Recently I have been made aware that as of now there is no real documentation upon how to update Zotlabs|Hubzilla, Zotlabs|Osada and Zotlaba|Zap.
Well, here we go.

Introduction to updating the Zotlabs|* Suite

All parts the Zotlabs|* Suite are easiest updated when using git. Actually this is the recommended way, either for the main software, addons, themes and widgets. There are three ways to update:

• Automatic update, all in one
• Automatic update, individual repositories
• Manual update, individual repositories one by one
• Update without git, just using zip files (toDo, needs to be written)
  

Usually you will want to use the automated way all in one, it takes care of all applicable repositories for all the addons, themes, widgets you added to your installation. It is simply by far the most convenient way to do it. But there may be times when you want to knowjalternate ways how to do things, which is why we will show you how to do that, too.

This howto applies to:

• Zotlabs|Hubzilla
• Zotlabs|Osada
• Zotlabs|Zap
  

Prerequirements

At the time of writing you will need access to the commandline in order to update, whichever way you chose.
The path to your webroot  will be different. This howto uses /var/www/mywebroot as an example path. Please adjust accordingly.

Recommended update process - automated, all in one

Within your webroot there is the folder util. This contains quite a few helper scripts that you can use. We will use util/udall. This will take care of all available repositories: the main software, addon repositories etc.

• change to your webroot
  cd /var/www/mywebroot
• then update
  util/udall
• Finished
  

---

You want more individual control? Very well, please read on.

Manual update process automated, reach repository individually

Sometimes you may want to do the updating process manually. You will need to take care of all applicable software repositories which are part of your installation.
Please note: Do take care keeping all repos up to date. If for example your main software and addons are on different levels, you may run into avoidable errors.

• Your main software which can be found in your webroot as in
  /var/www/mywebroot
• All your individual addon folder(s). This depends upon which addon repositories you added to your installation and which how you named them.
  

  /var/www/mywebroot/extend/addon/myaddons1
  /var/www/mywebroot/extend/addon/myaddons2
  /var/www/mywebroot/extend/addon/myaddons...

• All your individual theme folder(s), if any. This depends upon which theme repositories you added to your installation and which how you named them.
  

  /var/www/mywebroot/extend/theme/mythemes1
  /var/www/mywebroot/extend/theme/mythemes2
  /var/www/mywebroot/extend/theme/mythemes...

• All your individual widget folder(s), if any. This depends upon which widget repositories you added to your installation and which how you named them.
  

  /var/www/mywebroot/extend/widget/mywidgetss1
  /var/www/mywebroot/extend/widget/mywidgets2
  /var/www/mywebroot/extend/widget/mywidgets...

  
  

Update the main software

• change to your webroot
  cd /var/www/mywebroot
• then update
  git pull
• finished
  

Update the addons

• change to your addon repo
  cd /var/www/mywebroot/extend/addon/myaddons1
• then update
  git pull
• either finished, or repeat for any additional addon repo
  

Update the themes

• change to your theme repo
  cd /var/www/mywebroot/extend/theme/mythemes1
• then update
  git pull
• either finished, or repeat for any additional theme repo
  

Update the widgets

• change to your widget repo
  cd /var/www/mywebroot/extend/widget/mywidgets1
• then update
  git pull
• either finished, or repeat for any additional widget repo
  

Updating without git and/or without commandline access using FTP or similar upload methods

As of now there is not a way to trigger an update from the web interface. You may be able to set up a crontab for util/udall if you are using the installation method using a git repo, but that may not be an ideal solution, too. So I'd stick with FTP solutions. If you are using an archive file such as a zip download, you cannot use util/udall at all. Please proceed as described below.
Please remember that Zotlabs|Zap and Zotlabs|Osada share the same basic installation package. Zap is automatically included within Osada software. All descriptions apply to Zotlabs|Zap and Zotlabs|Osada alike.
Attention: This is currently being written. The below steps have not been revised or reviewed. There still are errors and typos. Please use only if this red notice has been removed.

The basic software stack

Assuming your base folder is called hubzilla or zap, the basic steps would be:

• rename your basic Hubzilla or Zap folder from example from hubzilla to hubzilla.bk or zap to zap.bk respectively. In case someting goes wrong you will be able to revert to the old version by reverting the renaming.
• Download the main software stack archive file, either as zip, tar.gz, tar.bz2 or tar archive.
• unpack the update file and make sure that folder is called the same as your initial folder, which would be either hubzilla or zap in our example.
• copy from the former webroot folder to the new one:
  
  • the folder "store"
  • the file ".htconfig.php"
    
• Now you should be able to call the admin interface and check for possible database update interaction
  https://yourdomain.com/admin/dbsync/
  
  
  

Addons, widgets, themes

There is no real convenient way to add or update addons, widgets or themes to either Zotlabs|Hubzilla or Zotlabs|Zap without commandline access at the moment. This is planned, though. As a compromise I would suggest:

Addons:

There are addons available both for Zotlabs|Hubzilla and Zotlabs|Zap.

• Download the addons archive file, either as zip, tar.gz, tar.bz2 or tar archive.
  Zotlabs|Hubzilla addons
  Zotlabs|Osada addons
• Upload the archive to your webspace
• Unpack the archive within your webroot, i.e. either hubzilla or zap which will create a folder addons-master
• rename addons-master to addon
  

Themes:

This step is only required if you already added custom themes to your installation. The official Zotlabs|Hubzilla theme repository is still empty, there are none for Zotlabs|Zap.  

• Download the themes archive file, either as zip, tar.gz, tar.bz2 or tar archive.
• Upload the archive to your webspace
• Unpack the archive within your webroot, i.e. either hubzilla or zap which will create a folder themes-master
• within that folder themes-master you will find the individual folders for each theme
• move those theme folders to view/theme/
  

Widgets:

This step is only required if you already added custom widgets to your installation. As of now only Zotlabs|Hubzilla has got a widget repository with additional widgets.

• Download the widgets archive file, either as zip, tar.gz, tar.bz2 or tar archive.
  official Zotlabs|Hubzilla widget repository
• Upload the archive to your webspace
• Unpack the archive within your webroot, i.e. either hubzilla or zap which will create a folder addons-maste
  https://framagit.org/hubzilla/widgets
  
  
• Unpack the archive within your webroot, i.e. either hubzilla or zap which will create a folder widgets-master
• rename widgets-master to widget