For beginners, installing WordPress on a Linux VPS server could seem to be an intimidating task, and it may look like you have to be tech-savvy to accomplish it. But in this guide, we would like to make this process very simple for you so you can follow it step-by-step.

Choose a VPS provider for WordPress hosting

VPS stands for Virtual Private Network. A VPS provider offers virtual servers that are rented out on a monthly or yearly basis. Basically, when you purchase a VPS server, you’re renting a virtual server that runs on top of a bare metal server. In other words, the virtual server is not practically a real physical server but rather a virtualized server known as a virtual machine.

Because websites are meant to run 24/7, they have to be hosted in an environment that’s connected to power and the internet all the time. This place has to be a data center that has the infrastructure to run full-time throughout the year.

How to choose your VPS provider

There are several VPS providers out there with data centers they use to host their servers so other people like you can rent them out. In this case, we recommend that you buy Contabo VPS because they have the best VPS deals you will ever find on the market. See the Cantabo’s VPS pricing table below so you can get started.

From the above pricing table, you will realize that Contabo has some of the best VPS deals you need without pushing you into breaking the bank 🙂

How much VPS Server resources does hosting WordPress need?

The following table can help you to estimate and understand the VPS server resources you need to host your WordPress website for optimal performance

It’s important to note that the server needs for your WordPress VPS hosting will depend on several factors like; the nunber of concurrent users you expect and the size and type of content on your website you hope to serve to the users.

Buy a Domain Name

You should ensure that you have a domain name with you if you plan to host your WordPress website on a VPS server. If you’re just a beginner, you will need to buy a domain name you will will be mapped with your server’s IP address.

For those who just want to migrate their sites from shared hosting to VPS hosting, I suspect that you already have your preferred domain names and you don’t necessarily need to buy new ones.

RECOMMENDED READING: How to Point a Domain Name from Namecheap to Contabo VPS

Create a Cloudron Account

In this guide, we would like to use Cloudron as our Web hosting panel to easily install WordPress on VPS. Cloudron is a beginner-friendly web hosting panel that allows you to easily deploy website applications like WordPress with ease. Cloudron makes it simpler for beginners as you don’t necessarily need to go through the technicalities of setting up things like a database or installing LAMP on your server to get your WordPress running.

To be able to use Cloudron, you will need to sign up for a free Cloudron account here.

Once your account has been created, you will need to log in and add the domain you want to use to access the Cloudron hosting pane on your VPS server. This will help you to install WordPress with ease.
So, inside your account, you will need to click on the Set up Cloudron button which is under the Subscriptions section as seen below in the image:

When you click set up Cloudron, you will be required to type in your domain name as seen in the image below:

After adding your domain, you will be provided with the script you will use to install Cloudron on your VPS server. This script should look like this as seen in the image below:

RECOMMENDED READING: How to use Cloudflare on Namecheap Domain Pointed to Contabo

Set up the necessary DNS Records

This process allows you to configure your domain name with your VPS server. If you’ve bought your VPS server from Contabo, you will need to add the domain name in Contabo with the appropriate DNS records.

Assuming the IP address of your VPS server is 186.235.172.175 and the domain name you want to add is ugacomp.com, You will need to make sure the following records are configured in your DNS management console as seen below:

The above DNS setup means the following:

• A Record (IPv4 Address): This Record maps the domain (ugacomp.com) or its subdomain (@ or www) to the IP address of the VPS server.

• CNAME Records (Canonical Name): Alias records that point one domain or subdomain to another. Here, www and any other aliases for ugacomp.com.

• MX Record (Mail Exchange): Specifies the mail servers responsible for receiving emails on behalf of the domain. It typically points to a subdomain like mail.ugacomp.com.

• my: This is an A record and you need it to be mapped to the server’s IP address, which in this example is 186.235.172.175. You will need this record to access your server’s Cloudron control panel after the installation via this URL: my.yourdomain.com. Because we’re using ugacomp.com in this guide, our Cloudron admin console could be accessed via: my.ugacomp.com.

If you’re using Contabo VPS, please read the guide we’ve prepared specifically to help you understand how to step up the domain name with them.

After you’ve configured the DNS records of your domain, the next step is for you to get the nameservers from your VPS provider and add them to where your domain name was purchased. Various domain name vendors will allow you to add custom Nameservers from third-party providers. For example, if you’re using Contabo VPS server and you have a domain name registered from Namecheap, you will get the Contabo Nameservers provided to you after setting up the DNS Records and configure them to your Namecheap domain name as seen in the image below:

RECOMMENDED READING: How to Point a Domain Name from Namecheap to Contabo VPS

Connect to your VPS server using SSH

Under this step, we need to connect to our VPS server using SSH. This means that you need to make sure that you have the following:

• Server IP address

This is the public IP address that is assigned to the server you bought from your VPS provider. Every VPS server has to have an IP address. If you don’t know how to find this IP address, you can inquire with your VPS support team so they can guide you on how to find it. But if you’re using Contabo VPS, they will send you the server details including its IP address once you purchase from them. In this guide, let’s assume our IP address is 186.235.172.175

• Username

The username is the name assigned to the admin user of your server. When purchasing a VPS server, it will be set up with an admin user with all the administrative privileges to access it. In most cases, the admin username is usually root

• Password

This is the Password associated with the user created when you purchased the VPS server. If you don’t remember the password, you can contact your VPS provider so they can guide you on how to do it.

• SSH Client

The SSH Client is the software you install on your computer to enable you to establish an SSH connection with your remote VPS server. There are several SSH clients you can use, but our recommendation is Tobby

RECOMMENDED READING: A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding SSH | Learn from A-Z

Assuming your username is root and the IP address of your VPS server is 186.235.172.175, here is the command to connect to your server via SSH:

ssh root@186.235.172.175

You can replace the root with the appropriate username you have and 186.235.172.175 with your own IP address of the server.

Install Cloudron

Do you remember Cloudron? Great, we talked about the script in our Cloudron account. So, you need to go back to your Cloudron account and copy this script that looks as below:

Make sure you copy the script from your Cloudron account and paste it into the SSH terminal. This will ensure that the installation of Cloudron script is installed on your VPS server. This process can take some time and all you have to do is wait until it completes. Make sure your installation process is not interrupted by any abrupt internet disconnection on your local machine.

Configure Cloudron Setup

Once your Cloudron installation is complete, you need to configure it by going to the browser and typing in the Server IP address as seen below:

https://186.235.172.175

Make sure you replace 186.235.172.175 with the IP address of your VPS server.

If Cloudron is running, you will be able to access the Cloudron setup interface in the browser as seen in the image below:

Please ensure that the following are correctly filled in under the domain Setup:

• Domain

This is the domain name you added to your Cloudron account when you were signing up. And it’s still the same domain name you added to your VPS server as we did earlier in this guide.

• DNS Provider

Under the DNS Provider, you will need to choose Manual Configuration from the dropdown. This means that you’ve already configured all the appropriate DNS records and pointed your domain to the VPS server.

When you click next, the system will verify if your DNS records are set up correctly and then, it will generate an SSL Certificate on the my.yourdomain.com subdomain, which you will be using to access your Cloudron admin control panel.

Create the Cloudron Admin Account

The next step is to create the credentials for your Cloudron Admin account. These details are what you will be using to access your Cloudron Admin Control Panel. Please see the image below:

Make sure you note down all your credentials and keep tham somewhere safe for future access in case you forget. Once this process is complete, youcan proceed to the dashboard. Congratulations, your Cloudron is up and running 🙂

Install WordPress in Cloudron

Inside your Cloudron Control Pane;, you need to go to the App Store as seen below in the image:

Once you click on the App Store, you will be prompted to log in with your Cloudron Subscription account details. These are the details you created through the Cloudron website.

Search for a WordPress app

From the App Store, you need to search for or find a WordPress app as seen in the image below:

Click to install the WordPress app. Make sure you’re domain is selected in this step shown below:

If the domain is selected, leave everything to the default settings and click install. You will have to wait until the app completes the installation.

RECOMMENDED READING: How can I fix Cloudron domain redirection issues?

WordPress default credentials

You can access your WordPress site through the following URL structure:

https:yourdomain.com/wp-admin

Once you install WordPress using Cloudron, the following are the login credentials you will be given for your WordPress website:

USERNAME: admin

PASSWORD: changeme

Make sure the first thing you do once you log into your WordPress website is to change the Password credentials.

RECOMMENDED READING: How to deploy WordPress on a Ubuntu LAMP Server