How to Install and Configure the LEMP Stack on Ubuntu 24.04 (Part 2)

The LEMP stack—Linux, Nginx (pronounced “engine-x”), MySQL, and PHP—is a popular open-source platform for developing and deploying web applications. In this guide, we’ll walk through the steps to install and configure LEMP on Ubuntu 24.04, ensuring a smooth and functional setup for your development or production environment.

Previously, we covered setting up a virtual machine instance in Google Cloud. In case you missed it, you can access it here: https://neverscript.com/cloud-computing/host-your-websites-on-google-cloud-for-free-setting-up-vm-instance-part-1/

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure you have:

• A fresh installation of Ubuntu 24.04.
• Sudo privileges on your server.
• Basic knowledge of terminal commands.

Let’s dive into the installation process step by step.

Step 1: Update the Package Repository

Start by updating your package lists to ensure you’re accessing the latest versions of the software:

sudo apt update

Step 2: Install Nginx

Nginx is the web server that will handle requests to your website. Install it with:

sudo apt install nginx

Once the installation completes, test it by opening your browser and navigating to your server’s IP address. You should see the “Welcome to nginx” page, indicating that Nginx is successfully installed and running.

Step 3: Install MySQL

MySQL is the database management system for storing and managing data. Install it using:

sudo apt install mysql-server

After installation, secure MySQL with the following command:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Answer the prompts as you see fit, or simply type “y” and press Enter to accept the defaults.

To log in to MySQL as the root user:

sudo mysql

Step 4: Configure MySQL Authentication

By default, Ubuntu uses socket authentication for the root user. To enable password authentication for simplicity, run these commands within the MySQL shell:

ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'secure_password';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
exit;

Replace secure_password with a strong password of your choice.

Step 5: Install PHP 8.4 and Extensions

PHP 8.4 is not included in Ubuntu’s default repositories, so you need to add the necessary repository:

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

Install PHP 8.4 and commonly used extensions:

sudo apt install php8.4 php8.4-fpm php8.4-mysql php-common php8.4-cli php8.4-common php8.4-opcache php8.4-readline php8.4-mbstring php8.4-xml php8.4-gd php8.4-curl

Step 6: Manage Services

Control the states of Nginx, MySQL, and PHP services using the following commands:

• Check the status: sudo systemctl status <service> (e.g., nginx, mysql, or php8.4-fpm)
• Start a service: sudo systemctl start <service>
• Stop a service: sudo systemctl stop <service>
• Restart a service: sudo systemctl restart <service>
• Enable a service on boot: sudo systemctl enable <service>

Step 7: Configure Nginx for PHP

The default Nginx configuration is not optimized for serving PHP files. Let’s create a new server block:

1. Remove the Default Configuration

sudo rm /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/default

2. Create a New Configuration File

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/default.conf

Paste the following configuration:

server {
  listen 80;
  listen [::]:80;
  server_name _;
  root /var/www/html/;
  index index.php index.html index.htm index.nginx-debian.html;

  location / {
    try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php;
  }

  location ~ \.php$ {
    fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.4-fpm.sock;
    fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
    include fastcgi_params;
    include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
  }

  location ~* \.(jpg|jpeg|gif|png|webp|svg|woff|woff2|ttf|css|js|ico|xml)$ {
    access_log off;
    log_not_found off;
    expires 360d;
  }

  location ~ /\. {
    access_log off;
    log_not_found off;
    deny all;
  }
}

Save and close the file with Ctrl+O and Ctrl+X.

3. Enable the New Configuration

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/default.conf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

4. Test the Configuration

Verify the configuration is correct:

sudo nginx -t

If there are no errors, restart Nginx:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Step 8: Test the Setup

Create a PHP file to ensure the setup works:

sudo nano /var/www/html/phpinfo.php

Add the following content:

<?php phpinfo(); ?>

Save and close the file. Open your browser and navigate to http://<server-ip>/phpinfo.php. You should see the PHP information page, confirming that PHP is correctly configured.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully installed and configured the LEMP stack on Ubuntu 24.04. Your server is now ready to host dynamic web applications. Feel free to explore additional configurations or deploy your first project. Happy coding!