How to Install Crater Invoice App on Ubuntu 20.04

Crater is an open-source invoicing solution tailored for individuals and businesses. It supports multiple currencies and integrates a variety of features to ease the invoicing process. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the steps to install Crater on your Ubuntu 20.04 system using Docker.

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu 20.04 LTS installed on your system.
• Docker and Docker Compose installed.
• Basic understanding of command line operations.
• Root or sudo access to the system.

Main Steps

Step 1: Install Docker

Before installing Crater, ensure Docker is installed on your system. You can install Docker by running the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y docker.io

Once Docker is installed, start the Docker service and enable it to run on boot:

sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

Step 2: Install Docker Compose

Docker Compose is a tool for defining and running multi-container Docker applications. To install Docker Compose, run:

sudo apt install -y docker-compose

Step 3: Clone the Crater Repository

Clone the Crater repository from GitHub to your local machine using git. If you don't have git installed, you can install it with:

sudo apt install -y git

Then, clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/crater-invoice/crater.git
cd crater

Step 4: Build the Docker Containers

Navigate to the directory containing the docker-compose.yml file:

cd crater

You can then build the Docker containers by running:

sudo docker-compose up -d

Step 5: Access the Application

Once the Docker containers are up and running, you can access Crater by opening your web browser and navigating to http://localhost. Follow the on-screen instructions to configure your application.

Advanced Configuration

After installing Crater, you may want to customize several aspects of it for better functionality or performance.

Database Configuration

The default database used by Crater is MariaDB. You can modify the database configuration in the docker-compose.yml file if needed:

environment:
MYSQL_USER: crater
MYSQL_PASSWORD: crater
MYSQL_DATABASE: crater
MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: crater

To persist database data on the host, uncomment the volume mapping under the db service:

# - ./docker-compose/db/data:/var/lib/mysql:rw,delegated

Customizing Templates

If you want to customize invoice templates, navigate to the templates directory:

/yourinstallation/resources/views/app/pdf/estimate

Modify the PHP and internal CSS as per your requirements. Remember to test your changes extensively.

Best Practices

• Keep your Docker containers updated with the latest versions to benefit from performance improvements and security fixes.
• Regularly back up your database to prevent data loss.
• Consider using environment variables for sensitive data such as database passwords.
• Test your application in a staging environment before deploying changes to production.

Troubleshooting

Here are some common issues and their solutions:

• PDF Invoices Not Generating: Check if all dependencies are met and you have set correct permissions. Review the application logs for detailed error messages.
• Unavailable Currency: To add a new currency, you might need to modify the application code or settings related to currency configurations.
• Invoice Template Customization Issues: If templates are not showing changes, make sure to clear cache or restart the application.

Conclusion

Installing Crater on Ubuntu 20.04 can significantly improve your invoicing process. By following the outlined steps and considering advanced configurations, you can tailor Crater to your specific needs. Remember to adhere to best practices for maintaining your application and troubleshooting any issues that may arise.

For assistance with setup or any specific configurations, feel free to reach out to our support services.

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