WordPress on VPS: detailed configuration instructions
Imagine that you have decided to create a website. At first glance, everything is simple: download WordPress, put it on hosting - and here is a blog, online store or corporate website ready.
But there comes a moment when it becomes cramped within the framework of shared hosting. The site grows, attendance increases, and the tariff with memory and processor limitations begins to slow you down. The page loads slowly, and from server overload the site can fall down.
And this is where it's time to move to a VPS. Control over the server, flexibility of settings, the ability to expand resources as the site grows - this is what you need.
If you do not like the idea of paying for a powerful VPS, but not using all the resources, then pay attention to services such as LikeVPS. With it, you will get a server with the right characteristics without spending too much. So you can start on a simple but server and gradually scale up as the project grows.
Let's figure out how to quickly install and configure WordPress on a VPS without diving into the theory. We'll just show you what to do.
Choosing a VPS
No matter how hard you try, you need a powerful server for your site to work fully without limitations. If before you used shared-hosting, where all server resources are shared among many users, now you get “your piece of the pie” on a virtual server. This means that the site will work faster and more stable, and you can customize the server to your needs.
But how do you choose a server? It is important to determine the right characteristics. For a start, the minimum configuration is enough: 1-2 GB of RAM and 20-40 GB SSD disk. If your site involves a large amount of content or high traffic, you will need to choose a server with more parameters. But for the majority of ordinary sites and blogs it will be enough.
Why LikeVPS?
- Fast connection.
- Full control over the server.
- Ability to scale resources as you grow.
- Simple configuration and administration.
Note: Connecting to a server with a VPS is simple, just take an SSH client and follow the instructions.
All commands and scripts provided in this article are for reference and require customization depending on your specific server conditions and configuration. Please make sure there are backups of your data before performing any actions on the server.
Operating system installation
We will use Linux (e.g. Ubuntu) to work with WordPress. Why Linux? Because it is a stable, fast and secure operating system that is suitable for working with servers.
After you connect to the VPS, upgrade the system:
apt update && apt upgrade -y
Install the packages to work with the server:
apt install apache2 php libapache2-mod-php mysql-server php-mysql -y
With this set of programs, the application will be ready to run.
Installing WordPress
Navigate to the directory where the site will be hosted:
cd /var/www/html
Delete the default file to create a space for WordPress:
rm index.html
Download the latest version of WordPress:
wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz
Unzip the downloaded file:
tar -xvzf latest.tar.gz
Move the WordPress files to the desired directory:
mv wordpress/* .
Set up the correct permissions for all files:
chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html
Now WordPress is ready to be installed. Just navigate to the browser.
Database creation
Now we need to create a database for your website. The database stores all the information that will be displayed on your site, from posts to comments.
Log in to MySQL:
mysql -u root -p
Create a database:
CREATE DATABASE wordpress;
Create a new user and give him permissions to the database:
CREATE USER 'wp_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON wordpress.* TO 'wp_user'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
Log out of MySQL:
exit
Finalizing WordPress customization through the browser
Now go to your browser and type in the server IP. You will be taken to the WordPress installation screen where you need to enter the details of the base you just created. That's it.
- Database name: wordpress
- User: wp_user
- Password: the one you set
After the system checks the settings, it will prompt you to create an administrator account. Enter your login, password and site address and there you go, your site is up and running!
Now you have everything you need to get your site up and running. Unlike shared-hosting, where resource limitations can hinder development, with VPS you get full control and flexibility. Of course, if your project grows, you can scale your server capacity - at the very least, it will be easier than looking for new hosting.
If you're still in doubt about how to get started with a VPS quickly, remember that with LikeVPS it will be easy. Choose a plan that suits you and customize everything you need.