https://github.com/martialblog/docker-limesurvey
A Docker Image for LimeSurvey
https://github.com/martialblog/docker-limesurvey
build-automation docker docker-image docker-limesurvey limesurvey unit-tested
Last synced: 2 months ago
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A Docker Image for LimeSurvey
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/martialblog/docker-limesurvey
- Owner: martialblog
- License: mit
- Created: 2018-01-13T15:31:25.000Z (over 7 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2025-04-03T06:10:53.000Z (3 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-04-03T19:16:03.497Z (2 months ago)
- Topics: build-automation, docker, docker-image, docker-limesurvey, limesurvey, unit-tested
- Language: Shell
- Homepage: https://hub.docker.com/r/martialblog/limesurvey/
- Size: 895 KB
- Stars: 166
- Watchers: 4
- Forks: 75
- Open Issues: 15
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Contributing: CONTRIBUTING.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
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# LimeSurvey Docker
Dockerfile to build a [LimeSurvey](https://limesurvey.org) Image for the Docker container platform.
## Quick reference
- **Maintained by:** https://github.com/martialblog/
- **Where to get help:** [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/martialblog/docker-limesurvey/issues)
## Supported tags and respective Dockerfile links
- [`6-apache`, `6.-apache`, `latest` ](https://github.com/martialblog/docker-limesurvey/blob/master/6.0/apache/Dockerfile)
- [`6-fpm`, `6.-fpm`](https://github.com/martialblog/docker-limesurvey/blob/master/6.0/fpm/Dockerfile)
- [`6-fpm-alpine`, `6.-fpm-alpine`](https://github.com/martialblog/docker-limesurvey/blob/master/6.0/fpm-alpine/Dockerfile)
- [`5-apache`, `5.-apache`, `latest` ](https://github.com/martialblog/docker-limesurvey/blob/master/5.0/apache/Dockerfile)
- [`5-fpm`, `5.-fpm`](https://github.com/martialblog/docker-limesurvey/blob/master/5.0/fpm/Dockerfile)
- [`5-fpm-alpine`, `5.-fpm-alpine`](https://github.com/martialblog/docker-limesurvey/blob/master/5.0/fpm-alpine/Dockerfile)
# Using the Apache Image
The `apache` image comes with an Apache Webserver and PHP installed.
This image is also available in a `rootless` variant with `www-data` as default user and Apache listening on 8080. Starting from 5.0, the `rootless` variant is the default for Apache images.
## Apache Configuration
To change to Apache Webserver configuration, mount a Volume into the Container at:
- `/etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf`
See the example configuration provided.
The Apache port can be specified by setting the environment variable `LISTEN_PORT` (e.g. `LISTEN_PORT=8080`). Starting from 5.0, Apache defaults to listening on a non-privilged port (8080) in inside the container.
# Using the fpm Image
To use the fpm image, you need an additional web server that can proxy http-request to the fpm-port of the container. See *docker-compose.fpm.yml* for example.
## Using the fpm Image with HTTPS
If you would like to run the fpm setup with https, you can get a free certificate from Letsencrypt. As an example, the configuration in *docker-compose.fpm-certbot.yml*
will take care of getting a certificate and installing it. Please note that you will have to adjust the domain name in the file *examples/nginx-certbot.conf* to match
the domain used in the *HOSTNAMES* variable in the docker-compose configuration file. If you added both the a domain and the hostname *www* within the domain,
*nginx-certbot.conf* needs to contain the domain without the hostname. E.g. if you set *"HOSTNAMES=example.org www.example.org"*, the path in *nginx-certbot.conf* needs
to contain *example.org*.
# Using an external database
LimeSurvey requires an external database (MySQL, PostgreSQL) to run. See *docker-compose.yml* for example.
# Persistent data
To preserve the uploaded files assign the upload folder into a volume. See *docker-compose.yml* for example.
Path: `/var/www/html/upload`
**Hint**: The mounted directory must be owned by the webserver user (e.g. www-data)
# LimeSurvey configuration
The entrypoint will create a new config.php if none is provided and run the LimeSurvey command line interface for installation.
**Hint**: Changing the *ADMIN_* configuration has no effect after the initial configuration. It's best to do this within the application.
To change to LimeSurvey configuration, you can mount a Volume into the Container at:
- `/my-data/config.php:/var/www/html/application/config/config.php`
**Hint**: If this configuration is present before the installation, the LimeSurvey Web Installer will not run automatically.
## Data encryption
LimeSurvey version 4.0 and newer support data encryption, this image give you these options:
* Provide a security.php file directly (volume)
* Provide encryption keys for the `security.php` file (environment variables)
* Provide nothing and get a non-persistent `security.php` file
For further details on the settings see: https://manual.limesurvey.org/Data_encryption
# Reverse Proxy configuration
If you are running LimeSurvey behind a Reverse Proxy you might need some additional configuration in the Proxy. For example:
* Apache: `ProxyPreserveHost On`
* Nginx: `fastcgi_param HTTP_HOST my-survey.example.local;`
* Traefik: Set the Host Header explicitly via a customRequestHeaders
## Traefik example
**Hint**: if you want to deploy LimeSurvey on a sub-path (e.g. https://example.com/limesurvey) you have to set the BASE_URL and adjust the Containers Webservers. See the docker-compose Traefik example in the repository.
```
# BASE_URL = /limesurvey
"traefik.http.routers.limesurvey.rule=PathPrefix(`/limesurvey`)",
"traefik.http.routers.limesurvey.middlewares=strip-limesurvey@docker",
"traefik.http.middlewares.strip-limesurvey.stripprefix.prefixes=/limesurvey",
```
# Environment Variables
| Parameter | Description |
| --------- | ----------- |
| DB_TYPE | Database Type to use. mysql or pgsql |
| DB_HOST | Database server hostname |
| DB_PORT | Database server port |
| DB_SOCK | Database unix socket instead of host/port |
| DB_NAME | Database name |
| DB_TABLE_PREFIX | Database table prefix; set this to a single whitespace if you don't want a table prefix. |
| DB_MYSQL_ENGINE | MySQL engine used for survey tables (values: MyISAM, InnoDB, default: MyISAM) |
| DB_USERNAME | Database user |
| DB_PASSWORD | Database user's password |
| ADMIN_USER | Initial LimeSurvey Admin Username (for signing into admin panel) |
| ADMIN_NAME | Initial LimeSurvey Admin Name |
| ADMIN_EMAIL | Initial LimeSurvey Admin Email |
| ADMIN_PASSWORD | Initial LimeSurvey Admin Password (for signing into admin panel) |
| PUBLIC_URL | Public URL for public scripts |
| BASE_URL | Application Base URL |
| URL_FORMAT | URL Format. path or get |
| TABLE_SESSION | Enable table sessions (true) |
| SHOW_SCRIPT_NAME | Script name in URL (true\|false). Default: true |
| DEBUG | Debug level (0, 1, 2). Default: 0 |
| DEBUG_SQL | SQL Debug level (0, 1, 2). Default 0 |
| ENCRYPT_KEYPAIR | Data encryption keypair |
| ENCRYPT_PUBLIC_KEY | Data encryption public key |
| ENCRYPT_SECRET_KEY | Data encryption secret key |
| ENCRYPT_NONCE | Data encryption nonce (used in 5.0 and higher) |
| ENCRYPT_SECRET_BOX_KEY | Data encryption secret box key (used in 5.0 and higher) |
| LISTEN_PORT | Apache: Listen port. Default: 8080 |
Sensitive information can also be passed `_FILE` to the following environment variables to load the values from the given file path. Example `DB_PASSWORD_FILE=/run/secrets/db_password`.
```
DB_PASSWORD_FILE
ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE
ENCRYPT_KEYPAIR_FILE
ENCRYPT_PUBLIC_KEY_FILE
ENCRYPT_SECRET_KEY_FILE
ENCRYPT_NONCE_FILE
ENCRYPT_SECRET_BOX_KEY_FILE
```
For further details on the settings see: https://manual.limesurvey.org/Optional_settings#Advanced_Path_Settings
# Running LimeSurvey with docker-compose
The easiest way to get a fully featured and functional setup is using a docker-compose file. Several examples are provided in the [repository](https://github.com/martialblog/docker-limesurvey).
**Hint:** You need to configure a database and Limesurvey password in the `docker-compose` files before starting. No defaults are provided to discourage production use with default passwords.
```
docker-compose up
# Frontend
http://localhost:8080/
# Backend
http://localhost:8080/index.php/admin
```
# Running LimeSurvey with Helm
A Helm Chart for this Image can be used for deployments. Please refer to the Helm Repository for further details:
https://github.com/martialblog/helm-charts
# Upgrade Guide
These guides are only referring to the Docker Image, for details on the application users should consult the [official LimeSurvey documentation](https://manual.limesurvey.org/Upgrading_from_a_previous_version) for details.
## Upgrading the FPM Images
If you are using docker-compose to run the FPM Images, you need to stop the application and webserver Containers and delete the application volume:
```
$ docker volume ls
DRIVER VOLUME NAME
local docker-limesurvey_lime
$ docker volume rm docker-limesurvey_lime
```
## Upgrading to 6.0 from 5.x
The LimeSurvey 6 Images will use PHP 8.1 as Base Images.
LimeSurvey 5 will become the new LTS. LimeSurvey 3 is deprecated and will no longer be supported.
## Upgrading to 5.0 from 4.x
The default user in the Container will now be *www-data* (uid 33 in Debian, uid 82 in Alpine), any volumes mounted need the corresponding permissions:
```
# Debian
$ ls -ln upload/
total 4
drwxr-xr-x 3 33 33 4096 Jun 3 13:51 surveys
```
```
# Alpine
$ ls -ln upload/
total 4
drwxr-xr-x 3 82 82 4096 Jun 3 13:51 surveys
```
If you are using the Apache2 Images, the default port will now be **8080**. Depending on your setup the port configurations might need adjustment.
# Known Issues
## LimeSurvey behind a reverse proxy with a subdirectory
When running LimeSurvey behind a reverse proxy with a subdirectory (i.e. example.com/limesurvey), the admin area might not be displayed correctly due to a routing issue. The application will forward you to the BASE URL regardless.
This might be fixed by setting the HTTP Host Header in the reverse proxy explicitly.
See:
- https://github.com/martialblog/docker-limesurvey/issues/127
## Updating or rebuilding container removes themes/plugins/...
The `/var/www/html/upload` directory contains multiple subdirectories for different kind of persistent data,
e.g. themes, plugins and survey uploads. In past, the example configuration recommended only the persistent
volume for survey uploads. In such a situation, any rebuild of the container will remove other stored data.
To keep them persistent, you need to ensure that all subdirectories of `upload` are stored in a volume.
The easiest way is to mount the whole `/var/www/html/upload`. If you want to update an existing deployment
from previous configuration, please keep in mind that just changing the mount path may cause data loss
(e.g. already uploaded themes). Please backup your data from the container before any modifications.
You may also consider separated volumes for each subdirectory.
## Apache generates redirects with internal port / URLs don't work without trailing slash
If your deployment is behind an additional proxy that listens on a different port than the Apache in the
container, you may notice some issues with redirects generated from Apache, e.g. when redirecting
URLs to the cannonical version. Apache will try to add the port it's listening on to the URL.
To prevent this, you may edit the Apache configuration and add the `ServerName` directive with your
domain. In this case, Apache won't try to construct it automatically and use the configured value.
# References
- https://www.limesurvey.org/
- https://github.com/LimeSurvey/LimeSurvey/