Install from the command line

You can install Nextcloud without using the web-based Installation Wizard. This is useful for automated deployments, headless servers, and administrators who prefer the command line.

Before continuing, download and unpack the Nextcloud archive, configure the web server and PHP, and create the database and database user when using MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, or Oracle.

For the complete manual-installation prerequisites, see Installation on Linux.

  1. Ensure that the HTTP user has read and write access to all Nextcloud directories. Changing ownership is the usual approach; for example, on Debian/Ubuntu:

    $ sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/nextcloud/

    Ownership is not strictly required. For example, where changing ownership is not possible, add the HTTP user to the group that owns the directories and ensure that they are group-writable. See Running occ.

  2. Use the occ command to complete the installation. This takes the place of the graphical Installation Wizard. Run occ as the HTTP user so that ownership and permissions remain consistent with the web server:

    $ sudo -E -u www-data php /var/www/nextcloud/occ maintenance:install \
  --database mysql --database-name nextcloud \
  --database-user nextcloud \
  --admin-user admin

    This command prompts for the database and administrator passwords. For unattended installations, specify --database-pass and --admin-pass using your deployment system’s protected secret-handling mechanism. Avoid exposing production passwords in shell history or process listings.

    You can invoke occ from any directory when using its absolute path, as in the example above. Alternatively, change to the Nextcloud root directory and run sudo -E -u www-data php occ maintenance:install.

    Use --database-host and, if necessary, --database-port when the database runs on another host. Use --data-dir to select a data directory other than the default. To view all supported options, run:

    $ sudo -E -u www-data php /var/www/nextcloud/occ maintenance:install --help

Supported databases are:

  • sqlite (SQLite)

  • mysql (MySQL/MariaDB)

  • pgsql (PostgreSQL)

  • oci (Oracle; contact Nextcloud GmbH for enterprise support)

The selected database requires its corresponding PHP extension or driver to be installed and enabled.

See Command line installation for more information.