Firebird stable [[ http://www.firebirdsql.org/en/firebird-2-5/|2.5.x]] is located into [[https://launchpad.net/~mapopa/+archive|this]] repository (ppa) for LTS and current supported [[https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases | Ubuntu releases]] The ppa repository must be added this way {{{ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mapopa }}} Then you need to update the cache repository {{{ sudo apt-get update }}} Here is how you can inspect the firebird2.5 related packages {{{ apt-cache search firebird2.5-* }}} Install the super server package (you will be asked about the SYSDBA password and what service to enable : Super Server, Classic or Super Classic ) {{{ sudo apt-get install firebird2.5-super The following extra packages will be installed: firebird2.5-common firebird2.5-common-doc firebird2.5-dev firebird2.5-server-common libfbclient2 libib-util Suggested packages: libfbembed2.5 firebird2.5-examples firebird2.5-doc The following NEW packages will be installed: firebird2.5-server-common firebird2.5-super The following packages will be upgraded: firebird2.5-common firebird2.5-common-doc firebird2.5-dev libfbclient2 libib-util 5 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 21 not upgraded. Need to get 5,442kB of archives. After this operation, 11.3MB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y }}} Or install Classic or Super Classic if you have more than one cpu (dual core or SMP machine) and want [[http://www.firebirdsql.org/manual/qsg25-classic-or-super.html|SMP support]] {{{ sudo apt-get install firebird2.5-classic }}} or {{{ sudo apt-get install firebird2.5-superclassic }}} You need to configure the package after is installed {{{ sudo dpkg-reconfigure firebird2.5-super }}} Install the examples and dev files {{{ sudo apt-get install firebird2.5-examples firebird2.5-dev }}} The employee.fdb archive will be under this dir /usr/share/doc/firebird2.1-examples/examples/empbuild/ {{{ cd /usr/share/doc/firebird2.5-examples/examples/empbuild/ sudo gunzip employee.fdb.gz sudo chown firebird.firebird employee.fdb sudo mv employee.fdb /var/lib/firebird/2.5/data/}}} Connect to database using the isql-fb console {{{ $ isql-fb SQL> connect "/var/lib/firebird/2.5/data/employee.fdb " user 'SYSDBA' password 'SYSDBApassword'; }}} '''always use localhost: in front of db path when using classic or superclassic in 2.5 this way the lock files and the shared memory segment will be owned by the 'firebird' user.''' Another alternative is to add yourself to firebird group {{{ $ sudo adduser `id -un` firebird }}} Then connect to the db in superclassic or classic {{{ $ isql-fb SQL> connect "localhost:/var/lib/firebird/2.5/data/employee.fdb " user 'SYSDBA' password 'SYSDBApassword'; }}} If all is ok then you will have the message with what database connected and what user and ready to use sql prompt {{{ Database: "/var/lib/firebird/2.5/data/employee.fdb ", User: SYSDBA SQL> }}} Now you can check the server version and the tables {{{ SQL> show tables; COUNTRY CUSTOMER DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEE_PROJECT JOB PROJECT PROJ_DEPT_BUDGET SALARY_HISTORY SALES SQL> show version; ISQL Version: LI-V2.5.0.* Firebird 2.5 Server version: Firebird/linux Intel (access method), version "LI-V2.5.0.* Firebird 2.5" Firebird/linux Intel (remote server), version "LI-V2.5.0.* Firebird 2.5/tcp (eeepc)/P11" Firebird/linux Intel (remote interface), version "LI-V2.5.0.* Firebird 2.5 Release Candidate 2/tcp (eeepc)/P11" on disk structure version 11.1 }}} To create a new database {{{ SQL> create database "/var/lib/firebird/2.5/data/first_database.fdb" user 'SYSDBA' password 'SYSDBAPASSWORD'; SQL> connect "/var/lib/firebird/2.5/data/first_database.fdb" user 'SYSDBA' password 'masterkey'; Commit current transaction (y/n)?y Committing. Database: "/var/lib/firebird/2.5/data/first_database.fdb", User: SYSDBA SQL> }}} If you want to create a simple table then insert 1-2 rows and select from it here is one example {{{ SQL> CREATE TABLE TEST (ID INT NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY, NAME VARCHAR(20)); SQL> show tables; TEST SQL> INSERT INTO TEST VALUES (1, 'John'); SQL> INSERT INTO TEST VALUES (2, 'Joe'); SQL> select * from test; ID NAME ============ ==================== 1 John 2 Joe }}} To quit the isql-fb console type quit {{{ SQL> quit CON>; }}} For a good open source GUI admin tool you might check the flamerobin administration tool included in ubuntu repository can be installed by an simple {{{ sudo apt-get install flamerobin }}} Then use it from the menu Applications->Programming-> FlameRobin To use firebird with php , you will need the php5 driver {{{ sudo apt-get install php5-interbase libapache2-mod-php5 sudo php5enmod interbase sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 restart }}} Next if you need to install an php administration tool like Firebird Web Admin {{{ sudo apt-get install git-core git clone git://github.com/mariuz/firebirdwebadmin.git mv firebirdwebadmin /var/www/html/firebirdwebadmin }}} and load it in the browser [[http://localhost/firebirdwebadmin|http://localhost/firebirdwebadmin]] It should look like this [[https://plus.google.com/photos/yourphotos?pid=6150124576638928626&oid=105567297772267099132 |screen shot]] =Other Firebird Related Guides= You can start with the main Firebird [[http://www.firebirdsql.org/en/documentation/|documentation]]. To use Ruby language with firebird I wrote a [[http://mapopa.blogspot.com/2009/02/fireruby-howto-start-with-firebird-and.html | tutorial]] on howto install the stable driver. For Ruby on Rails i wrote [[http://mapopa.blogspot.com/2009/02/installing-firebird-active-record-for.html |howto]] install the Firebird Active Record Adapter and start [[http://mapopa.blogspot.com/2009/02/rails-on-firebird-status-after-adapter.html | an application]]. To use python you must use [[http://pypi.python.org/pypi/fdb/ | the official ]] stable firebird python driver and [[http://pythonhosted.org/fdb/ | here]] is howto install and use the driver. For [[http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/lucid/man1/lazarus-ide.1.html|Lazarus IDE]] i wrote an [[http://mapopa.blogspot.com/2010/04/using-lazarus-ide-with-firebird-in.html | visual guide]] on howto use the database aware components in a simple application that uses Firebird. Lua Language does have a [[http://code.google.com/p/fbclient/|good driver]] and there is a [[http://mapopa.blogspot.com/2010/04/getting-started-with-firebird-and-lua.html|Getting started]] guide with firebird on ubuntu Server Side Javascript is served with the help of a pure Javascript [[https://npmjs.org/package/node-firebird | nodejs driver]]