Deploying WordPress on Ubuntu VM with LAMP Stack: A Step-by-Step Guide

Deploying a WordPress site on a local server is a fantastic way to build a secure development environment for web projects. In this guide, I'll walk you through setting up a Virtual Machine (VM) with the LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) and installing WordPress on it. Follow these steps to get your WordPress site up and running!

Overview

WordPress is a widely-used open-source CMS known for its flexibility and ease of use. This guide covers the steps for setting up WordPress on an Apache server, configuring a MySQL database, and securing the installation.

Prerequisites

• Basic knowledge of command-line operations
• Installed Vagrant and VirtualBox
• Familiarity with editing files in the command line

Step 1: Set Up Your Project Directory

1. Open your terminal (Git Bash or other CLI) and create a directory for your project.
   

   mkdir wordpress
   cd wordpress
   

   This directory will house your WordPress files and VM configuration.

1. Initialize a Vagrant box:
   

   vagrant init ubuntu/focal64
   

   This command sets up a Vagrantfile, which will configure your VM.

Step 2: Configure the Vagrantfile

Edit the Vagrantfile to set up the network and memory for your VM:

1. Open the file:
   

   vim Vagrantfile
   

2. Make the following changes:

   • Uncomment config.vm.network "private_network" and set it to a static IP (e.g., 192.168.56.26).
   • Uncomment config.vm.network "public_network".
   • Uncomment config.vm.provider "virtualbox" and set vb.memory to 1600 MB.

1. Save and close the file with Esc, then :wq.

Step 3: Start and Access the VM

1. Start the VM:
   

   vagrant up
   

1. SSH into the VM:
   

   vagrant ssh
   

1. Switch to the root user:
   

   sudo -i
   

2. Change the hostname to “wordpress”:
   

   vim /etc/hostname
   

• Replace the existing name with wordpress, save and close, then type:
  

  hostname wordpress
  

1. Log out and log back in to apply the hostname changes:
   

   exit
   vagrant ssh
   sudo -i
   

Step 4: Install the LAMP Stack

1. Update the package list:
   

   sudo apt update
   

2. Install Apache, MySQL, PHP, and other dependencies:
   

   sudo apt install apache2 ghostscript libapache2-mod-php mysql-server php php-bcmath php-curl php-imagick php-intl php-json php-mbstring php-mysql php-xml php-zip -y
   

Step 5: Download and Install WordPress

1. Create a directory for WordPress and set permissions:
   

   sudo mkdir -p /srv/www
   sudo chown www-data: /srv/www
   

2. Download the latest WordPress release and extract it:
   

   curl https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz | sudo -u www-data tar zx -C /srv/www
   

Step 6: Configure Apache for WordPress

1. Open the Apache configuration file:
   

   vim /etc/apache2/sites-available/wordpress.conf
   

2. Add the following content:
   

   <VirtualHost *:80>
       DocumentRoot /srv/www/wordpress
       <Directory /srv/www/wordpress>
           Options FollowSymLinks
           AllowOverride Limit Options FileInfo
           DirectoryIndex index.php
           Require all granted
       </Directory>
       <Directory /srv/www/wordpress/wp-content>
           Options FollowSymLinks
           Require all granted
       </Directory>
   </VirtualHost>
   

3. Save and close the file: Esc :wq

4. Enable the site and modules, and reload Apache:
   

   sudo a2ensite wordpress
   sudo a2enmod rewrite
   sudo a2dissite 000-default
   sudo service apache2 reload
   

Step 7: Set Up the Database for WordPress

1. Connect to MySQL:
   

   sudo mysql -u root
   

2. Run the following commands to create a database and user for WordPress (replace admin123 with your own password):
   

   CREATE DATABASE wordpress;
   CREATE USER wordpress@localhost IDENTIFIED BY 'admin123';
   GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE,DELETE,CREATE,DROP,ALTER ON wordpress.* TO wordpress@localhost;
   FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
   

3. Exit MySQL:
   

   quit;
   

Step 8: Configure WordPress to Connect to the Database

1. Copy the sample configuration file replace with your password:
   

   sudo -u www-data cp /srv/www/wordpress/wp-config-sample.php /srv/www/wordpress/wp-config.php
   sudo -u www-data sed -i 's/database_name_here/wordpress/' /srv/www/wordpress/wp-config.php
   sudo -u www-data sed -i 's/username_here/wordpress/' /srv/www/wordpress/wp-config.php
   sudo -u www-data sed -i 's/password_here/admin123/' /srv/www/wordpress/wp-config.php
   

2. Add security keys for your WordPress site. Open the wp-config.php file:
   

   sudo -u www-data vim /srv/www/wordpress/wp-config.php
   

3. Replace the lines defining authentication keys with values from this WordPress API, save, and close. (ctrl+x followed by y then enter).

Step 9: Complete the Setup in the Browser

1. To get the IP address of your VM:
   

   ip addr show
   

2. Copy the IP address and paste it in your browser. You should see the WordPress setup page.

1. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish setting up WordPress:
   • Enter your site title, username, password, and email.
   • Click "Install WordPress" and log in.

Congratulations! now we have Deployed our WordPress.

This guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough for setting up a WordPress site on a local virtual machine. Here are the key takeaways:

Skills Gained

• VM Setup: Configuring and provisioning an Ubuntu VM with Vagrant.
• LAMP Stack Installation: Installing and managing Apache, MySQL, and PHP for server deployment.
• Database Management: Creating and securing a MySQL database for WordPress.
• Apache Configuration: Setting up virtual hosts and permissions for WordPress on Apache.
• Security Practices: Securing the wp-config.php file with unique keys.

With this setup, you’re ready to explore and develop WordPress sites locally. Happy coding, and feel free to share your feedback or any questions!