Interactive activities generate more PHP and database work than simple browsing.
Schools and training teams with scheduled simultaneous activity.Moodleのハードウェア要件：RAM、CPU、ストレージ、同時接続ユーザー数
小規模な学習サイト向けに、RAM、CPU、ストレージ、PHP、データベース、同時接続ユーザー数を考慮したMoodle 5.2のハードウェア構成と、実用的なZimaOSカスタムインストールのサイジングを計画します。
Moodle requirements at a glance
Moodle publishes basic hardware figures while warning that real needs vary by workload.
- CPU
- Official minimum: 1 GHz. Recommended: 2 GHz dual core or more.
- RAM
- Official minimum: 512 MB. Recommended: 1 GB or more; Moodle notes 8 GB+ is likely on a large production server.
- Storage
- 200 MB for Moodle code plus content; Moodle describes 5 GB as a realistic minimum.
- Moodle 5.2 software
- PHP 8.3+; PostgreSQL 16+, MySQL 8.4+, MariaDB 10.11+, Aurora MySQL 8.0 or SQL Server 2019+.
- GPU
- No GPU is required for normal Moodle courses, quizzes, grading or file serving.
- Best Zima starting point
- ZimaBoard 2 832 is far above the basic minimums for a small site; 16 GB or ZimaCube 2 Pro gives more room for concurrency, plugins and course files.
From official requirements to the right setup
Moodle sizing should be based on concurrent interactive users and activity type, not total enrolled accounts.
-
Official requirements
Start with 1 GHz CPU, 512 MB RAM and roughly 5 GB practical disk, but use at least the recommended 2 GHz dual-core/1 GB class for a real server.
-
Confirm your needs
Estimate concurrency and activity type. Quizzes, reports, grading and simultaneous uploads create much more database/PHP work than passive browsing.
-
Leave room to grow
Plan the database, moodledata and backups separately because course files, submissions, caches and backup archives can dwarf the code footprint.
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Run it on ZimaOS
On ZimaOS, use Install Custom App with a maintained Moodle stack, persist moodledata and the database, configure cron every minute, HTTPS and SMTP, then load-test before larger rollouts.
Check every playback client
- Peak concurrent users
- Quiz/exam concurrency
- Course/media growth
- Database choice/version
- moodledata persistence
- Cron every minute
- Backup retention
- Plugins and other ZimaOS services
Official minimum requirements
Moodle installation docs publish basic hardware figures, while Moodle 5.2 release notes define current supported PHP and database versions.
The 512 MB/1 GHz figures are real upstream minimums but are not a production capacity promise. Busy sites need more resources and larger sites should be piloted and monitored.
| Requirement | Official minimum | What this supports |
|---|---|---|
| CPU minimum | 1 GHz | 2 GHz dual core or more recommended. |
| RAM minimum | 512 MB | 1 GB+ recommended; 8 GB+ is noted as likely on a large production server. |
| Disk | 200 MB code; about 5 GB realistic minimum | Course content, moodledata and backups add more. |
| PHP for Moodle 5.2 | PHP 8.3.0+ | Only 64-bit PHP variants are supported. |
| PostgreSQL / MySQL | PostgreSQL 16+ or MySQL 8.4+ | Current Moodle 5.2 minimum supported versions. |
| MariaDB / SQL Server | MariaDB 10.11.0+ or SQL Server 2019+ | Aurora MySQL 8.0 is also supported. |
When to upgrade your hardware
Upgrade when interactive concurrency, database pressure or course-file growth makes the current server slow during teaching activity.
Concurrent quizzes or course activity slow down
The database begins swapping or reporting slow queries
moodledata and backups dominate disk capacity
Moodle performance guidance emphasizes RAM and avoiding swap; persistent swapping is a memory-pressure signal.
Sites with larger course/user data and more simultaneous activity.Course resources, submissions, caches and backup archives can grow far beyond the Moodle code footprint.
Long-running sites with rich media and retained backups.Plan hardware growth with confidence
Scale by protecting database/moodledata storage and increasing RAM for concurrency before adding hardware for features the workload does not use.
Use SSD-backed database and moodledata storage
Fast persistent storage improves database and file access during concurrent use.
Add SATA/NVMe SSD storage to ZimaBoard 2 or use ZimaCube 2 SSD tiers.Add RAM for concurrent PHP/database activity
Moodle performance guidance prioritizes RAM and avoiding swap.
ZimaBoard 2 1664 is a practical 16 GB small-server tier.Keep cron and caches healthy
Moodle requires admin/cli/cron.php every minute; delayed jobs can make resource issues worse.
Leave CPU/RAM headroom for scheduled jobs during peak use.Split web and database roles at larger scale
Moodle notes that larger deployments can separate web front ends and the database for easier tuning.
Move beyond one host only after load testing demonstrates the need.Can it run on ZimaOS?
Moodle is not currently presented as a verified public one-click ZimaOS App Store page. It can still be deployed through Install Custom App with a maintained Moodle container stack or a custom PHP/web/database Compose setup.
Custom install Moodle in ZimaOS
Use Install Custom App with a compatible Moodle stack, supported database and persistent moodledata. Configure the public URL, database credentials, PHP limits and cron.php every minute.
Custom install Moodle in the ZimaOS app ↗Match Moodle 5.2 software requirements
Current Moodle 5.2 needs PHP 8.3+ and supported database versions such as PostgreSQL 16, MySQL 8.4 or MariaDB 10.11.
Review Moodle 5.2 server requirements ↗Treat cron and persistence as mandatory
A usable Moodle server needs durable database and moodledata storage plus admin/cli/cron.php running every minute.
Review Moodle installation quickstart ↗Choose Zima hardware for Moodle
Moodle is light enough for ZimaBoard 2, but real sites are sized by concurrent activity, database workload and course-file storage.
Is this a small learning site or a higher-concurrency course platform?
Small classes, pilot or light production
8 GB is already far above the published minimum; add SSD-backed database/moodledata persistence.
- Best starting pointZimaBoard 2 832
- More concurrency headroomZimaBoard 2 1664
Larger course library or heavier concurrency
Use stronger CPU, 16 GB RAM and expandable storage, then load-test before assuming one server can support a large institution.
- Higher-headroom platformZimaCube 2 Pro
These are workload-based recommendations, not guarantees for student or concurrent-user counts.
| Zima hardware | Best for | Example workload | Core configuration | Recommended boundary | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZimaBoard 2 832 | Small Moodle sites, pilots and home-lab learning platforms. | Moodle web/PHP, database, moodledata, cron and backups for light concurrency. |
|
Add SSD storage for the database and moodledata; the official minimums do not guarantee exam or large-class concurrency. | Get Now |
| ZimaBoard 2 1664 | Moodle with more concurrent activity, plugins and course files. | More PHP workers, database cache, cron jobs and co-hosted services. |
|
16 GB gives whole-host headroom, but large quiz/exam sessions still require load testing. | Get Now |
| ZimaCube 2 Pro | Higher-concurrency Moodle and larger local course/backup storage. | Moodle, larger database working set, rich course media, backups and other education services. |
|
A stronger single host is not equivalent to Moodle multi-tier scaling; large institutions should test and separate roles when needed. | Get Now |
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Frequently asked questions
These answers cover Moodle CPU, RAM, storage, databases, concurrency and ZimaOS deployment.
How much RAM does Moodle need?
Moodle lists 512 MB RAM as the minimum and 1 GB or more as recommended. It notes that 8 GB+ is likely on a large production server.
How many CPU cores does Moodle need?
The guide lists 1 GHz as the minimum and recommends 2 GHz dual core or better. Real needs depend on concurrency and database load.
How much storage does Moodle need?
Moodle says the code itself needs about 200 MB, while about 5 GB is a realistic minimum after content is considered.
Which database does Moodle 5.2 support?
Moodle 5.2 supports PostgreSQL 16+, MySQL 8.4+, MariaDB 10.11+, Aurora MySQL 8.0 and SQL Server 2019+.
Does Moodle need an SSD?
SSD is not an official hard minimum, but SSD-backed database and moodledata storage is a strong practical choice for concurrent use.
Does Moodle need a GPU?
No dedicated GPU is required for standard courses, quizzes, grading and file delivery.
Can ZimaBoard 2 run Moodle?
Yes. The 8 GB ZimaBoard 2 is already far above Moodle basic requirements and is a practical small-site starting point with SSD-backed persistence.
What makes Moodle hardware needs grow?
Concurrent users, quizzes, plugins, reports, course files, database size and scheduled cron jobs matter more than total enrolled accounts.
What sources informed this Moodle hardware guide?
Current Moodle 5.2 installation and release documentation were used for requirements; Zima pages were used only for hardware matching.
