How to Install WordPress on Ubuntu VPS Step by Step

Step 1: Install the LAMP Stack

Five stages, the full LAMP route:

1. LAMP stack — apt install apache2 mysql-server plus PHP 8.x with extensions (php-mysql php-xml php-gd php-curl php-zip php-intl php-mbstring); open 80/443 in UFW.
2. Database — sudo mysql, then CREATE DATABASE wordpress with utf8mb4 collation and a dedicated user with privileges on it.
3. WordPress core — download latest.tar.gz, unpack to /var/www/html/yourdomain, copy wp-config-sample.php to wp-config.php with the DB credentials and salts.
4. Permissions and VirtualHost — chown -R www-data:www-data on the site directory; Apache vhost with ServerName and AllowOverride All.
5. SSL — certbot --apache -d yourdomain.com for free Let's Encrypt.

Prefer one click over five stages? Managed WordPress hosting installs this stack for you.

Step 2: Create Database and User

Ubuntu's MySQL root authenticates via auth_socket — enter MySQL with sudo mysql, then:

`

CREATE DATABASE wordpress DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;

CREATE USER 'wpuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'strong-password-here';

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON wordpress.* TO 'wpuser'@'localhost';

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

`

Two details that matter later: utf8mb4 is non-negotiable for Hindi/regional content and emoji, and a dedicated user (not root) is what wp-config.php carries — least privilege survives breaches. Test before proceeding: mysql -u wpuser -p wordpress should connect. The classic 500 errors and their fixes are collected in the FAQ section.

Every command here runs over SSH — the PuTTY connection guide covers first logins.

Step 3: Download and Configure WordPress

Download and Configure WordPress. Install WordPress from the one-click installer into the document root you intend to use, not into a surprise subfolder. Note the admin URL and set a real password. Delete the default post and the unused themes after you have logged in.

Step 4: Apache VirtualHost and Permissions

How this plays out with Apache and MySQL setup: settings that look cosmetic usually decide page speed and uptime under real traffic. The defaults WebJi® ships are tuned for Indian network conditions, and support can review your setup on request.

Step 5: Free SSL With Certbot

Two practical notes on PHP 8.x extensions: it interacts directly with caching and database response, and misconfiguration is the most common cause of 'hosting is slow' tickets. WebJi® support checks it as part of standard migrations.