Table of Contents
Before You Begin
1. System Requirements
OJS 3.5 requires specific server configurations. Verify your server meets these minimum requirements:
- PHP 8.2+(PHP 8.3 recommended)
- MySQL 8.0+or MariaDB 10.6+
- Apache 2.4+or Nginx 1.18+
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# Check PHP version
php -v
# Check installed extensions
php -m
# Check specific extension
php -m | grep mbstring2. Download OJS
Download the latest OJS 3.5 package from the official PKP website:
# Navigate to web directory
cd /var/www/html
# Download OJS 3.5 (replace with actual version)
wget https://pkp.sfu.ca/ojs/download/ojs-3.5.0.tar.gz
# Extract the archive
tar -xvzf ojs-3.5.0.tar.gz
# Rename folder (optional)
mv ojs-3.5.0 journal
# Set ownership
chown -R www-data:www-data journalcPanel Users
3. Database Setup
Create a MySQL database and user for OJS:
# Login to MySQL
mysql -u root -p
# Create database
CREATE DATABASE ojs_db CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;
# Create user and grant privileges
CREATE USER 'ojs_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_secure_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON ojs_db.* TO 'ojs_user'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
# Exit MySQL
EXIT;Security Note
4. Installation Process
Complete the web-based installation wizard:
Set File Permissions
# Create files directory
mkdir -p /var/www/files/journals
# Set permissions
chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/journal
chmod -R 777 /var/www/html/journal/cache
chmod -R 777 /var/www/html/journal/public
chmod -R 777 /var/www/filesAccess Web Installer
Open your browser and navigate to your OJS URL (e.g., https://yourdomain.com/journal). You'll see the installation wizard.
Configure Installation
- Admin Username: Choose a secure admin username
- Admin Password: Use a strong password (12+ characters)
- Admin Email: Valid email for password recovery
- Database Driver: MySQL or PostgreSQL
- Database Host: Usually
localhost - Database Name:
ojs_db - Database Username:
ojs_user - Database Password: Your secure password
- Files Directory:
/var/www/files
Complete Installation
Click "Install Open Journal Systems" and wait for the process to complete. This may take a few minutes depending on your server.
5. Security Configuration
Apply essential security measures after installation:
# Remove installation directory
rm -rf /var/www/html/journal/docs
rm -rf /var/www/html/journal/tests
# Secure config.inc.php
chmod 644 /var/www/html/journal/config.inc.php
# Create .htaccess for files directory
echo "deny from all" > /var/www/files/.htaccess
# Set restrictive permissions
find /var/www/html/journal -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find /var/www/html/journal -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;Enable SSL/HTTPS
Configure SSL certificate for secure connections
Configure Backups
Set up automated database and file backups
Update Regularly
Keep OJS and PHP updated for security patches
Monitor Logs
Regularly review error and access logs
6. Post-Installation Steps
After installation, complete these essential configuration tasks:
Create Your First Journal
Log in to Site Administration and create a hosted journal with all required settings.
Configure Email
Set up SMTP for reliable email delivery. Test email functionality.
Set Up Scheduled Tasks
Configure cron job for automated tasks like sending reminders.
Install Essential Plugins
Add DOI, ORCID, Google Scholar, and analytics plugins.
Configure for HEC Compliance
Set up required fields and policies for HEC journal recognition.
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