{"id":3408,"date":"2026-11-03T07:02:17","date_gmt":"2026-11-03T07:02:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dynamicpixel.co.in\/blog\/?p=3408"},"modified":"2026-11-03T07:02:19","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T07:02:19","slug":"how-to-install-moodle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dynamicpixel.co.in\/blog\/how-to-install-moodle\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Install Moodle: Step-by-Step Guide (Ubuntu & cPanel) 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

To install Moodle, set up a server with a web server (Apache or Nginx), 64-bit PHP 8.3 or 8.4 and a database (MySQL 8.4, MariaDB 11.4 or PostgreSQL 17). Download Moodle from download.moodle.org or Git, create an empty database and a moodledata folder outside the web root, then run the web installer or the CLI installer.<\/span><\/p>\n

The whole process takes about 30 to 60 minutes on a clean Ubuntu server. On cPanel it takes 10 to 20 minutes if your host meets the requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n

This guide covers Moodle 5.3 LTS, released on 5 October 2026 and supported with security fixes until October 2029 (see what’s new in our <\/span>Moodle 5.3 LTS features guide<\/a><\/strong>). It walks you through three paths: Ubuntu (best for production), cPanel (best for small sites on shared hosting) and Windows or localhost (best for testing).<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/b>About the author:<\/b> Written by the Moodle team at <\/span>Dynamic Pixel<\/a><\/strong>,<\/strong> a Certified Moodle Partner with 15+ years of experience in LMS implementation, hosting and upgrades for enterprises, universities and government bodies.<\/span> Reviewed by <\/span>Udit Khandelwal<\/a><\/strong>, CEO & Co-Founder.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/b>How this guide was prepared:<\/b> Requirements, version numbers, dates and commands are based on the official Moodle 5.3 release notes and Moodle Docs, linked in the Sources section.<\/span> Last updated: 30 October 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moodle 5.3 System Requirements (2026)<\/b><\/h2>\n

Moodle 5.3 needs 64-bit PHP 8.3 or 8.4, a supported database and the PHP sodium extension. Check these before you download anything. A wrong PHP or database version is the most common reason an install fails.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Component<\/span><\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Minimum for Moodle 5.3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Our recommendation<\/span><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

\n

PHP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

8.3.0 (64-bit only); 8.4 also supported<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

PHP 8.3 on Ubuntu 24.04<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

PHP setting<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

max_input_vars \u2265 5000<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

5000<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Required PHP extension<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

sodium (plus intl, mbstring, xml, zip, gd, curl, soap, opcache)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Install all in one command (see Ubuntu steps)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

MySQL<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

8.4<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Latest 8.4.x<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

MariaDB<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

11.4.0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Latest 11.4.x<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

PostgreSQL<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

17<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

17 or newer<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Microsoft SQL Server<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2019<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Only if you are a Windows shop<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Web server<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Apache or Nginx, document root pointed to Moodle’s \/public folder<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Apache for beginners, Nginx for scale<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

RAM<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Not fixed by Moodle<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

4 GB for a small pilot, 8 GB+ for a few hundred active users<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Source: <\/span>Moodle 5.3 release notes<\/span><\/a>.<\/span> Oracle Database is no longer supported from Moodle 5.0. The RAM numbers are practical starting points, not official minimums.<\/span><\/p>\n

Two changes that break most “old” tutorials<\/b><\/h3>\n