Server requirements
- PHP 7.1+ for phpBB 3.3.x and phpBB 3.2.X
PHP 5.0 to 5.6 supported for phpBB 3.0.13 old version of the script - "safe_mode" php configuration variable should be disabled.
- Wildcard DNS for subdomains, so domains like anything.your_domain.com would work. If you don't know how to setup it on your host, use third party dns servers. Its very easy to setup and will not be a problem.
- MySQL. Currently there are no plans to support any other databases. Required version is at least 5.5, which ever server should have.
Recommended configuration
In addition to requirements, having following configuration will enable more features, but its not required:
- Linux server running Apache or Windows with Apache or IIS.
- Apache with mod_rewrite. You can use ISAPI Rewrite on IIS. Script might work on other servers or without mod_rewrite, but apache+mod_rewrite is recommended.
- GD php module with FreeType support. It is not a requirement, but it is recommended as image verification uses GD to create images. If you don't know how to enable GD module on your server, check support forum for documentation.
Recommended hosting
I recommend to get a dedicated server. Allows you to grow and have room to run additional websites.
Another option is a VPS. Almost all VPS providers will give you a VPS that meets those requirements. Its cheap, its easy to scale, so when your website will grow bigger you can ask provider to allocate more resources for your VPS without having to move.
If you have any questions regarding script or server requirements please use contact form or support forum.