The LEMP stack (Linux, Nginx, MariaDB, PHP) is a popular stack for hosting web applications. It offers high performance and flexibility, making it a preferred choice for developers looking to build fast, scalable websites. In this guide, we’ll show you how to install the LEMP stack on Ubuntu 24.04. For optimal performance and scalability, it’s recommended to host your LEMP stack on a WindowsVPS. Using a VPS server ensures you have dedicated resources to manage web traffic and provide a smooth user experience.

Step 1: Update Your VPS Server

Before starting the installation, make sure your VPS server is updated with the latest packages. Run the following commands to update your system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Using a WindowsVPS ensures your LEMP stack runs in a high-performance environment with dedicated resources for maximum reliability and speed.

Step 2: Install Nginx

Nginx is a high-performance web server that will handle HTTP requests and serve your website content. Install Nginx using the following command:

sudo apt install nginx -y

Once installed, start and enable Nginx to run at boot:

sudo systemctl enable nginx --now

To verify Nginx is working, open your browser and visit http://your-server-ip. You should see the default Nginx welcome page.

Step 3: Install MariaDB

MariaDB is an open-source database management system that is a drop-in replacement for MySQL. Install MariaDB using the following command:

sudo apt install mariadb-server -y

After installation, secure MariaDB by running the following command:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

This script will guide you through setting up a root password, removing anonymous users, disabling remote root login, and other security measures. Follow the prompts to complete the setup.

Step 4: Install PHP

PHP is a server-side scripting language that works with Nginx and MariaDB to serve dynamic web content. Install PHP and the necessary PHP extensions for LEMP:

sudo apt install php-fpm php-mysql php-cli php-xml php-mbstring php-json php-curl php-zip -y

PHP-FPM (FastCGI Process Manager) will be used to handle PHP requests in Nginx.

Step 5: Configure Nginx to Use PHP

Now that PHP is installed, configure Nginx to process PHP files. Open the default Nginx server block configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/default

Find the section that starts with location ~ \.php$ { and update it to look like this:

location ~ \.php$ {
    include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
    fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php-fpm.sock;
    fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
    include fastcgi_params;
}

Also, ensure that the index directive includes index.php so Nginx prioritizes PHP files:

index index.php index.html index.htm;

Save the file and exit the text editor. Now restart Nginx and PHP-FPM to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart nginx
sudo systemctl restart php-fpm

Step 6: Test PHP with Nginx

To confirm that PHP is working with Nginx, create a PHP test file. Navigate to the web root directory:

cd /var/www/html

Create a file called info.php:

sudo nano info.php

Add the following code to the file:

<?php
phpinfo();
?>

Save and close the file. Now, open your web browser and navigate to http://your-server-ip/info.php. You should see the PHP information page, which confirms that PHP is correctly configured.

Step 7: Secure MariaDB and Create a Database

Log in to the MariaDB shell to create a database and secure your installation:

sudo mysql -u root -p

After entering the MariaDB shell, create a new database for your website:

CREATE DATABASE lemp_db;
CREATE USER 'lemp_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON lemp_db.* TO 'lemp_user'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Make sure to replace your_password with a strong password. This database will be used to store data for your web applications.

Step 8: Optimize Your VPS Server for LEMP

To get the most out of your LEMP stack, hosting it on a WindowsVPS is recommended. A VPS server provides dedicated resources, allowing you to handle high traffic, serve dynamic content, and ensure fast load times for your websites. A VPS gives you the control and flexibility needed to optimize your environment for maximum performance.

Conclusion

Installing the LEMP stack on Ubuntu 24.04 provides a powerful, high-performance platform for building and hosting websites. By hosting your LEMP stack on a WindowsVPS, you can take advantage of better performance, scalability, and control, ensuring your server can handle increased traffic and provide a seamless experience for users.

For more information on VPS hosting and optimizing your LEMP stack, visit WindowsVPS today.