Install a LAMP stack (Apache, MySQL/MariaDB, PHP)

LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL/MariaDB, PHP) is a proven stack for hosting dynamic web applications. This guide installs all components and verifies they work together.

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu/Debian server with sudo access
• Internet connection
• Basic familiarity with command line

Installation Steps

1. Update package lists

sudo apt update

2. Install Apache2

sudo apt install -y apache2

3. Install MySQL/MariaDB

For MySQL 8.0:

sudo apt install -y mysql-server

For MariaDB (drop-in MySQL replacement):

sudo apt install -y mariadb-server mariadb-client

4. Install PHP and required modules

sudo apt install -y php php-mysql php-cli php-cgi php-common php-mbstring php-xml

5. Enable PHP module in Apache

sudo a2enmod php
sudo a2enmod rewrite

6. Enable services to start on boot

sudo systemctl enable apache2
sudo systemctl enable mysql

Or for MariaDB:

sudo systemctl enable mariadb

7. Start all services

sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl start mysql

Or for MariaDB:

sudo systemctl start mariadb

Post-Installation Configuration

1. Secure your MySQL/MariaDB installation

sudo mysql_secure_installation

This script will prompt you to:
- Set a root password
- Remove anonymous users
- Disable remote root login
- Remove test databases

Follow the prompts carefully.

2. Create a test database and user

sudo mysql -u root -p

Enter your root password, then run:

CREATE DATABASE testdb;
CREATE USER 'testuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'testpassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON testdb.* TO 'testuser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Replace testpassword with a strong password.

3. Create a PHP test file

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

Verification Steps

1. Check Apache status

sudo systemctl status apache2

Should show active (running).

2. Check MySQL/MariaDB status

sudo systemctl status mysql

Or:

sudo systemctl status mariadb

3. Test PHP in browser

Open http://your-server-ip/phpinfo.php in your browser. You should see the PHP information page.

4. Test database connection from command line

mysql -u testuser -p testdb

Enter your test user password. If successful, you'll see the mysql> prompt. Type EXIT; to quit.

Firewall Configuration

If using UFW, allow HTTP and HTTPS:

sudo ufw allow 'Apache Full'

Or for HTTP only:

sudo ufw allow 'Apache'

If using a cloud provider's security group, add inbound rules for port 80 (HTTP) and port 443 (HTTPS).

Tips

• Store database credentials in a secure PHP configuration file, never hardcode them
• Use strong passwords for database users
• Regularly back up your databases and website files
• MySQL/MariaDB listens on port 3306 by default; restrict external connections via firewall
• Remove the phpinfo.php file after testing for security: sudo rm /var/www/html/phpinfo.php

For RHEL/CentOS/Rocky

Replace apt with dnf:

sudo dnf install -y httpd mysql-server php php-mysql php-cli php-common php-mbstring php-xml
sudo systemctl enable httpd mariadb
sudo systemctl start httpd mariadb
sudo mysql_secure_installation