SMF2.1:Requirements and recommendations

To run an SMF forum, the server must meet the following requirements and will run best on servers that also meet the recommendations below. This software has been tested and verified to work with the clients listed below, which are all internet browsers.

Minimum Server Requirements

The following are required on any server intending to run SMF 2.1.

• A web server with approximately 20MB of available disk space. Much more is recommended so that other content can be uploaded over time.
• A web server that supports PHP, such as Apache or Internet Information Server (IIS).
• PHP 7.0 or higher
• The following must be changed in the php.ini file:
  • The engine directive must be set to On.
  • The magic_quotes_sybase directive must be set to Off.
  • The session.save_path directive must be set to a valid directory or empty.
  • The file_uploads directive must be set to On.
  • The upload_tmp_dir directive must be set to a valid directory or empty.
  • The fileinfo extension must be enabled.
  • The mbstring extension must be enabled.
• One of the following databases must be installed:
  • MySQL 5.6 or higher.
  • PostgreSQL 9.6 or higher (standard_conforming_strings must be set to on).
  • MariaDB. SMF 2.1 is designed for PostgreSQL and MySQL, and has been shown to work well with MariaDB 10.x as well. If you run into MariaDB specific issues, please report them on Github
  • Other database servers that offer drop-in MySQL compatibility are also known to work, but are not supported.

• The following are requirements for the database:
  • There is at least 2 MB of storage space in the database for a clean SMF installation. Please note that this is only enough for the installation.
  • The database user must have at least the following privileges: SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, ALTER, and INDEX.
  • The database user must have the CREATE and DROP privileges during installation, conversion and some package installs.

Server Recommendations

These are not required, but may benefit your SMF install and enable you to use more functions.

• Apache 2.0.x or above with AcceptPathInfo set to On for queryless URL support.

• PHP with the following set in your php.ini file:
  • max_input_time set to at least 30.
  • post_max_size and upload_max_filesize set to the size of the largest attachments you wish to be able to upload.
  • memory_limit set to at least 512M.
  • max_execution_time set to at least 15.
  • register_globals set to Off.
  • session.use_trans_sid set to Off.
  • mod_security disabled (please see Mod security for more information).

• GD Graphics Library 2.0 or higher.

Basic Client Requirements

Any web browser that supports HTML5 and CSS3 and that is still supported by its vendor.

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Installing and Upgrading

• Introduction to installing
• Installing

• Requirements and recommendations
• Converting
• Change log

• Upgrading
• Patching