How to install phpMyAdmin on Ubuntu

Update the system using sudo apt update and optionally upgrade packages. 2. Install phpMyAdmin with sudo apt install phpmyadmin, selecting apache2 as the web server and configuring the database with a strong password. 3. Enable the Apache rewrite module using sudo a2enmod rewrite and restart Apache. 4. Secure access by either changing the URL alias to a custom name like /mydbadmin or adding HTTP authentication with htpasswd. 5. Adjust PHP settings for larger imports by modifying upload_max_filesize, post_max_size, memory_limit, and max_execution_time in the php.ini file. 6. Access phpMyAdmin via the configured URL and log in with valid MySQL credentials, preferably using a dedicated non-root user. Troubleshoot 404 errors by enabling the phpmyadmin configuration and resolve login issues by ensuring proper MySQL user privileges, resulting in a fully functional and secured phpMyAdmin installation.

Installing phpMyAdmin on Ubuntu is straightforward, especially if you already have a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack set up. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get it working on Ubuntu 20.04 or 22.04.

1. Update Your System

Before installing anything, make sure your package list is up to date:

sudo apt update

Optional: upgrade existing packages:

sudo apt upgrade -y

2. Install phpMyAdmin

Run the following command to install phpMyAdmin:

sudo apt install phpmyadmin

During installation, you’ll see a configuration screen. Here’s what to do:

• Choose the web server: Use the spacebar to select apache2 (highlight it and press space), then hit Tab to "OK" and press Enter.
• Configure database for phpMyAdmin with dbconfig-common? Select Yes.
• Enter a password for the phpMyAdmin database: You’ll be prompted to set a strong password. Remember it or leave it blank to generate one automatically.

⚠️ If the configuration screen doesn’t appear, you can reconfigure it later:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure phpmyadmin

3. Enable Apache Rewrite Module (Recommended)

To ensure clean URLs and proper functionality:

sudo a2enmod rewrite

Then restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

4. Secure phpMyAdmin Access (Optional but Recommended)

By default, phpMyAdmin is accessible at http://your-server-ip/phpmyadmin, which can be a security risk.

Option A: Change the URL path (add alias protection)

Edit the Apache configuration:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/conf-available/phpmyadmin.conf

Look for the line:

Alias /phpmyadmin /usr/share/phpmyadmin

Change /phpmyadmin to something less guessable, like:

Alias /mydbadmin /usr/share/phpmyadmin

Save (Ctrl O, then Enter), exit (Ctrl X), then restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Now access it via: http://your-server-ip/mydbadmin

Option B: Add password protection

You can add HTTP authentication using .htpasswd.

Install Apache utilities if not already:

sudo apt install apache2-utils

Create a password file and user:

sudo htpasswd -c /etc/phpmyadmin/.htpasswd yourusername

Edit the phpMyAdmin config:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/conf-available/phpmyadmin.conf

Inside the <Directory /usr/share/phpmyadmin> block, add:

AuthType Basic
AuthName "Restricted Access"
AuthUserFile /etc/phpmyadmin/.htpasswd
Require valid-user

Restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Now you’ll need to log in twice: first with the HTTP password, then MySQL credentials.

5. Adjust PHP Settings (if needed)

If you’re importing large databases, increase limits in PHP config:

sudo nano /etc/php/*/apache2/php.ini

Replace * with your PHP version (e.g., 8.1 or 8.2).

Modify these values:

upload_max_filesize = 100M
post_max_size = 100M
memory_limit = 256M
max_execution_time = 300

Save and restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

6. Access phpMyAdmin

Open your browser and go to:

http://your-server-ip/phpmyadmin

Or, if you changed the alias:

http://your-server-ip/mydbadmin

Log in with:

• Username: Your MySQL user (e.g., root or a custom user)
• Password: The corresponding MySQL password

? Note: Using root remotely via phpMyAdmin is discouraged. Create a dedicated user with limited privileges when possible.

Troubleshooting Tips

• 404 Error? Make sure the Apache config is enabled:

  sudo a2enconf phpmyadmin
  sudo systemctl restart apache2

• Login failed? Ensure the MySQL user has proper privileges. You may need to create a user specifically for web access:

  CREATE USER 'pmauser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'strongpassword';
  GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO 'pmauser'@'localhost';
  FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

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  That’s it. phpMyAdmin should now be installed and accessible. Keep it updated and avoid exposing it directly to the internet without protection.

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