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Every linux distro is slightly different. This guide is intended to cover the basics and show you around some of the ways you can configure and work with CrushFTP. You can try the single line in Linux for an automated download and install...may work on most distros.

wget -O - https://www.crushftp.com/crush9wiki/attach/Linux%20Install/configure.sh | bash

The assumption is that you are doing this install headless.

Java

First, make sure Java is installed properly. By default most linux distros come with an open source version of Java that may not work with CrushFTP. Make sure its an official OpenJDK java, or other suitable JVM.

Type:

java -version

If it mentions GNU, it is not the right one.

To run Java, you may need to specify the full path to the java binary. Something possibly like /usr/java/jre1.8.0_191/bin/java. Its going to depend on where you installed it. You can also install open java 11 as that works just fine as well.

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Extract CrushFTP folder ideally into /var/opt/ so it's an easier approach if you have issues finding it over time.

Start / Stop CrushFTP

There is a script provided to give you the basics of starting and stopping CrushFTP. It might be overkill for your situation, but you are welcome to use it and modify it for your needs. The script is crushftp_init.sh. Its included with your download of CrushFTP already. You must edit the script the first time you use it to set the correct path in it.

./crushftp_init.sh start
./crushftp_init.sh stop

Install / Uninstall CrushFTP

There is a script provided to give you the automated process supported on most Linux distro's of installing and uninstalling CrushFTP. The script is crushftp_init.sh.

./crushftp_init.sh install
./crushftp_init.sh uninstall

Generating an Admin User

While you technically can do everything with CrushFTP from the command line and editing text XML files, its much easier to use a web browser to do this. You just need to have an admin user created first.

To make your user for doing this, use a command like this (avoid special characters in the comamnd line password creation):

java -jar CrushFTP.jar -a "crushadmin" "password"

This will make a new user, and write it to the default location:

users/MainUsers/crushadmin/

You can now login to the administration console using a web browser. The default ports are:

http://your_ip:8080/
https://your_ip:443/

Install Video | Quick Start Video

Alternate Start /Stop CrushFTP Methods

You may also want to start it so it stays running even when you logout.

sudo nohup java -jar CrushFTP.jar -d&

The "-?" option will list various command line options you can use:

java -jar CrushFTP.jar -?

To kill CrushFTP, you can do it one of two ways. The standard kill method will definitely work in stopping the server. Its safe to use as CrushFTP takes precautions against issues that could arise.

You can also do it from a script. CrushFTP supports the "SITE QUIT" command if it has been enabled in the User Manager under the Admin tab for a user. So you can have a scripted command that simply logs into the server, issues SITE QUIT, then logs out. The server will then gracefully quit saving any unsaved data to disk before exiting.

Here is an example shell script to login with FTP with a provided script:

#!/bin/sh ftp -n < ftp.txt

You would then put the following into a ftp.txt file:

open 127.0.0.1
quote user crushadmin
quote pass password
quote site quit
quote quit

Provided a user named "crushadmin" exist, and they have permission to execute that command, CrushFTP will terminate once the user logs out.

Generating a Password With CrushFTP from the Command Line

CrushFTP supports a "-p" option to encrypt a password. This is especially useful if you are manipulating CrushFTP user.xml files directly.

java -jar CrushFTP.jar -p DES thePassword

Running as non-root

This method details how to run from rc.local on a systemd init based Linux flavor. Running as a non-root user won't allow binding to ports below 1024, will need to use NAT or port rewrite rules in iptables to be able to server on IANA defined well known ports.

Running crush in user mode as "crushftp" system user, by adding below lines into rc.local (generic method)

su - crushftp -c '/var/opt/CrushFTP7_PC/crushftp_init.sh start'
exit 0

This may be required in case daemon mode doesn't output to nohup.out, in this case modify the init script as

$NOHUP $JAVA -Ddir=$CRUSH_DIR -Xmx384M -jar plugins/lib/CrushFTPJarProxy.jar -d 2>>nohup.out &

Running in user mode on systemd RHEL 7/8 family Linux
First in crushftp_init.sh will need to set the user as "crushftp" ( or whatever non-root user) then allow rc-local.service to be able to run ( needed for compatibility mode, non root user)

touch /etc/systemd/system/rc-local.service
vi /etc/systemd/system/rc-local.service

paste into below

[Unit]
Description=/etc/rc.local Compatibility
ConditionPathExists=/etc/rc.local

[Service]
Type=forking
ExecStart=/etc/rc.local start
TimeoutSec=0
StandardOutput=tty
RemainAfterExit=yes
SysVStartPriority=99

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

then edit /etc/rc.local

vi /etc/rc.local

add in

su crushftp /var/opt/CrushFTP8_PC/crushftp_init.sh start
exit 0

then make it executable

chmod +x /etc/rc.local

then install the rc.local service

systemctl enable rc-local.service

reboot, check if OK