
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ghost start


  1. To access your Ghost blog, open a web browser and enter your server's IP address or domain name followed by :2368 (e.g., http://your_server_ip:2368).


Note: By default, Ghost listens on port 2368, so you may need to configure your firewall and/or reverse proxy settings accordingly.


That's it! You have successfully installed and started Ghost using Node.js on your Linode server.

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