How to Set Up an Automated WordPress LEMP Server with SSL on AWS (Using Ansible)

Deploying a WordPress website doesn’t have to be manual or repetitive. By combining AWS EC2, Ansible, and the LEMP stack (Linux, Nginx, MySQL, PHP), you can automate the entire process — from server provisioning to SSL configuration — in one smooth run.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how I built an automated WordPress deployment with Let’s Encrypt SSL, running on an Ubuntu 24.10 EC2 instance, all managed through Ansible playbooks.

What We’ll Cover

• Understanding the LEMP stack architecture

• Setting up AWS EC2 for automation

• Creating Ansible playbooks and roles

• Automating WordPress installation and SSL setup

• Troubleshooting common deployment issues

Project Overview

This project automates WordPress deployment on AWS using Ansible. It installs and configures:

• Linux (Ubuntu 24.10)

• Nginx as the web server

• MySQL for the database

• PHP for dynamic content

• Let’s Encrypt SSL for HTTPS security

You’ll end up with a fully operational WordPress site, protected by firewall rules and accessible securely via HTTPS.

Folder Structure

automated_wordpress_lemp_ssl_setup/
├── inventory
├── main-playbook.yaml
├── roles/
│ ├── common/
│ │ └── tasks/main.yaml
│ ├── firewall/
│ │ └── tasks/main.yaml
│ ├── lemp/
│ │ └── tasks/main.yaml
│ ├── wordpress/
│ │ └── tasks/main.yaml
│ ├── ssl/
│ │ └── tasks/main.yaml
│ └── nginx/
│ ├── tasks/main.yaml
│ ├── handlers/main.yaml
│ └── templates/wordpress_nginx.conf.j2

Tools & Technologies

• OS ---> Ubuntu 24.10 (AWS EC2)
• Web Server ---> Nginx
• Database ---> MySQL
• Language ---> PHP
• CMS ---> Wordpress
• Automation ---> Ansible
• SSL ---> Let’s Encrypt (Certbot)

Role Descriptions

• common → Updates and upgrades all system packages

• firewall → Enables UFW and allows ports 22 (SSH), 80 (HTTP), 443 (HTTPS)

• lemp → Installs Nginx, MySQL, PHP, and extensions

• wordpress → Downloads WordPress, configures database and user

• nginx → Configures Nginx for WordPress and reloads on change

• ssl → Obtains Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate and sets HTTPS redirection

SSL Configuration

Once the domain (e.g., mywordpressite.zapto.org) is mapped to your EC2 public IP, Certbot automatically generates an SSL certificate and configures HTTPS redirection.

💡 Tip: Always ensure ports 80 and 443 are open in both AWS Security Group and UFW.

Inventory Example

[wordpress]
<YOUR_EC2_PUBLIC_IP> ansible_user=ubuntu ansible_ssh_private_key_file=~/.ssh/your-key.pem

Running the Playbook

1. Update domain and email inside roles/ssl/tasks/main.yaml.

2. Run the playbook:

ansible-playbook -i inventory main-playbook.yaml

1. Once complete, visit:

- **[http://yourdomain.com](http://yourdomain.com)**

- **[https://yourdomain.com](https://yourdomain.com)**

Complete the WordPress setup and log in to your admin dashboard.

Troubleshooting Tips

Nginx default page showing ---> Remove /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/default

Certbot “No such auth” error ---> Wait for DNS propagation, then re-run playbook

WordPress database error ---> Check if DB and user are created properly

SSL not working ---> Ensure firewall and AWS SG allow 80/443

💡 Pro Tips

• Always remove default Nginx config before adding new ones.

• Make sure DNS A record points to your EC2 IP before running Certbot.

• You can re-run the playbook safely — Ansible ensures idempotence.

👤 Author

Alan Varghese

🔗 GitHub

📧 [e-mail]

Conclusion

By automating the entire deployment with Ansible, you’ve saved hours of manual setup and reduced human error. This approach is scalable, repeatable, and production-ready — ideal for DevOps portfolios or personal hosting environments.