DEV Community

Cover image for How to Set Up an Automated LAMP Stack on AWS Using Ansible
Alan Varghese
Alan Varghese

Posted on

How to Set Up an Automated LAMP Stack on AWS Using Ansible

#cloud #cloudcomputing #webdev #devops

Deploying a web server manually can be time-consuming and prone to human error. Whether it’s installing Apache, configuring MySQL, or setting up PHP dependencies — doing it repeatedly for every environment is inefficient.

That’s why I decided to automate the entire LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) setup using Ansible. This project demonstrates how to use Ansible to provision, configure, and verify a LAMP stack on an AWS EC2 Ubuntu instance, all with a single command.

By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a fully automated, production-ready LAMP stack — ideal for developers, DevOps beginners, and anyone looking to streamline server deployments.

What Is a LAMP Stack?

The LAMP stack is one of the most common and reliable web server architectures used across the internet.

  • L – Linux: The operating system (Ubuntu in our case)

  • A – Apache: Web server that serves your website content

  • M – MySQL: Database to store your web application data

  • P – PHP: Server-side scripting language to process dynamic content

Together, they create a stable, powerful foundation for hosting web applications — especially WordPress, Joomla, and PHP-based sites.

Tools & Technologies Used

  • AWS EC2 (Ubuntu 22.04) ---> Cloud instance hosting
  • Ansible ---> Automation and configuration management
  • Apache ---> Web server
  • MySQL ---> Database server
  • PHP ---> Scripting language
  • Git & GitHub ---> Version control and project documentation
  • macOS Terminal ---> Used as the Ansible control node

Step-by-Step Workflow

1️⃣ Launch an AWS EC2 Instance

  • Use Ubuntu 22.04 AMI.

  • Create a new key pair (e.g., lamp-key.pem).

  • Open inbound rules for ports 22 (SSH), 80 (HTTP), and 443 (HTTPS).

2️⃣ Configure SSH Access

chmod 400 lamp-key.pem
ssh -i lamp-key.pem ubuntu@<EC2-Public-IP>

3️⃣ Install Ansible on Control Node

brew install ansible ansible --version

4️⃣ Create an Inventory File

[lamp]<EC2-Public-IP> ansible_user=ubuntu ansible_ssh_private_key_file=~/.ssh/lamp-key.pem

5️⃣ Write the LAMP Ansible Playbook

  • name: Deploy LAMP Stack
    hosts: lamp
    become: true
    tasks:

    • name: Update packages apt: update_cache: yes
    • name: Install Apache apt: name: apache2 state: present
    • name: Install PHP and modules apt: name:
      • php
      • libapache2-mod-php
      • php-mysql state: present
    • name: Install MySQL apt: name: mysql-server state: present
    • name: Ensure Apache is running service: name: apache2 state: started enabled: true

6️⃣ Run the Playbook

ansible-playbook -i inventory lamp.yaml

7️⃣ Verify the Setup

  • Visit your EC2 public IP in a browser → You should see the Apache Welcome Page.

  • Create a PHP test file:

echo "<?php phpinfo(); ?>" | sudo tee /var/www/html/info.php

  • Open http://<EC2-IP>/info.php to confirm PHP is working.

Troubleshooting & Solutions

  • EC2 unreachable ---> Ansible UNREACHABLE error ---> Check key permissions and open SSH port 22

  • MySQL Error 2002 ---> Service not running ---> Restart MySQL: sudo systemctl restart mysql

  • Ansible skipped tasks ---> Wrong inventory path ---> Correct path and verify hostnames

  • YAML syntax error ---> Incorrect spacing ---> Validate using yamllint or online validator

What I Learned

  • How to automate web server setup using Ansible playbooks

  • How to manage EC2 instances with SSH and Ansible

  • Real-world debugging experience with YAML, MySQL, and Apache

  • How to document and version control DevOps projects in GitHub

About the Author

Alan Varghese
Learning topics covering RHCSA, MCSA, CCNA, CompTIA A+/Network+/Security+, AWS Solutions Architect

💼 Aiming for roles in DevOps, Cloud, and Cybersecurity

🔗 Portfolio:

Conclusion

Automating your LAMP stack deployment using Ansible on AWS not only saves time but also ensures consistency, scalability, and reliability.

With just one command, you can build a fully functional web server from scratch — ready for hosting websites, web apps, or WordPress installations.

“Automation isn’t about replacing human effort — it’s about amplifying it.”

Top comments (0)