Setting Up an Ubuntu Server for WordPress Hosting with Apache2, PHP 8.2-FPM, and MySQL

In this guide, we’ll walk through the process of configuring a fresh Ubuntu server (tested on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS) to host WordPress efficiently. We’ll use Apache2 as the web server, PHP 8.2-FPM for faster and more scalable PHP processing (instead of the mod_php Apache module), and MySQL for the database. This setup is ideal for production environments, supporting features like process management and better concurrency.

Prerequisites:

• A server with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS installed (root or sudo access).
• A static IP address and domain name (optional but recommended for production).
• Basic command-line knowledge.

We’ll update the system first, then install and configure each component step by step.

Step 1: Update the System

Start by ensuring your server is up to date:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install software-properties-common -y

Reboot if prompted:

sudo reboot

Step 2: Install Apache2

Install Apache2:

sudo apt install apache2 -y

Enable and start the service:

sudo systemctl enable apache2
sudo systemctl start apache2

Test it by visiting your server’s IP in a browser—you should see the Apache default page.

Adjust firewall rules (if UFW is enabled):

sudo ufw allow 'Apache Full'
sudo ufw reload

Step 3: Install MySQL Server

Install MySQL:

sudo apt install mysql-server -y

Secure the installation:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Follow the prompts: Set a root password, remove anonymous users, disallow remote root login, and remove test databases.

Enable and start MySQL:

sudo systemctl enable mysql
sudo systemctl start mysql

Step 4: Install PHP 8.2 and PHP 8.2-FPM

Add the Ondřej Surý PPA for the latest PHP versions:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php -y
sudo apt update

Install PHP 8.2, FPM, and common WordPress extensions:

sudo apt install php8.2 php8.2-fpm php8.2-mysql php8.2-curl php8.2-gd php8.2-mbstring php8.2-xml php8.2-zip php8.2-bcmath php8.2-intl -y

PHP-FPM should start automatically. Verify:

sudo systemctl status php8.2-fpm

Step 5: Configure Apache for PHP-FPM

Disable the default mod_php (if any) and enable proxy modules

sudo a2dismod php8.2 
sudo a2enconf php8.2-fpm

Restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Edit the default site config to use FPM. Backup first:

sudo cp /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf.bak

Edit the file:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf

Ensure the <Directory /var/www/html> block includes:

<FilesMatch \\.php$>    
   SetHandler "proxy:unix:/run/php/php8.2-fpm.sock|fcgi://localhost/"</FilesMatch>

(Full example config snippet at the end of this step.)

Restart Apache again:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Test PHP Processing: Create /var/www/html/info.php:

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

Visit http://your-server-ip/info.php—it should show PHP info processed by FPM. Delete the file afterward for security:

sudo rm /var/www/html/info.php

Step 6: Secure Your Server with HTTPS Using Certbot

Now that Apache is serving PHP via FPM, let’s lock it down with a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate using Certbot. This enables HTTPS, improves security, and boosts SEO.

Install Certbot

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache -y