Want to host your own website or web app from home?
The LEMP stack (Linux, Nginx, MySQL, PHP) is a powerful combination used by developers and web admins to build fast, efficient, and scalable web servers.
In this guide, we’ll walk through setting up a LEMP server at home using Ubuntu. By the end, you’ll have a fully functional web server capable of running dynamic PHP websites — all powered by open-source tools.
What is the LEMP Stack?
Linux - Operating System.
EngineX (Nginx) - The web server that serves your site content.
MySQL - Database Management System.
PHP - Server-side scripting language that powers your site.
Unlike Apache (used in LAMP), Nginx handles more traffic efficiently, making LEMP ideal for modern, high-performance web applications.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure you have:
A computer or home server running Ubuntu (or any Linux distro).
Terminal access with
sudoprivileges.A stable internet connection.
Optional: Dynamic DNS service (like No-IP) if you want to access your server publicly.
Step 1: Update and Upgrade Your System
Always start with system updates to ensure everything is up-to-date:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
Step 2: Install Nginx
Install the Nginx web server:
sudo apt install nginx -y
Enable and start Nginx:
sudo systemctl enable nginx
sudo systemctl start nginx
Check Nginx status:
sudo systemctl status nginx
Now open your browser and go to:
http://localhost
or your local IP (eg: http://192.168.x.x) — you should see the Nginx Welcome Page.
Step 3: Install MySQL
Install MySQL database server:
sudo apt install mysql-server -y
Secure the MySQL installation:
sudo mysql_secure_installation
Follow the prompts to:
Set a root password
Remove anonymous users
Disallow remote root login
Remove test database
Login to MySQL:
sudo mysql -u root -p
Create a test database:
CREATE DATABASE test_db; EXIT;
Step 4: Install PHP
Install PHP and the required modules for Nginx to process PHP files:
sudo apt install php-fpm php-mysql -y
Check the PHP version:
php -v
Step 5: Configure Nginx to Use PHP
Open the default server block file:
sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/default
Find and update it to look like this:
server { listen 80; server_name localhost; root /var/www/html; index index.php index.html index.htm; location / { try_files $uri $uri/ =404; } location ~ \.php$ { include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf; fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock; } location ~ /\.ht { deny all; } }
💡 Note: Replace php8.3-fpm.sock with your actual PHP version if different (php8.1-fpm.sock, etc.).
Save and test the configuration:
sudo nginx -t
If there are no errors, reload Nginx:
sudo systemctl reload nginx
Step 6: Test PHP Processing
Create a PHP test file:
echo "<?php phpinfo(); ?>" | sudo tee /var/www/html/info.php
Then open in your browser:
http://localhost/info.php
You should see a page showing your PHP configuration — meaning Nginx and PHP are working perfectly!
Step 7: Set Up a Basic Firewall (Optional)
Enable UFW and allow Nginx traffic:
sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'
sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw status
Step 8: (Optional) Access Your Server Over the Internet
If you want to host your LEMP server publicly:
Register a free hostname on No-IP.
Configure port forwarding (HTTP 80, HTTPS 443) on your router.
Access your site from anywhere using your domain, eg:
http://myhomeserver.ddns.net
Conclusion
You’ve successfully set up a LEMP server at home!
Now you can:
Host your own website or blog.
Deploy WordPress manually.
Experiment with PHP-based projects locally.
Next Steps
Enable SSL with Let’s Encrypt for HTTPS.
Use Ansible to automate your LEMP deployment.
Secure your MySQL database and Nginx configuration.
Final Thoughts
The LEMP stack is lightweight, reliable, and perfect for learning real-world web hosting.
Building it manually gives you the confidence to handle both local and cloud-based deployments later — like the AWS-based LEMP and WordPress setups we did earlier.
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