How to Install Redis on Ubuntu 18: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

Redis is a high-performance, open-source, in-memory data store commonly used for caching, session management, real-time analytics, and more. If you’re running Ubuntu 18 and want to harness the power of Redis, this step-by-step tutorial will guide you through the installation process.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

1. An Ubuntu 18 system with root or sudo access.
2. An internet connection to download packages.
3. Basic familiarity with the Ubuntu command-line interface.

Step 1: Update the Package Repository

Start by ensuring your system’s package repository is up to date. Open a terminal and run the following command:

sudo apt update

This command will refresh your package list, ensuring you have access to the latest software.

Step 2: Install Redis

To install Redis on Ubuntu 18, use the apt package manager. Run the following command:

sudo apt install redis-server

You’ll be prompted to confirm the installation. Type ‘Y’ and press Enter to continue. This command will download and install Redis along with its dependencies.

Step 3: Start and Enable Redis

To ensure that Redis starts automatically when your server boots up and is currently running, you need to enable and start the Redis service. Run the following commands:

sudo systemctl start redis-server
sudo systemctl enable redis-server

To check the status of the Redis service, use:

sudo systemctl status redis-server

If Redis is functioning without issues, you should see “active (running)” in the output.

Step 4: Testing Redis

To test if Redis is working correctly, you can utilize the redis-cli tool to connect to the Redis server:

redis-cli

You should see a Redis prompt. From here, you can start executing Redis commands and interacting with the server. For example, you can set a key-value pair:

set mykey "Hello, Redis!"

To retrieve the value, use:

get mykey

If everything is set up correctly, you will see “Hello, Redis!” as the output.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed Redis on your Ubuntu 18 system, and you’re now ready to leverage the power of this high-performance data store for various applications. Redis has a wide range of use cases, including caching, real-time analytics, and more. To make the most of this powerful tool, remember to secure your Redis server and configure it according to your specific requirements. Enjoy using Redis on Ubuntu 18!