How to Install WordPress on CentOS: A Step-by-Step Guide

Why Choose CentOS for WordPress?

• Brief intro on CentOS as a stable, secure, and high-performance Linux distro for hosting WordPress sites.
• Keyword: centos wordpress hosting

Prerequisites

• List the software requirements (Apache, MySQL, PHP, etc.)

Step 1: Update CentOS

• Walk through updating CentOS to the latest version

Step 2: Install Apache, MySQL, and PHP

• Guide readers through installing the LAMP stack

Step 3: Download and Extract WordPress

• Show how to download latest WordPress version and extract files

Step 4: Configure MySQL Database

• Create a MySQL database and user for WordPress

Step 5: Configure WordPress

• Copy WordPress files, configure wp-config.php
• Run installation script and complete setup

Next Steps After Installation

• Secure WordPress (update credentials, install SSL, etc.)
• Install themes/plugins, create content, optimize performance

Why Choose CentOS for WordPress Hosting?

Before we dive into the installation process, let's quickly go over why CentOS is a great option for running WordPress:

• Stability – CentOS is known for its stability and reliability, ideal for hosting high-traffic websites like WordPress sites.
• Performance – Being a lightweight Linux distro, CentOS offers excellent performance without sacrificing security.
• Cost-effective – CentOS is free and open-source, making it a cost-effective solution compared to paid hosting options.
• Security – It receives regular security patches and updates to keep your server secure.

Now that you understand the benefits, let's get started with installing the required software and setting up WordPress!

Prerequisites

Before installing WordPress, you'll need to have the following software installed on your CentOS server:

• Apache HTTP Server
• MySQL or MariaDB Database
• PHP Programming Language

–Vps Provider

Contabo

Most CentOS installations don't come with a fully-configured LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack. So we'll need to install and configure each component manually.

Step 1: Update CentOS to the Latest Version

It's always a good idea to keep your system updated to the latest stable version. Run these commands to update CentOS:

sudo yum update -y
sudo yum upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Apache, MySQL, and PHP

Next, we'll install the required LAMP stack components using the yum package manager.

Install Apache:

sudo yum install httpd -y
sudo systemctl start httpd
sudo systemctl enable httpd

Install MySQL:

sudo yum install mysql-server -y
sudo systemctl start mysqld
sudo systemctl enable mysqld

For improved security, run the mysql_secure_installation script.

Install PHP:

sudo yum install php php-mysql -y

Restart Apache for the changes to take effect:

sudo systemctl restart httpd

Step 3: Download and Extract WordPress

Now that the server prerequisites are installed, we can download and extract the latest WordPress version:

cd /var/www/html
sudo wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz
sudo tar -xvzf latest.tar.gz

This will extract the WordPress files into /var/www/html/wordpress folder.

Step 4: Configure MySQL Database

WordPress requires a MySQL database to store its data. Let's create a database and user for WordPress:

sudo mysql -u root -p
CREATE DATABASE wordpress_db;
CREATE USER 'wpuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'strong_password';
GRANT ALL ON wordpress_db.* TO 'wpuser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
exit

Replace ‘strong_password' with a secure password of your choice.

Step 5: Configure WordPress

Next, we'll copy the WordPress files into the root directory, configure the wp-config.php file and run the web installation wizard.

sudo cp -r /var/www/html/wordpress/* /var/www/html/
sudo cp /var/www/html/wordpress/wp-config-sample.php /var/www/html/wp-config.php
sudo chown -R apache:apache /var/www/html/*

Open wp-config.php and update the database credentials:

// ** MySQL settings - You can get this info from your web host ** //
/** The name of the database for WordPress */
define( 'DB_NAME', 'wordpress_db' );

/** MySQL database username */
define( 'DB_USER', 'wpuser' );

/** MySQL database password */
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'strong_password' );

Save and exit. Now you can access the web installation wizard by visiting your server's IP address or domain in a web browser and following the on-screen instructions.

Next Steps After Installation

Congratulations, you've successfully installed WordPress on your CentOS server! A few next steps to consider:

• Update the default admin username/password for better security
• Install an SSL certificate for HTTPS
• Configure WordPress permalink structure
• Install themes/plugins to enhance functionality
• Optimize WordPress performance and security

That's it! You can now start building your WordPress website. Be sure to keep WordPress, plugins and CentOS updated for security.