Install Nucleus CMS on Linux | Hostvento Knowledge Base

Note: Nucleus (from Inventua) is built on ASP.NET Core. Unlike PHP CMS software, it runs as a .NET app, and the web server acts as a reverse proxy. Always read the install guide of the version that you download, because steps change between releases.

What you need

A Linux server (Ubuntu or Debian).
The ASP.NET Core runtime that the Nucleus release needs.
A database (SQLite, SQL Server, MySQL or PostgreSQL). This guide uses MySQL.
Apache or Nginx as a reverse proxy.

Step 1: Update and install the base software

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2 mysql-server -y

Step 2: Start Apache

sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2

Step 3: Start MySQL

sudo systemctl start mysql
sudo systemctl enable mysql

Step 4: Create the database

sudo mysql -u root -p

CREATE DATABASE nucleus;

CREATE USER 'nucleus_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'strong_password';

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON nucleus.* TO 'nucleus_user'@'localhost';

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Step 5: Install the .NET runtime

Install the ASP.NET Core runtime. On Ubuntu 22.04 and newer, for example:

sudo apt install aspnetcore-runtime-8.0

Check the version with dotnet --list-runtimes. Use the runtime version that the Nucleus release asks for.

Step 6: Download Nucleus

Download the Linux package from the Nucleus releases on GitHub. The file name depends on the version:

wget https://github.com/Inventua/nucleus-core/releases/download/v2.0.0/Nucleus.2.0.0.0.Install-linux_x64.zip

Unzip it into the folder you will serve it from:

sudo mkdir -p /var/www/nucleus
sudo unzip Nucleus.2.0.0.0.Install-linux_x64.zip -d /var/www/nucleus

Step 7: Run Nucleus and put Apache in front

Start the app (see the Nucleus documentation for the exact file and port; it is often a systemd service that runs dotnet Nucleus.Web.dll on a local port).

Enable the proxy modules and create a virtual host:

sudo a2enmod proxy proxy_http headers rewrite
sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/nucleus.conf

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName your-domain.com
    ProxyPreserveHost On
    ProxyPass / http://127.0.0.1:5000/
    ProxyPassReverse / http://127.0.0.1:5000/
    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/nucleus_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/nucleus_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Replace the port with the one that Nucleus uses. Enable the site:

sudo a2ensite nucleus.conf
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 8: Run the setup wizard

Open your domain in the browser. The Nucleus setup wizard starts.

Enter the database details: the MySQL server localhost, the database nucleus, and the user and password from step 4.

Create the admin account and finish. The welcome page appears.

Quick recap

Create the database, install the .NET runtime and unzip Nucleus.
Run the app and use Apache as a reverse proxy.
Finish the setup wizard in the browser.