How to Run WordPress on a VPS with HestiaCP -Hestia Tutorial

HestiaCP: Free & Lightweight Web Hosting Control Panel Tutorial

Looking for a powerful yet free web hosting control panel? HestiaCP is a fantastic option for hosting both dynamic PHP websites and static sites. This comprehensive tutorial guides you through setting up HestiaCP on Ubuntu 22.04 (with notes for Debian 11) to run your websites on cheap servers.

Why Choose HestiaCP?

• Lightweight & Free: A cost-effective alternative to commercial control panels.
• Versatile: Supports both LAMP and LEMP server stacks.
• NGINX Support: Out-of-the-box NGINX reverse proxy support with LAMP.
• Performance: Nginx is known for its speed and efficiency, handling more traffic with fewer resources compared to Apache.
• Open Source: Built upon the robust foundation of VestaCP.

What You'll Learn in This Tutorial:

This tutorial walks you through a complete HestiaCP installation and configuration, covering essential server setup tasks.

1. Ubuntu 22.04 Server Deployment: We'll deploy an Ubuntu 22.04 server using Vultr (but you can use any VPS/Cloud provider).
2. SSH Access: Securely connect to your server via SSH.
3. User Management: Create a new user and add them to the sudoers group for administrative privileges.
4. SSH Key Authentication: Set up SSH key login for enhanced security.
5. Security Hardening: Disable root login and password authentication.
6. Firewall Configuration: Configure the Ubuntu firewall for optimal security.
7. SSH Port Change: Change the default SSH port for added security.
8. Swap File Creation: Create a swap file for improved system stability.
9. Hostname Configuration: Set the server's hostname.
10. Timezone Setup: Configure the correct timezone for your server.
11. Automatic Updates: Enable automatic updates to keep your server secure.
12. HestiaCP Installation: Install HestiaCP on your Ubuntu 22.04 server.
13. Website Management: Learn to install multiple WordPress websites, utilize the Hestia File Manager, manage databases, and configure email services.

Key HestiaCP Features:

• User Management: Robust user support with SFTP chroot jails.
• Security: 2-Factor authentication for the Admin Panel, SSH keys, and per-domain TLS certificates.
• Web Hosting: Support for web domains and Nginx FastCGI cache.
• Email: Nginx Proxy cache for Nginx + Apache, per-domain TLS certificates for inbound/outbound mail (exim4, dovecot, webmail), SMTP relay setup, and adjustable rate limits.
• Application Installation: One-click installation of popular applications like WordPress, Dokuwiki, Drupal, Grav, Laravel, MediaWiki, NextCloud, Opencart, and PrestaShop.
• Database Management: Support for MariaDB (10.2 - 10.8, with 10.6 as default) and PostgreSQL.
• Admin Tools: PHPmyAdmin and automated backups to SFTP, FTP, or Backblaze Cloud.
• PHP Support: Supports multiple PHP versions, including PHP 8.0 and PHP 8.1.

Ready to get started with HestiaCP? Join this tutorial now and take control of your web hosting!