How to Set Up a LAMP Server on Debian

Edited 2 weeks ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

DebianLAMPServer SetupApacheMySQLPHPWeb DevelopmentLinuxOpen SourceSystem Administration

LAMP is a popular software stack used for web development. This acronym stands for Linux, Apache, MySQL (or MariaDB), and PHP. This guide will show you how to set up a LAMP server on the Debian operating system. By following these instructions, you will turn a simple Debian system into a working server ready to host websites and applications.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, make sure your Debian system is up-to-date. You need a user with sudo privileges to install the required packages. Also, having a basic understanding of terminal commands can be helpful.

Step 1: Update the package repository

Start by updating the package repositories to ensure you have the latest versions of the software available. Open the terminal and type:

sudo apt update

This command fetches updates for the packages available in the repositories. Next, upgrade the system like this:

sudo apt upgrade

Type 'Y' when prompted to confirm installation of the updates.

Step 2: Install Apache

Apache is a widely used open source web server software. To install Apache on your Debian system, enter the following command:

sudo apt install apache2

After the installation is complete, verify that Apache is running by checking its status:

sudo systemctl status apache2

If Apache is running correctly, you will see an Active status. You can also test this in your browser by entering your server's IP address. You should see the default Apache Debian page.

Step 3: Install MySQL/MariaDB

Next, you'll need a database management system. MySQL is the most popular choice, but MariaDB is also a great option. You can use any of these; this guide will use MariaDB.

Install MariaDB using the following command:

sudo apt install mariadb-server mariadb-client

Once installed, start the MariaDB service and enable it to start on boot:

sudo systemctl start mariadb sudo systemctl enable mariadb

You should now secure your MariaDB installation:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Follow the on-screen instructions to set the root password and remove anonymous users, disallow root logins remotely, delete the test database, and reload the privilege tables.

Step 4: Install PHP

PHP is a server-side scripting language designed primarily for web development. Install PHP along with some commonly used modules:

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

Once PHP is installed, you can test it by creating a PHP file in the root directory of the web server:

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

Type in the text editor:

<?php phpinfo(); ?>

Save the file and exit the editor. Restart Apache so it can recognize the changes:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Now go to http://your_server_ip/info.php in your browser. This page will show all the information about your PHP installation.

Step 5: Configure the firewall

It is important to configure the firewall to allow web traffic. If you have UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) installed, you can allow HTTP and HTTPS traffic with the following command:

sudo ufw allow 'Apache Full' sudo ufw enable

Confirm the current firewall rules by typing the following:

sudo ufw status

This command will check that both HTTP and HTTPS traffic is allowed.

Understanding Virtual Hosts

Just as you can host multiple websites on the same server with unique domain names, virtual hosts allow you to configure Apache to serve different websites from the same server. By default, Apache comes with a default virtual host file located at /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf. You can modify this file or create new configuration files for each site you host on your server.

Create a new configuration file using the example below:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/your_domain.conf

Add the following ingredients to it:

<VirtualHost *:80> ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost ServerName your_domain.com ServerAlias www.your_domain.com DocumentRoot /var/www/your_domain <Directory /var/www/your_domain/> Options Indexes FollowSymLinks AllowOverride All Require all granted </Directory> ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined </VirtualHost>

Enable the new virtual host with the command:

sudo a2ensite your_domain.conf

Disable the default site if you don't need it and restart Apache:

sudo a2dissite 000-default.conf sudo systemctl restart apache2

Create a directory for your domain in the /var/www directory and give it the appropriate permissions:

sudo mkdir /var/www/your_domain sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /var/www/your_domain sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/your_domain

You can now place your website files in /var/www/your_domain.

Step 6: Testing and final checking

Double-check the Apache configuration for syntax errors:

sudo apache2ctl configtest

It should return "Syntax OK". Restart Apache if no errors are found:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

To make sure all the components are working together, go back to your info.php test file in a browser. If everything is set up correctly, you have successfully deployed a LAMP server.

Conclusion

This guide has introduced you to the process of setting up a LAMP server on Debian. This is just the beginning; LAMP servers are highly versatile, and there are countless ways to extend and customize your setup. You can add features like SSL for secure connections, configure additional databases, or discover new web applications to deploy. Enjoy the vast possibilities that LAMP servers on Debian offer to developers.

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