How to Set Up a LAMP Stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) on Your VPS

How to Set Up a LAMP Stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) on Your VPS

A LAMP stack is a powerful framework for hosting web applications. This guide will help you install and configure Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP on your VPS.

Step 1: Update Your System

• Log in to Your VPS:

  • Use SSH to connect to your VPS:
  bash

  ssh user@your_vps_ip

• Update the Package Index:

  • Update your system’s package index to ensure you have the latest information on available packages:
  bash

  sudo apt update

• Upgrade Installed Packages:

  • Upgrade any installed packages to their latest versions:
  bash

   

  sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Apache

• Install Apache:

  • Use the following command to install the Apache web server:
  bash

  sudo apt install apache2 -y

• Start Apache Service:

  • Start the Apache service and enable it to run on boot:
  bash

  sudo systemctl start apache2

  sudo systemctl enable apache2

• Verify Apache Installation:

  • Open your web browser and navigate to http://your_vps_ip. You should see the Apache2 default welcome page.

Step 3: Install MySQL

• Install MySQL:

  • Install the MySQL server package:
  bash

  sudo apt install mysql-server -y

• Secure MySQL Installation:

  • Run the security script to set up security options for MySQL:
  bash

  sudo mysql_secure_installation
  • Follow the prompts to configure your MySQL installation, including setting a root password and removing anonymous users.

Step 4: Install PHP

• Install PHP:

  • Install PHP along with the necessary modules for Apache and MySQL:
  bash

  sudo apt install php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql -y

• Restart Apache:

  • Restart the Apache service to load the new PHP module:
  bash

  sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 5: Test PHP Processing

• Create a PHP Info File:

  • Create a new PHP file in the web root directory:
  bash

  echo "<?php phpinfo(); ?>" | sudo tee /var/www/html/info.php

• Access the PHP Info Page:

  • Open your web browser and navigate to http://your_vps_ip/info.php. You should see the PHP information page, confirming that PHP is working correctly.

• Remove the Info File:

  • For security reasons, remove the info.php file after testing:
  bash

  sudo rm /var/www/html/info.php

Step 6: Configure Firewall

• Allow Apache through the Firewall:

  • If you have a firewall enabled, allow Apache to receive traffic:
  bash

  sudo ufw allow 'Apache Full'

• Check Firewall Status:

  • Verify that the firewall rules are correctly set:
  bash

  sudo ufw status

Step 7: Finalize and Secure Your LAMP Stack

• Update MySQL User Privileges:

  • Log in to MySQL:
  bash

  sudo mysql -u root -p
  • Run the following commands to create a new user and grant privileges:
  sql

   

  CREATE USER 'newuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password'; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO 'newuser'@'localhost' WITH GRANT OPTION; FLUSH PRIVILEGES; EXIT;

• Secure Apache:

  • Consider enabling additional security features, such as disabling directory listing and setting up HTTPS using SSL certificates.

By following these steps, you have successfully set up a LAMP stack on your VPS. You can now start hosting your web applications and sites. If you encounter any issues, please refer to the documentation or seek assistance from support.