Tutorial: Host a WordPress blog on AL2023

1. Download and install these packages using the following command.

   dnf install wget php-mysqlnd httpd php-fpm php-mysqli mariadb105-server php-json php php-devel -y

2. You may notice a warning displayed with similar verbiage in the output (the versions may vary over time):

   WARNING:
     A newer release of "Amazon Linux" is available.
   
     Available Versions:
        
   dnf upgrade --releasever=2023.0.20230202
   
       Release notes:
        https://aws.amazon.com
   
     Version 2023.0.20230204:
       Run the following command to update to 2023.0.20230204:
   
         dnf upgrade --releasever=2023.0.20230204 ... etc

   As a best-practice we recommend keeping the OS as up-to-date as possible, but you may want to iterate through each version to ensure there are no conflicts in your environment. If installation of the preceding packages noted in step 1 fail, you may need to update to one of the newer releases listed, and retry.

3. Download the latest WordPress installation package with the wget command. The following command should always download the latest release.

   [ec2-user ~]$ wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz

4. Unzip and unarchive the installation package. The installation folder is unzipped to a folder called wordpress.

   [ec2-user ~]$ tar -xzf latest.tar.gz

To create a database user and database for your WordPress installation

Your WordPress installation needs to store information, such as blog posts and user comments, in a database. This procedure helps you create your blog's database and a user that is authorized to read and save information to it.

1. Start the database and web server.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo systemctl start mariadb httpd

2. Log in to the database server as the root user. Enter your database root password when prompted; this may be different than your root system password, or it might even be empty if you have not secured your database server.

   If you have not secured your database server yet, it is important that you do so. For more information, see Step 3: Secure the database server (AL2023).

   [ec2-user ~]$ mysql -u root -p

3. Create a user and password for your MySQL database. Your WordPress installation uses these values to communicate with your MySQL database. Enter the following command, substituting a unique user name and password.

   CREATE USER 'wordpress-user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_strong_password';

   Make sure that you create a strong password for your user. Do not use the single quote character ( ' ) in your password, because this will break the preceding command. Do not reuse an existing password, and make sure to store this password in a safe place.

4. Create your database. Give your database a descriptive, meaningful name, such as wordpress-db.

   Note

   The punctuation marks surrounding the database name in the command below are called backticks. The backtick (`) key is usually located above the Tab key on a standard keyboard. Backticks are not always required, but they allow you to use otherwise illegal characters, such as hyphens, in database names.

   CREATE DATABASE `wordpress-db`;

5. Grant full privileges for your database to the WordPress user that you created earlier.

   GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON `wordpress-db`.* TO "wordpress-user"@"localhost";

6. Flush the database privileges to pick up all of your changes.

   FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

7. Exit the mysql client.

   exit

To create and edit the wp-config.php file

The WordPress installation folder contains a sample configuration file called wp-config-sample.php. In this procedure, you copy this file and edit it to fit your specific configuration.

1. Copy the wp-config-sample.php file to a file called wp-config.php. This creates a new configuration file and keeps the original sample file intact as a backup.

   [ec2-user ~]$ cp wordpress/wp-config-sample.php wordpress/wp-config.php

2. Edit the wp-config.php file with your favorite text editor (such as nano or vim) and enter values for your installation. If you do not have a favorite text editor, nano is suitable for beginners.

   [ec2-user ~]$ nano wordpress/wp-config.php

   1. Find the line that defines DB_NAME and change database_name_here to the database name that you created in Step 4 of To create a database user and database for your WordPress installation.

      define('DB_NAME', 'wordpress-db');

   2. Find the line that defines DB_USER and change username_here to the database user that you created in Step 3 of To create a database user and database for your WordPress installation.

      define('DB_USER', 'wordpress-user');

   3. Find the line that defines DB_PASSWORD and change password_here to the strong password that you created in Step 3 of To create a database user and database for your WordPress installation.

      define('DB_PASSWORD', 'your_strong_password');

   4. Find the section called Authentication Unique Keys and Salts. These KEY and SALT values provide a layer of encryption to the browser cookies that WordPress users store on their local machines. Basically, adding long, random values here makes your site more secure. Visit https://api.wordpress.org/secret-key/1.1/salt/ to randomly generate a set of key values that you can copy and paste into your wp-config.php file. To paste text into a PuTTY terminal, place the cursor where you want to paste the text and right-click your mouse inside the PuTTY terminal.

      For more information about security keys, go to https://wordpress.org/support/article/editing-wp-config-php/#security-keys.

      Note

      The values below are for example purposes only; do not use these values for your installation.

      define('AUTH_KEY',         ' #U$$+[RXN8:b^-L 0(WU_+ c+WFkI~c]o]-bHw+)/Aj[wTwSiZ<Qb[mghEXcRh-');
      define('SECURE_AUTH_KEY',  'Zsz._P=l/|y.Lq)XjlkwS1y5NJ76E6EJ.AV0pCKZZB,*~*r ?6OP$eJT@;+(ndLg');
      define('LOGGED_IN_KEY',    'ju}qwre3V*+8f_zOWf?{LlGsQ]Ye@2Jh^,8x>)Y |;(^[Iw]Pi+LG#A4R?7N`YB3');
      define('NONCE_KEY',        'P(g62HeZxEes|LnI^i=H,[XwK9I&[2s|:?0N}VJM%?;v2v]v+;+^9eXUahg@::Cj');
      define('AUTH_SALT',        'C$DpB4Hj[JK:?{ql`sRVa:{:7yShy(9A@5wg+`JJVb1fk%_-Bx*M4(qc[Qg%JT!h');
      define('SECURE_AUTH_SALT', 'd!uRu#}+q#{f$Z?Z9uFPG.${+S{n~1M&%@~gL>U>NV<zpD-@2-Es7Q1O-bp28EKv');
      define('LOGGED_IN_SALT',   ';j{00P*owZf)kVD+FVLn-~ >.|Y%Ug4#I^*LVd9QeZ^&XmK|e(76miC+&W&+^0P/');
      define('NONCE_SALT',       '-97r*V/cgxLmp?Zy4zUU4r99QQ_rGs2LTd%P;|_e1tS)8_B/,.6[=UK<J_y9?JWG');

   5. Save the file and exit your text editor.

To install your WordPress files under the Apache document root

• Now that you've unzipped the installation folder, created a MySQL database and user, and customized the WordPress configuration file, you are ready to copy your installation files to your web server document root so you can run the installation script that completes your installation. The location of these files depends on whether you want your WordPress blog to be available at the actual root of your web server (for example, my.public.dns.amazonaws.com) or in a subdirectory or folder under the root (for example, my.public.dns.amazonaws.com/blog).

  • If you want WordPress to run at your document root, copy the contents of the wordpress installation directory (but not the directory itself) as follows:

    [ec2-user ~]$ cp -r wordpress/* /var/www/html/

  • If you want WordPress to run in an alternative directory under the document root, first create that directory, and then copy the files to it. In this example, WordPress will run from the directory blog:

    [ec2-user ~]$ mkdir /var/www/html/blog
    [ec2-user ~]$ cp -r wordpress/* /var/www/html/blog/

To allow WordPress to use permalinks

WordPress permalinks need to use Apache .htaccess files to work properly, but this is not enabled by default on Amazon Linux. Use this procedure to allow all overrides in the Apache document root.

1. Open the httpd.conf file with your favorite text editor (such as nano or vim). If you do not have a favorite text editor, nano is suitable for beginners.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo vim /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

2. Find the section that starts with <Directory "/var/www/html">.

   <Directory "/var/www/html">
       #
       # Possible values for the Options directive are "None", "All",
       # or any combination of:
       #   Indexes Includes FollowSymLinks SymLinksifOwnerMatch ExecCGI MultiViews
       #
       # Note that "MultiViews" must be named *explicitly* --- "Options All"
       # doesn't give it to you.
       #
       # The Options directive is both complicated and important.  Please see
       # http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/mod/core.html#options
       # for more information.
       #
       Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
   
       #
       # AllowOverride controls what directives may be placed in .htaccess files.
       # It can be "All", "None", or any combination of the keywords:
       #   Options FileInfo AuthConfig Limit
       #
       AllowOverride None
   
       #
       # Controls who can get stuff from this server.
       #
       Require all granted
   </Directory>

3. Change the AllowOverride None line in the above section to read AllowOverride All.

   Note

   There are multiple AllowOverride lines in this file; be sure you change the line in the <Directory "/var/www/html"> section.

   AllowOverride All

4. Save the file and exit your text editor.

To fix file permissions for the Apache web server

Some of the available features in WordPress require write access to the Apache document root (such as uploading media though the Administration screens). If you have not already done so, apply the following group memberships and permissions (as described in greater detail in the LAMP web server tutorial).

1. Grant file ownership of /var/www and its contents to the apache user.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo chown -R apache /var/www

2. Grant group ownership of /var/www and its contents to the apache group.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo chgrp -R apache /var/www

3. Change the directory permissions of /var/www and its subdirectories to add group write permissions and to set the group ID on future subdirectories.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo chmod 2775 /var/www
   [ec2-user ~]$ find /var/www -type d -exec sudo chmod 2775 {} \;

4. Recursively change the file permissions of /var/www and its subdirectories.

   [ec2-user ~]$ find /var/www -type f -exec sudo chmod 0644 {} \;

   Note

   If you intend to also use WordPress as an FTP server, you'll need more permissive Group settings here. Please review the recommended steps and security settings in WordPress to accomplish this.

5. Restart the Apache web server to pick up the new group and permissions.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo systemctl restart httpd

To run the WordPress installation script with AL2023

You are ready to install WordPress. The commands that you use depend on the operating system. The commands in this procedure are for use with AL2023. Use the procedure that follows this one with AL2023 AMI.

1. Use the systemctl command to ensure that the httpd and database services start at every system boot.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo systemctl enable httpd && sudo systemctl enable mariadb

2. Verify that the database server is running.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo systemctl status mariadb

   If the database service is not running, start it.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo systemctl start mariadb

3. Verify that your Apache web server (httpd) is running.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo systemctl status httpd

   If the httpd service is not running, start it.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo systemctl start httpd

4. In a web browser, type the URL of your WordPress blog (either the public DNS address for your instance, or that address followed by the blog folder). You should see the WordPress installation script. Provide the information required by the WordPress installation. Choose Install WordPress to complete the installation. For more information, see Step 5: Run the Install Script on the WordPress website.

To run the WordPress installation script with AL2023 AMI

1. Use the chkconfig command to ensure that the httpd and database services start at every system boot.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo chkconfig httpd on && sudo chkconfig mariadb on

2. Verify that the database server is running.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo service mariadb status

   If the database service is not running, start it.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo service mariadb start

3. Verify that your Apache web server (httpd) is running.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo service httpd status

   If the httpd service is not running, start it.

   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo service httpd start

4. In a web browser, type the URL of your WordPress blog (either the public DNS address for your instance, or that address followed by the blog folder). You should see the WordPress installation script. Provide the information required by the WordPress installation. Choose Install WordPress to complete the installation. For more information, see Step 5: Run the Install Script on the WordPress website.

To change your WordPress site URL with the wp-cli

1. Connect to your EC2 instance with SSH.

2. Note the old site URL and the new site URL for your instance. The old site URL is likely the public DNS name for your EC2 instance when you installed WordPress. The new site URL is the current public DNS name for your EC2 instance. If you are not sure of your old site URL, you can use curl to find it with the following command.

   [ec2-user ~]$ curl localhost | grep wp-content

   You should see references to your old public DNS name in the output, which will look like this (old site URL in red):

   <script type='text/javascript' src='http://ec2-52-8-139-223.us-west-1.compute.amazonaws.com/wp-content/themes/twentyfifteen/js/functions.js?ver=20150330'></script>

3. Download the wp-cli with the following command.

   [ec2-user ~]$ curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wp-cli/builds/gh-pages/phar/wp-cli.phar

4. Search and replace the old site URL in your WordPress installation with the following command. Substitute the old and new site URLs for your EC2 instance and the path to your WordPress installation (usually /var/www/html or /var/www/html/blog).

   [ec2-user ~]$ php wp-cli.phar search-replace 'old_site_url' 'new_site_url' --path=/path/to/wordpress/installation --skip-columns=guid

5. In a web browser, enter the new site URL of your WordPress blog to verify that the site is working properly again. If it is not, see Changing the site URL and Common installation problems for more information.