Ashie AI Resume | JobPortal - Server Setup & Configuration Guide

📖 Guide Overview: This guide covers server preparation and configuration. Complete these steps BEFORE proceeding to the Installation Guide.

Document Order:

Server Setup & Configuration (You are here) - Prepare your server
Installation Guide - Install the application

📋 Quick Navigation

1. Server Requirements
2. Pre-Installation Preparation
3. Control Panel Setup (Hestia, aaPanel, cPanel)
4. File & Folder Permissions
5. Database Setup

1. Server Requirements

📌 Important: Make sure your server meets these minimum requirements before proceeding with installation.

Minimum Server Specifications

Component	Minimum	Recommended
RAM	2 GB	4 GB or more
vCPU	1 Core	2 Cores or more
Disk Space	10 GB SSD	20 GB SSD or more
Bandwidth	100 Mbps	1 Gbps

Supported Operating Systems

Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or later (Recommended)
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
Debian 11 or later
CentOS 8 or later
Rocky Linux 8 or later
AlmaLinux 8 or later

Required Software & PHP Extensions

Core Requirements

Software	Version	Purpose
PHP	8.2 or 8.3	Application runtime
MySQL	8.0+	Database server
Nginx	1.18+	Web server (recommended)
Apache	2.4+	Alternative web server
Composer	2.x	PHP dependency manager
Node.js	18.x or 20.x	For building frontend (optional)

📥 How to Install Required Software

💡 For Beginners: If you're using a control panel like cPanel, Hestia, or aaPanel, most of this software is already installed. You only need these commands if you're setting up a fresh VPS/server manually.

Install PHP 8.2 (Ubuntu/Debian)

# Add PHP repository
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y software-properties-common
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php -y
sudo apt update

# Install PHP 8.2 and all required extensions
sudo apt install -y php8.2 php8.2-fpm php8.2-cli php8.2-common \
    php8.2-curl php8.2-gd php8.2-mbstring php8.2-mysql \
    php8.2-xml php8.2-zip php8.2-bcmath php8.2-intl \
    php8.2-fileinfo php8.2-tokenizer php8.2-redis

# Verify installation
php -v
                

🔗 Official PHP Website: https://www.php.net/downloads

Install MySQL 8.0 (Ubuntu/Debian)

# Install MySQL Server
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y mysql-server

# Secure MySQL installation (set root password, remove test databases)
sudo mysql_secure_installation

# Start MySQL and enable on boot
sudo systemctl start mysql
sudo systemctl enable mysql

# Verify installation
mysql --version
                

🔗 Official MySQL Website: https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/

Install Nginx (Ubuntu/Debian)

# Install Nginx
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y nginx

# Start Nginx and enable on boot
sudo systemctl start nginx
sudo systemctl enable nginx

# Verify installation
nginx -v

# Check if Nginx is running
sudo systemctl status nginx
                

🔗 Official Nginx Website: https://nginx.org/en/download.html

Install Apache (Alternative to Nginx)

# Install Apache
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y apache2

# Enable required modules
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo a2enmod headers
sudo a2enmod ssl

# Start Apache and enable on boot
sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2

# Verify installation
apache2 -v
                

🔗 Official Apache Website: https://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi

Install Composer (PHP Package Manager)

# Download and install Composer
cd ~
curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer -o composer-setup.php

# Install Composer globally
sudo php composer-setup.php --install-dir=/usr/local/bin --filename=composer

# Remove installer
rm composer-setup.php

# Verify installation
composer --version
                

🔗 Official Composer Website: https://getcomposer.org/download/

Install Node.js 20.x (Optional - Only if Building Frontend)

# Install Node.js 20.x using NodeSource repository
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

# Verify installation
node -v
npm -v
                

🔗 Official Node.js Website: https://nodejs.org/en/download/

🖥️ Windows Users (For Local Testing Only)

⚠️ Note: For production, use a Linux server. Windows instructions are for local development/testing only.

Option 1: Use XAMPP (Easiest for Windows)

Download XAMPP from: https://www.apachefriends.org/download.html
Choose the version with PHP 8.2
Run the installer and follow the wizard
Start Apache and MySQL from XAMPP Control Panel

Option 2: Use Laragon (Recommended for Laravel)

Download Laragon from: https://laragon.org/download/
Install and run Laragon
It includes PHP, MySQL, Nginx/Apache, and Composer
Click "Start All" to run the server

📦 All-in-One Installation Script (Ubuntu/Debian)

🚀 Quick Setup: Run this single script to install everything at once on a fresh Ubuntu server:

#!/bin/bash
# Ashie Resume | JobPortal - Complete Server Setup Script

# Update system
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

# Add PHP repository
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php -y
sudo apt update

# Install PHP 8.2 and all extensions
sudo apt install -y php8.2 php8.2-fpm php8.2-cli php8.2-common \
    php8.2-curl php8.2-gd php8.2-mbstring php8.2-mysql \
    php8.2-xml php8.2-zip php8.2-bcmath php8.2-intl \
    php8.2-fileinfo php8.2-tokenizer php8.2-redis

# Install MySQL
sudo apt install -y mysql-server

# Install Nginx
sudo apt install -y nginx

# Install Composer
curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | sudo php -- --install-dir=/usr/local/bin --filename=composer

# Install Node.js (optional)
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

# Install additional utilities
sudo apt install -y git unzip curl

# Start services
sudo systemctl start nginx
sudo systemctl start mysql
sudo systemctl start php8.2-fpm

# Enable services on boot
sudo systemctl enable nginx
sudo systemctl enable mysql
sudo systemctl enable php8.2-fpm

echo "✅ Installation complete!"
echo "PHP version: $(php -v | head -n 1)"
echo "MySQL version: $(mysql --version)"
echo "Nginx version: $(nginx -v 2>&1)"
echo "Composer version: $(composer --version)"
echo "Node.js version: $(node -v)"
                

To use this script:

Save the above code as setup.sh
Make it executable: chmod +x setup.sh
Run it: sudo ./setup.sh

Required PHP Extensions

All these PHP extensions must be enabled:

Extension	Purpose
php-cli	Command line interface
php-common	Common PHP libraries
php-curl	HTTP requests & API calls
php-gd	Image processing
php-json	JSON handling
php-mbstring	Multi-byte string support
php-mysql	MySQL database driver
php-xml	XML parsing
php-zip	ZIP file handling
php-bcmath	Arbitrary precision math
php-intl	Internationalization
php-fileinfo	File information
php-tokenizer	PHP tokenizer

PHP Configuration Requirements

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

2. Pre-Installation Preparation

⚠️ Before You Begin: Make sure you have received the following files from your purchase:

ashie-resume-backend.zip - The complete application package
database.sql - Sample database file
Purchase Code - Your license key

📦 About the Application Package:
The ashie-resume-backend.zip contains the Laravel backend with the React frontend already built and included in the public/ folder. This means:

✅ You get everything in one package
✅ Frontend is pre-compiled and optimized
✅ No need to build or compile anything
✅ Just upload, configure, and run!

The frontend (React) and backend (Laravel API) work together seamlessly - you only need to upload the one zip file.

What You'll Need

Domain name (e.g., yourdomain.com)
Domain pointed to your server (A record configured)
Server root access or control panel access
FTP/SFTP client (FileZilla, WinSCP) or File Manager
Text editor (Notepad++, VS Code, or panel's file editor)
Your purchase code from the marketplace

Domain Setup Options

🔔 Important Decision: Choose ONE of these setup options based on your preference.

Option A: Single Domain Setup (Recommended for Beginners)

✅ Easiest Setup: Everything runs on one domain (e.g., yourdomain.com)

Frontend: yourdomain.com
Backend API: yourdomain.com/api/v1/*
Admin Panel: yourdomain.com/admin

Advantages:

✅ Simpler DNS configuration
✅ One SSL certificate
✅ No CORS issues
✅ Already pre-configured

Option B: Subdomain Setup (Advanced Users)

⚙️ Advanced Setup: Separate backend and frontend domains

Frontend: yourdomain.com
Backend API: backend.yourdomain.com
Admin Panel: backend.yourdomain.com/admin

Requirements:

⚠️ Additional DNS configuration
⚠️ Separate SSL certificates (or wildcard cert)
⚠️ CORS configuration in backend .env
⚠️ Frontend API URL configuration

DNS Configuration

For Option A (Single Domain):

1 Add A Record for Main Domain

Type: A
Name: @ (or yourdomain.com)
Value: Your Server IP (e.g., 192.168.1.100)
TTL: 3600
                    

2 Add WWW Record (Optional)

Type: CNAME
Name: www
Value: yourdomain.com
TTL: 3600
                    

For Option B (Subdomain Setup):

1 Add A Record for Main Domain

Type: A
Name: @ (or yourdomain.com)
Value: Your Server IP (e.g., 192.168.1.100)
TTL: 3600
                    

2 Add A Record for Backend Subdomain

Type: A
Name: backend
Value: Your Server IP (same as above)
TTL: 3600
                    

3 Add WWW Record (Optional)

Type: CNAME
Name: www
Value: yourdomain.com
TTL: 3600
                    

📝 For Subdomain Setup: You'll need to create TWO websites in your control panel:

Website 1: backend.yourdomain.com → Upload backend files here
Website 2: yourdomain.com → Point to frontend (backend/public folder)

⏱️ DNS Propagation: DNS changes can take 1-24 hours to propagate worldwide. You can check propagation status at whatsmydns.net

3. Control Panel Setup

📌 Choose Your Control Panel: Click on your control panel below to see specific instructions.

Hestia Control Panel Setup

Step 1: Log in to Hestia

Open your browser and go to: https://your-server-ip:8083

Step 2: Create a New Web Domain

1 Click "WEB" in the top menu

2 Click "Add Web Domain" button

3 Enter your domain name (e.g., yourdomain.com)

4 Check "Enable SSL" for HTTPS

5 Click "Save"

Step 3: Configure PHP Version

1 Click on your domain in the list

2 Find "PHP Version" dropdown

3 Select PHP 8.2 or PHP 8.3

4 Click "Save"

Step 4: Configure Nginx for Laravel

Edit your domain's Nginx configuration and add inside the server block:

location / {
    try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
}

location ~ \.php$ {
    fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.2-fpm.sock;
    fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
    include fastcgi_params;
}
                        

Step 5: Upload Files

1 Click "FILE MANAGER" in the menu

2 Navigate to /home/admin/web/yourdomain.com/public_html

3 Delete any existing files (index.html, etc.)

4 Upload ashie-resume-backend.zip

5 Right-click → Extract

6 Move all files from extracted folder to public_html root

aaPanel Setup

Step 1: Log in to aaPanel

Open your browser and go to: http://your-server-ip:8888

Step 2: Create a New Website

1 Click "Website" in the left sidebar

2 Click "Add site" button

3 Enter your domain name

4 Database: Select "Create"

5 PHP Version: Select PHP 8.2

6 Click "Submit"

📝 Save the database credentials! You'll need them for configuration.

Step 3: Configure Site Settings

1 Click on your site name to open settings

2 Go to "Site directory" tab

3 Set Running directory to: /public

4 Click "Save"

Step 4: Configure URL Rewrite (Important!)

1 Go to "URL rewrite" tab

2 Select "laravel5" from the dropdown

3 Click "Save"

Step 5: Configure SSL (Recommended)

1 Go to "SSL" tab

2 Click "Let's Encrypt"

3 Select your domain(s)

4 Click "Apply"

5 Enable "Force HTTPS"

Step 6: Upload Files

1 Click "Files" in the left sidebar

2 Navigate to /www/wwwroot/yourdomain.com

3 Delete existing files

4 Click "Upload" and upload ashie-resume-backend.zip

5 Right-click → "Unzip"

6 Move all files from extracted folder to the website root

cPanel Setup

Step 1: Log in to cPanel

Open your browser and go to: https://yourdomain.com:2083 or https://yourdomain.com/cpanel

Step 2: Create Database

1 Find MySQL Databases icon under "Databases" section

2 Under "Create New Database", enter database name (e.g., ashie_db)

3 Click "Create Database"

4 Scroll to "Add New User" and create a new user with a strong password

5 Under "Add User To Database", select your new user and database

6 Check "ALL PRIVILEGES" and click "Make Changes"

📝 Important: Note down your database name with prefix (e.g., cpanelusername_ashie_db), username with prefix, and password!

Step 3: Import Database

1 Click "phpMyAdmin" in cPanel

2 Click on your new database in the left sidebar

3 Click "Import" tab

4 Click "Choose File" and select database.sql

5 Click "Go" at the bottom

Step 4: Upload Application Files

1 Click "File Manager" in cPanel

2 Navigate to public_html

3 Delete all existing files (if any)

4 Click "Upload" and upload ashie-resume-backend.zip

5 Right-click the zip file → "Extract"

6 Move all files from extracted folder to public_html root

Step 5: Configure Document Root (Important!)

1 Go back to cPanel home

2 Find "Domains" or "MultiPHP Manager"

3 Click on your domain

4 Change Document Root to: public_html/public

5 Click "Save"

Step 6: Setup Cron Jobs (Background Tasks)

1 In cPanel, find "Cron Jobs"

2 Click Cron Jobs icon

3 Under "Add New Cron Job"

4 Common Settings: Select "Once Per Minute (* * * * *)"

5 Command:

/usr/local/bin/php /home/username/public_html/artisan schedule:run >> /dev/null 2>&1
                        

⚠️ Replace username with your actual cPanel username!

6 Click Add New Cron Job

Step 7: Select PHP Version

1 Click "Select PHP Version" or "MultiPHP Manager"

2 Select your domain

3 Change PHP version to 8.2 or 8.3

4 Click "Apply"

5 Click "Extensions" tab and ensure these are enabled:

curl
gd
mbstring
mysqli
pdo_mysql
xml
zip
bcmath
intl
fileinfo

4. File & Folder Permissions

📌 Why Permissions Matter: Correct permissions ensure your application can write logs, upload files, and cache data while maintaining security.

Understanding Permission Numbers

Permission	Number	Meaning	When to Use
755	rwxr-xr-x	Owner can read/write/execute, others can read/execute	Most files and folders
775	rwxrwxr-x	Owner & group can read/write/execute	Storage, cache folders
777	rwxrwxrwx	Everyone can read/write/execute	⚠️ Only if 775 doesn't work
644	rw-r--r--	Owner can read/write, others can only read	Regular files (.php, .env)

Required Permissions for Ashie Resume | JobPortal

Directory/File	Permission	Recursive?	Purpose
`storage/`	775	✅ Yes	Logs, sessions, file uploads, cache
`storage/app/`	775	✅ Yes	Uploaded resumes, documents
`storage/framework/`	775	✅ Yes	Framework cache, sessions, views
`storage/logs/`	775	✅ Yes	Application logs
`bootstrap/cache/`	775	✅ Yes	Configuration cache
`public/storage/`	755	✅ Yes	Public accessible uploads
`.env`	644	❌ No	Environment configuration
All other files	644	❌ No	PHP files, assets
All other folders	755	✅ Yes	Application directories

Setting Permissions via SSH

# Navigate to application directory
cd /var/www/yourdomain.com

# Set base permissions
find . -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;
find . -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;

# Set writable directories
chmod -R 775 storage
chmod -R 775 bootstrap/cache

# Set ownership (adjust username)
chown -R www-data:www-data .
# OR for some servers:
chown -R apache:apache .
# OR for cPanel:
chown -R username:username .
                

Setting Permissions via File Manager

1 Open your control panel's File Manager

2 Navigate to your application root

3 Select storage folder

4 Right-click → Permissions or Change Permissions

5 Enter 775 in the number field

6 Check "Recurse into subdirectories" or "Apply to subdirectories"

7 Click Change or Apply

8 Repeat steps 3-7 for bootstrap/cache folder

⚠️ Security Note: Never set .env file to 777! This file contains sensitive credentials. Keep it at 644.

🚫 Common Mistake: If you get "Permission Denied" errors, DO NOT set everything to 777! This is a security risk. Instead:

Check file ownership (should match web server user)
Ensure 775 on storage and bootstrap/cache
Clear cache: php artisan cache:clear
Contact your hosting support if issues persist

5. Database Setup

Creating the Database

1 Choose a Database Name
Use a descriptive name like: ashie_resume_db or job_portal_db

⚠️ cPanel Users: Your database name will have a prefix like: cpanelusername_ashie_resume_db

2 Create Database User
Username example: ashie_user
Generate a strong password and save it securely!

3 Grant Privileges
The database user must have ALL PRIVILEGES on the database

Importing Sample Database

The database.sql file contains all necessary tables, sample data, and default settings.

Method 1: Using phpMyAdmin (Recommended)

1 Access phpMyAdmin from your control panel

2 Click on your database name in the left sidebar

3 Click the Import tab at the top

4 Click Choose File button

5 Select database.sql from your computer

6 Leave all other settings as default

7 Scroll to bottom and click Go button

8 Wait for "Import has been successfully finished" message

Method 2: Using SSH/Terminal

# Upload database.sql to server first, then:
mysql -u your_username -p your_database_name < database.sql

# You'll be prompted for password
# Type your database password and press Enter
                

Verifying Database Import

1 In phpMyAdmin, click on your database

2 You should see multiple tables like:

users
jobs
resumes
companies
applications
system_states
And many more...

✅ Success! If you see tables listed, your database is imported correctly.

❌ Import Failed? Common issues:

File too large: Increase upload_max_filesize and post_max_size in PHP settings
Timeout: Use SSH method for large databases
Permission denied: Ensure database user has ALL PRIVILEGES
Already exists: Drop existing tables or use a fresh database

🎉 Server Setup Complete!

Your server is now prepared. Continue to the Installation Guide to install the application.

Continue to Installation Guide →

🖥️ Ashie Resume | JobPortal