Welcome, Dev! In today’s digital age, having a website for your business, blog, or personal brand is crucial for success. However, before you can launch your website, you’ll need to set up a web hosting server. This process may seem daunting, but with the right tools and resources, you’ll be able to create your own server with ease. In this article, we’ll guide you through the 20 consecutive steps to create a website hosting server. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Choose Your Operating System
The first step in creating a website hosting server is to choose your operating system. This decision will affect the software and tools you use throughout the process. There are several popular operating systems for web hosting servers, including:
Operating System |
Description |
|---|---|
Linux |
Open-source operating system with a wide range of server software options. |
Windows |
Proprietary operating system with a user-friendly interface and support for Microsoft software. |
Mac OS X |
Proprietary operating system with a UNIX-based architecture and support for Apple software. |
For the purpose of this article, we’ll be using Linux as our operating system of choice. Linux is a popular option for web hosting servers due to its stability, security, and flexibility.
Step 2: Choose Your Hosting Provider
The next step in creating a website hosting server is to choose your hosting provider. Your hosting provider is the company that will provide you with the physical server space and internet connectivity to host your website. There are many hosting providers to choose from, each with their own pricing and service options. Some popular hosting providers include:
Hosting Provider |
Description |
|---|---|
Bluehost |
One of the largest hosting providers with affordable pricing and 24/7 customer support. |
HostGator |
A popular choice for beginners with easy-to-use interfaces and a range of hosting plans. |
SiteGround |
A high-performance hosting provider with advanced security features and daily backups. |
For the purpose of this article, we’ll be using DigitalOcean as our hosting provider of choice. DigitalOcean is a cloud-based hosting provider that offers affordable pricing, easy server management, and a range of tutorials and resources for beginners.
Step 3: Choose Your Server Size
Before you can create your website hosting server, you’ll need to choose the size of your server. This will determine the amount of physical resources, such as processing power and memory, that your server will have access to. Your server size will also affect your hosting costs. Some popular server sizes include:
Server Size |
Price Per Month |
Description |
|---|---|---|
Droplet |
$5 |
1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM, 25 GB SSD Disk, 1 TB Transfer |
Standard |
$40 |
4 vCPUs, 8 GB RAM, 160 GB SSD Disk, 5 TB Transfer |
High CPU |
$80 |
8 vCPUs, 16 GB RAM, 320 GB SSD Disk, 6 TB Transfer |
For the purpose of this article, we’ll be using the $5 Droplet server size. This is a great option for beginners or small websites with low traffic.
Step 4: Create Your Droplet
Now that you’ve chosen your operating system, hosting provider, and server size, it’s time to create your droplet. A droplet is a digital server that you can create and manage through your hosting provider’s interface. Here’s how to create your droplet on DigitalOcean:
Step 4.1: Log in to Your DigitalOcean Account
If you don’t have a DigitalOcean account yet, you’ll need to create one first. Once you’re logged in, you’ll be taken to your dashboard.
Step 4.2: Create a New Droplet
Click on the “Create” button in the top right corner of your dashboard. This will take you to the droplet creation page.
Step 4.3: Choose Your Droplet Settings
On the droplet creation page, you’ll need to choose your droplet settings. This includes:
- Distribution: Choose your Linux distribution. We recommend Ubuntu 18.04 LTS.
- Plan: Choose your server size. We recommend the $5/month Droplet.
- Region: Choose the data center region closest to your target audience. We recommend NYC3 for North America.
- Additional Options: Choose any additional options, such as backups or monitoring. We recommend enabling backups for added security.
- SSH Keys: Add your SSH key for secure server access.
Once you’ve chosen your droplet settings, click on the “Create Droplet” button at the bottom of the page.
Step 4.4: Access Your Droplet
Once your droplet is created, you’ll be able to access it through your hosting provider’s interface. This will typically involve using a secure shell (SSH) client to connect to your server’s IP address. You can find your server’s IP address in your droplet’s dashboard.
Step 5: Secure Your Server
Now that you’ve created your droplet, it’s important to secure your server to protect against potential security threats. Here are some essential security steps to take:
Step 5.1: Create a New User
By default, your droplet will have a root user with full administrative privileges. However, it’s recommended that you create a new user with limited privileges for increased security. Here’s how to create a new user:
# adduser username
Replace “username” with your desired username, and follow the prompts to set up the user’s password and other details.
Step 5.2: Grant Sudo Privileges
To allow your new user to perform administrative tasks, you’ll need to grant them sudo privileges. Here’s how to do this:
# usermod -aG sudo username
Replace “username” with your new user’s username. This will grant them access to the sudo command.
Step 5.3: Disable Root Login
For added security, it’s recommended that you disable root login and only allow login with your new user credentials. Here’s how to disable root login:
# nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
This will open the sshd_config file in the nano text editor. Locate the following line:
PermitRootLogin yes
Change “yes” to “no” to disable root login:
PermitRootLogin no
Save and exit the file by pressing “Ctrl+X”, then “Y”, then “Enter”. Finally, restart the SSH service:
# systemctl restart sshd
Your server is now more secure, but there are still additional security steps you can take to protect your server.
Step 6: Install a Web Server
The next step in creating a website hosting server is to install a web server. A web server is the software that runs on your server and serves web pages to visitors when they access your website. There are several popular web servers to choose from, including:
Web Server |
Description |
|---|---|
Apache |
The most popular open-source web server with a wide range of features and extensions. |
Nginx |
A high-performance web server with advanced caching and load balancing features. |
Lighttpd |
A lightweight web server with a focus on speed and low resource usage. |
For the purpose of this article, we’ll be using Apache as our web server of choice. Apache is a stable and reliable web server with a wide range of features and extensions.
Step 7: Install PHP
If you’re creating a dynamic website with features such as a blog, forum, or e-commerce store, you’ll need to install PHP. PHP is a server-side programming language that allows you to build interactive and dynamic web pages. Here’s how to install PHP on your server:
Step 7.1: Install PHP and Required Packages
# sudo apt-get update
# sudo apt-get install apache2 php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql
This will install PHP and the required packages for Apache to process PHP files.
Step 7.2: Test Your PHP Installation
To test your PHP installation, create a new PHP file with the following code:
<?php phpinfo(); ?>
Save the file as “info.php” in your server’s default web directory:
# echo "<?php phpinfo(); ?>" > /var/www/html/info.php
Now, navigate to http://your-server-ip/info.php in your web browser. You should see a page with information about your PHP installation.
Step 8: Install a Database Server
If you’re creating a website that requires a database, such as a blog or e-commerce store, you’ll need to install a database server. A database server is the software that stores and manages your website’s data. There are many popular database servers to choose from, including:
Database Server |
Description |
|---|---|
MySQL |
The most popular open-source database server with advanced features and security. |
PostgreSQL |
An open-source database server with advanced features for scalability and reliability. |
MongoDB |
A document-oriented database server with a focus on flexibility and scalability. |
For the purpose of this article, we’ll be using MySQL as our database server of choice. MySQL is a widely used and secure database server with many features and extensions.
Step 9: Install MySQL
Here’s how to install MySQL on your server:
Step 9.1: Install MySQL Server and Client
# sudo apt-get install mysql-server mysql-client
This will install the MySQL server and client packages.
Step 9.2: Secure Your MySQL Installation
It’s important to secure your MySQL installation to protect against potential security threats. Here’s how to secure your MySQL installation:
# sudo mysql_secure_installation
This will prompt you to set up a root password, remove anonymous users, disallow root login remotely, and remove the test database. Follow the prompts to complete the setup.
Step 10: Create a MySQL Database and User
Now that you’ve installed MySQL, it’s time to create a new database and user for your website. Here’s how to do this:
Step 10.1: Log in to MySQL
# sudo mysql
This will log you in to the MySQL server as the root user.
Step 10.2: Create a New Database
mysql> CREATE DATABASE dbname;
Replace “dbname” with your desired database name.
Step 10.3: Create a New User
mysql> CREATE USER 'username'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
Replace “username” with your desired username, and “password” with your desired password.
Step 10.4: Grant Privileges to User
mysql> GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON dbname.* TO 'username'@'localhost';
Replace “dbname” with your database name, “username” with your username, and “localhost” with your server’s IP address if you’re connecting remotely.
Step 10.5: Flush Privileges
mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
This will ensure that your changes are applied.
Step 11: Install phpMyAdmin
If you’re new to MySQL or prefer a graphical interface for managing your databases, you can install phpMyAdmin. phpMyAdmin is a free and open-source web interface for managing MySQL databases. Here’s how to install phpMyAdmin on your server:
Step 11.1: Install phpMyAdmin
# sudo apt-get install phpmyadmin
This will install phpMyAdmin and its dependencies.
Step 11.2: Configure Apache to Serve phpMyAdmin
# sudo nano /etc/apache2/conf-available/phpmyadmin.conf
This will open the phpMyAdmin configuration file in the nano text editor. Uncomment the following lines:
Alias /phpmyadmin /usr/share/phpmyadmin<Directory /usr/share/phpmyadmin>Options Indexes FollowSymLinksDirectoryIndex index.phpAllowOverride All</Directory>
Save and exit the file by pressing “Ctrl+X”, then “Y”, then “Enter”. Finally, restart the Apache service:
# sudo systemctl restart apache2
You can now access phpMyAdmin by navigating to http://your-server-ip/phpmyadmin in your web browser.
Step 12: Install Additional Software and Packages
Depending on your website’s requirements, you may need to install additional software and packages. Here are some common packages you may need to install:
- Git: Version control system for managing your website’s source code.
- Composer: Dependency manager for PHP projects.
- Node.js: JavaScript runtime for building dynamic web applications.
- NPM: Package manager for Node.js projects.
Here’s how to install these packages on your server:
Step 12.1: Install Git
# sudo apt-get install git
Step 12.2: Install Composer
# sudo apt-get install composer
Step 12.3: Install Node.js and NPM
# sudo apt-get install nodejs npm
Step 13: Configure Your Domain Name
Now that you’ve set