Here’s a guide to installing and customizing the Akeneo web application stack.

Installation

  1. System Requirements:

Before beginning the installation, ensure your server meets the following requirements:

  • PHP 7.3 or higher
  • MySQL 5.7 or higher
  • Composer
  • Node.js and Yarn
  1. Setting Up the Environment:

First, update your package lists and install the necessary dependencies:

apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y git curl php php-cli php-mbstring php-xml php-curl php-zip php-mysql php-intl php-gd mysql-server
  1. Install Composer:

Composer is required to manage PHP dependencies:

curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php
sudo mv composer.phar /usr/local/bin/composer
  1. Clone Akeneo PIM:

Clone the Akeneo PIM repository from GitHub:

git clone https://github.com/akeneo/pim-community-standard.git

cd pim-community-standard

  1. Install Akeneo Dependencies:

Install PHP and JavaScript dependencies:

composer install

yarn install
yarn run webpack

  1. Set Up the Database:

Create a new MySQL database and user for Akeneo:

SQL

CREATE DATABASE akeneo_pim;

CREATE USER 'akeneo_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON akeneo_pim.* TO 'akeneo_user'@'localhost';

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Configure the database connection in the `app/config/parameters.yml` file.

  1. Initialize the Database:

Load Akeneo’s database schema and fixtures:

php bin/console pim:installer:db
  1. Start the Akeneo Application:

Run the Akeneo application using the built-in PHP server or your preferred web server:

php bin/console server:run

Customization

Once the installation is complete, you can start customizing Akeneo to fit your business requirements.

  1. Customizing Entities:

Akeneo allows you to customize product attributes, families, and categories to match your specific data model. You can do this through the web interface under the “Settings” menu.

  1. Adding Custom Modules:

You can develop custom modules to extend Akeneo’s functionality. Create a new bundle in the `src` directory and register it in `app/AppKernel.php`.

  1. Custom Workflows:

Customize workflows to streamline your product data management processes. This includes setting up validation rules, creating user roles and permissions, and configuring import/export jobs.

  1. Theming:

Customize the look and feel of Akeneo’s web interface to align with your brand. Modify the Twig templates and CSS files located in the `web` directory.

  1. Integration with Third-Party Services:

Integrate Akeneo with other systems such as e-commerce platforms, ERPs, and DAMs using APIs or existing connectors. Akeneo’s REST API allows for seamless data exchange between systems.

By following these steps, you can successfully install and customize the Akeneo web application stack to meet your specific needs. Whether you’re managing a small catalog or a large inventory, Akeneo provides the flexibility and scalability required to handle your product information efficiently.