LAMP stack is a group of open source software used to get web servers up and running. The acronym stands for Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP. Since the server is already running CentOS, the linux part is taken care of. Here is how to install the rest.
The steps in this tutorial require the user on the virtual private server to have root privileges. You can see how to set that up in the Initial Server Setup Tutorial in steps 3 and 4.
Apache is a free open source software which runs over 50% of the world's web servers.
To install apache, open terminal and type in this command:
sudo yum install httpd
Once it installs, you can start apache running on your VPS:
sudo service httpd start
That's it. To check if Apache is installed, direct your browser to your server's IP address (eg. http://12.34.56.789). The page should display the words “It works!" like this.
You can find your server's IP address from "Servers" page:
If you see this page, then your web server is now correctly installed.
On CentOS, some of the ports are not allowed to accept connection by default. In an example; you need to reconfigure iptables security settings to allow http (80) port since it is not allowed to connect to server by default. If you have any access problem to your server over http, use the codes shown in below to give access for 80 port (443 for https). You can also set configuration for other ports just like the same:
sudo iptables -I INPUT 4 -p tcp -m state --state NEW -m tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT sudo iptables -I INPUT 4 -p tcp -m state --state NEW -m tcp --dport 443 -j ACCEPT sudo service iptables save
Or you can disable iptables service completely (not recommended).
service iptables stop
MySQL is a powerful database management system used for organizing and retrieving data on a virtual server
To install MySQL, open terminal and type in these commands:
sudo yum install mysql-server sudo service mysqld start
During the installation, MySQL will ask you for your permission twice. After you say Yes to both, MySQL will install.
Once it is done installing, you can set a root MySQL password:
sudo /usr/bin/mysql_secure_installation
The prompt will ask you for your current root password.
Since you just installed MySQL, you most likely won't have one, so leave it blank by pressing enter.
Enter current password for root (enter for none):
Then the prompt will ask you if you want to set a root password. Go ahead and choose Y and follow the instructions.
CentOS automates the process of setting up MySQL, asking you a series of yes or no questions.
It's easiest just to say Yes to all the options. At the end, MySQL will reload and implement the new changes.
By default, a MySQL installation has an anonymous user, allowing anyone to log into MySQL without having to have a user account created for them. This is intended only for testing, and to make the installation go a bit smoother. You should remove them before moving into a production environment. Remove anonymous users? [Y/n] y ... Success! Normally, root should only be allowed to connect from 'localhost'. This ensures that someone cannot guess at the root password from the network. Disallow root login remotely? [Y/n] y ... Success! By default, MySQL comes with a database named 'test' that anyone can access. This is also intended only for testing, and should be removed before moving into a production environment. Remove test database and access to it? [Y/n] y - Dropping test database... ... Success! - Removing privileges on test database... ... Success! Reloading the privilege tables will ensure that all changes made so far will take effect immediately. Reload privilege tables now? [Y/n] y ... Success! Cleaning up... All done! If you've completed all of the above steps, your MySQL installation should now be secure. Thanks for using MySQL!
PHP is an open source web scripting language that is widely used to build dynamic webpages.
To install PHP on your virtual private server, open terminal and type in this command:
sudo yum install php-mysql php-devel php-gd
Once you answer yes to the PHP prompt, PHP will be installed.
PHP Modules
PHP also has a variety of useful libraries and modules that you can add onto your server. You can see the libraries that are available by typing:
yum search php-
Terminal then will display the list of possible modules. The beginning looks like this:
php-bcmath.x86_64 : A module for PHP applications for using the bcmath library php-cli.x86_64 : Command-line interface for PHP php-common.x86_64 : Common files for PHP php-dba.x86_64 : A database abstraction layer module for PHP applications php-devel.x86_64 : Files needed for building PHP extensions php-embedded.x86_64 : PHP library for embedding in applications php-enchant.x86_64 : Human Language and Character Encoding Support php-gd.x86_64 : A module for PHP applications for using the gd graphics library php-imap.x86_64 : A module for PHP applications that use IMAP
To see more details about what each module does, type the following command into terminal, replacing the name of the module with whatever library you want to learn about.
yum info name of the module
Once you decide to install the module, type:
sudo yum install name of the module
You can install multiple libraries at once by separating the name of each module with a space.
Congratulations! You now have LAMP stack on your server!
We should also set the processes to run automatically when the server boots (php will run automatically once Apache starts):
sudo chkconfig httpd on sudo chkconfig mysqld on
Although LAMP is installed on your virtual server, we can still take a look and see the components online by creating a quick php info page
To set this up, first create a new file:
sudo nano /var/www/html/info.php
Add in the following line:
<?php phpinfo(); ?>
Then Save and Exit.
Restart apache so that all of the changes take effect on your virtual server:
sudo service httpd restart
Finish up by visiting your php info page (make sure you replace the example ip address with your correct one): http://12.34.56.789/info.php
