WordPress Installation and Optimization on a VPS Server

WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) for creating websites today. Thanks to its flexibility, ease of use, and extensive plugin/theme ecosystem, it is suitable for many different types of websites, from simple blogs to complex e-commerce sites. A VPS (Virtual Private Server) is a hosting solution that offers dedicated resources for your website, providing more control and performance. In this article, we will examine step-by-step how to install WordPress on a VPS server and how to optimize your website's performance.

VPS Selection and Preparation

Before starting the WordPress installation, it is important to choose a VPS server that suits your needs. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a VPS:

Resources: Choose a VPS with sufficient RAM, CPU, and storage space based on your website's expected traffic and complexity. For starters, 1-2 GB of RAM, 1-2 CPU cores, and 20-40 GB of storage space may be sufficient.
Operating System: Most VPS providers offer different operating system options. The most commonly used operating systems for WordPress are Ubuntu, Debian, and CentOS. Ubuntu is a good option for beginners due to its ease of use and large community.
Control Panel: The control panel offered by your VPS provider (e.g., cPanel, Plesk, DirectAdmin) can simplify server management and WordPress installation. However, using a control panel may incur additional costs.
Location: Choosing a server location close to your website's target audience can reduce latency and improve performance.
Price: Compare the prices of different VPS providers and choose a plan that fits your budget. However, instead of focusing solely on price, consider the resources offered and the quality of service.

After selecting your VPS, you need to connect to the server and perform the preparation steps. Usually, you connect to the server using the SSH (Secure Shell) protocol. You can use PuTTY (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux) as an SSH client.

After connecting to the server, you can prepare the server for WordPress installation by following these steps:

System Updates: After connecting to the server, it is important to update the operating system to the latest version. For Ubuntu, you can use the following commands:
```
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
```
Firewall Installation: It is recommended to install a firewall to protect your server against unauthorized access. UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) is a commonly used firewall for Ubuntu.
```
sudo apt install ufw
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw allow ssh
sudo ufw allow http
sudo ufw allow https
```

LEMP Stack Installation

WordPress runs on the PHP programming language and a database (usually MySQL or MariaDB). To install WordPress on a VPS server, you must first install a LEMP (Linux, Nginx, MySQL/MariaDB, PHP) or LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL/MariaDB, PHP) stack. In this article, we will cover the installation of a LEMP stack using the Nginx web server.

Nginx Installation: Nginx is a high-performance web server. You can install Nginx with the following commands:
```
sudo apt install nginx
```
After the installation is complete, you can visit your server's IP address in your browser to check if Nginx is running. You should see the text "Welcome to nginx!".
MariaDB Installation: MariaDB is an open-source alternative to MySQL. You can install MariaDB with the following commands:
```
sudo apt install mariadb-server
```
After the installation is complete, run the following command to secure MariaDB:
```
sudo mysql_secure_installation
```
This command will ask you a series of questions. Set a secure password and secure MariaDB by changing the default settings.
PHP Installation: Since WordPress runs on PHP, you need to install PHP and the necessary PHP modules.
```
sudo apt install php php-fpm php-mysql php-cli php-gd php-curl php-zip php-xml
```
PHP-FPM (FastCGI Process Manager) provides communication between Nginx and PHP.

WordPress Installation

After completing the LEMP stack installation, you can start installing WordPress.

WordPress Download: You can download the latest version of WordPress from WordPress.org. Alternatively, you can download it to your server with the following commands:
```
wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz
```
After the download is complete, extract the file:
```
tar -xzvf latest.tar.gz
```
Moving WordPress Files to the Web Server Directory: You need to move the WordPress files to the Nginx web server directory. This directory is usually `/var/www/html`. However, if you are using a different directory, adjust accordingly.
```
sudo mv wordpress/* /var/www/html/
```
Setting File Permissions: You need to set the correct file permissions so that WordPress can write to the files.
```
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/
```

Nginx Configuration: You need to configure Nginx to work with WordPress. Create a new Nginx configuration file:

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

Paste the following configuration into the file (remember to update your domain name and other settings):

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;

    root /var/www/html;
    index index.php index.html index.htm;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;
    }

    location ~ \.php$ {
        include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
        fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php7.4-fpm.sock; # Update according to your PHP version
    }

    location ~ /\.ht {
        deny all;
    }
}

Save and close the configuration file. Then, activate the site:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/wordpress /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl restart nginx

Completing WordPress Installation: Visit your domain name in your browser (e.g., example.com). The WordPress installation wizard will open. Complete the installation by entering the required information (database name, username, password, etc.).

WordPress Optimization

After completing the WordPress installation, you can take some steps to optimize your website's performance:

Using a Caching Plugin: Caching reduces server load and increases page loading speed by creating static copies of your website. You can use popular caching plugins such as WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache, and LiteSpeed Cache.
Image Optimization: Large images can negatively affect page loading speed. You can use plugins like Smush, Imagify, or ShortPixel to optimize images for the web.
Using a CDN (Content Delivery Network): A CDN stores your website's content on servers in different geographic locations, allowing users to access it faster. You can use CDN services such as Cloudflare, MaxCDN, and KeyCDN.
Theme and Plugin Optimization: Delete themes and plugins that you are not using. Make sure the themes and plugins you are using are up to date. Prefer lightweight and optimized themes.
Database Optimization: Regularly optimizing your database can improve performance. The WP-Optimize plugin can help you optimize your database.
Updating the PHP Version: Newer PHP versions offer better performance. Make sure you are using the latest PHP version on your server.

Conclusion and Summary

In this article, we examined step-by-step how to install WordPress on a VPS server and how to optimize your website's performance. By following the VPS selection, LEMP stack installation, WordPress installation, and optimization steps, you can create a fast and reliable WordPress website. Remember that your website's performance should be constantly monitored and optimized. Regularly check for updates, remove unnecessary plugins, and increase your website's speed by using optimization techniques such as caching.