1) Create a file (if not already existing) .vimrc in your home directory.

 

2) Put following vimrc file in ~/.vimrc:

1. Install Apache (httpd), PHP, MySQL (server and client) and php-mysql bridge:

 yum -y install httpd php mysql mysql-server php-mysql 

 

2. Make the new services to start automatically on boot:

  /sbin/chkconfig httpd on
  /sbin/chkconfig --add mysqld  
  /sbin/chkconfig mysqld on

3. Start http and mysqld:

  /sbin/service httpd start
  /sbin/service mysqld start

4. Change Mysql root password:

1. Install basic packages:

   yum install php-pear php-devel httpd-devel

 

2. Install APC using pear. This is important: When the installer asks about APXS, say ‘no’. 

   pear install pecl/apc

 

 

Drupal with Ubercart

 

Ubercart is an open source e-commerce package that works on Drupal. It is powerful because it has the flexible archtecture of Drupal behind it.

 

Drupal is a powerful web-based, flexible, community solution and with Ubercart at hand, it allows e-commerce functions readily available to Drupal.

 

 

Ubercart API: uc_cart_add_item()

 

 

Quick Tip:

Command line tools are usually very fast when doing a repeatative task.

 

Linux/MAC command shell with all its shotcuts makes most developers like myself keep coming back for more development to them. Drupal too has its command shell: Drush and that can make the Drupal maintaince and upgrade the breeze.

 

 

Installing Drush

 

Drupal has a custom session handler that allows for handling of standard PHP session $_SESSION['key'] = 'value' for anonymous and autheticated users as well.

 

This session declared as above would persist from page to page. So, the above trick is helpful and you would not have to resort to cookies to store some information that stays from page to page (like when implementing multi-step form).

 

Sometimes, the standard $_SESSION may not work? Why?

 

I believe you have already worked upon the Drupal 6 performance and optimzation techniques and now is the time to do some session handling improvements.

 

Drupal Sessions: Challenge

 

Drupal stores sessions in database tables that may make your drupal site slow if your application is too database intensive and you have too many users loging in and logging out.

 

Drupal Sessions: Solution

 

Memcache as always!

 

Drupal memcache can have stunning improvements on server resources.

 

Assuming you are using memcache API module, there are certain not-so obvious steps you may need to perform to get your server behave nicely. In case, you need help installing memcache and memcache tools, check out the link.

 

One of our Drupal sites had immediate effects the moment memcache was installed and configured correctly as follows:

 

 

Improving Mysql Performance

 

 

 Configuring Mysql could be a daunting task if your Drupal site begins to scale and you start getting "too many connections" error or mysql server down errors. We had this opportunity to scale a Drupal site to 2 million page views a month and we improved this with success. So, lets start and share what we found out. I would be glad to hear from other people's experiences as well in the comment section.

 

Drupal Mysql Performance Engines: MyISAM vs InnoDB

 

 

What is Drupal?

 

Go to Drupal.org and read. The page states it as an Open Source CMS (Content Management System), but it is much more than that. We look at it as a framework. I assure you if you are still looking for a powerful, flexible system: Drupal is the one witthout doubt. But, like everything else in the world, great things come with some bad and ugly in it, Drupal has its weakness.