During my time at St. Lawrence College, I’ve had the opportunity to engage with many hands-on learning experiences, but one that stands out significantly is deploying my first live WordPress website using a LAMP stack on a Hetzner VPS. This project wasn’t just about getting a website online—it was a deep dive into how the web actually works behind the scenes. From setting up Linux environments to configuring DNS and securing my server, it was a transformative experience that sharpened both my technical and problem-solving skills.
The Beginning: Learning the LAMP Stack
The first step of the journey was understanding the components of a LAMP stack—Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP. While I had touched on these technologies in class, actually installing and configuring them on a remote server brought a whole new level of understanding.
I chose Ubuntu 22.04 as my Linux distribution and used Apache as my web server. Installing MySQL and PHP was straightforward, but configuring them to work together required attention to detail. For example, setting the correct permissions for the WordPress files and ensuring Apache had the right modules enabled (like mod_rewrite) were small but critical steps that taught me how sensitive server configurations can be.
Setting Up WordPress on Hetzner
Deploying WordPress on a live server added a new layer of complexity. I rented a virtual private server (VPS) from Hetzner, a German cloud hosting provider, and began the process of migrating my local WordPress installation to the cloud. This involved uploading WordPress files via SSH and configuring the wp-config.php file to connect to my MySQL database.
One of the more challenging aspects was setting file and directory permissions correctly. WordPress is quite particular about these settings, and incorrect permissions can break themes, plugins, or even prevent installations entirely. Learning about ownership (chown) and permissions (chmod) was not only useful for this project but also gave me a stronger foundation in Linux administration.
DNS and Domain Configuration
With WordPress running locally on the VPS, I needed a way for others to access it using a domain name instead of an IP address. This led me to domain configuration and DNS records. I learned how to point my domain’s A record to my VPS’s IP address, and how propagation times could affect accessibility.
Once DNS was properly set up, I secured the website using a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate. This was my first time working with Certbot, and it was rewarding to see the padlock appear in the browser once everything was configured correctly.
What I Gained from the Experience
This project was more than just a technical exercise—it taught me how to approach complex problems systematically. Every time something didn’t work as expected, I had to research the issue, test potential fixes, and often dig into logs or configuration files to find the root cause. These problem-solving skills are just as important as any specific technical knowledge.
I also gained a deeper appreciation for security and maintainability. I learned to regularly update my software, limit root access, use SSH keys instead of passwords, and install firewall rules to protect my server.
Conclusion
Looking back, building and deploying a WordPress site on a live server was one of the most valuable learning experiences I’ve had at SLC. It connected theoretical concepts to real-world applications and gave me a strong foundation for future projects. Whether it’s for personal sites, freelance work, or enterprise applications, I now feel confident setting up and managing web servers from scratch.
This project has inspired me to continue exploring system administration and DevOps topics, and it’s a major stepping stone toward my goal of becoming a full-stack developer with strong infrastructure skills.