How to Install WordPress Quickly Using SSH – easy to learn

by Kiran kumarin LINUX, Command, WordPresson Posted on

Installing WordPress via FTP can take up quite a long time, as you´ll have to upload hundreds of files to the server. Installing via the console is much faster, but you really need to know what you´re doing. Still, confused why you should install WordPress SSH than any other method? Let me help you with that!

Installing WordPress via SSH (Secure Shell) allows you to set up WordPress on a remote server without using a graphical user interface.

WHY SSH?

Secure Shell (SSH) is used for installing WordPress (or any other software) on a remote server for several reasons

Well, the process to Install WordPress Quickly Using SSH is faster and much convenient than any regular WordPress download and install plugin.

  1. Security:
    • Encrypted Communication: SSH encrypts the communication between your local machine and the server, ensuring that sensitive data like passwords is secure during transmission.
    • Secure Authentication: SSH uses public-key cryptography or password-based authentication, providing a more secure way to log in compared to unencrypted protocols like FTP.
  2. Remote Access:
    • Server Administration: SSH provides a secure way to remotely access and administer your server. This is essential for managing a server without physical access to the machine.
    • Command Line Interface (CLI): Many server tasks, including software installations and configurations, are more efficiently performed via the command line. SSH allows you to interact with your server’s command line remotely.
  3. Efficiency:
    • Scripting and Automation: SSH is scriptable, allowing for the automation of tasks. This is especially useful when you need to perform repeated tasks or installations on multiple servers.
    • Resource Efficiency: Command-line operations over SSH can be less resource-intensive than using a graphical user interface, making it efficient for server environments.
  4. Platform Independence:
    • Cross-Platform Compatibility: SSH is available on a wide range of operating systems, including Linux, macOS, and Windows (using tools like PuTTY or Windows Subsystem for Linux). This makes it a versatile and platform-independent solution.
  5. Firewall-Friendly:
    • Firewall Traversal: SSH typically uses a single, secure port (default is 22), making it easier to traverse firewalls compared to multiple ports used by other protocols.
  6. Standard Practice:
    • Industry Standard: SSH has become an industry standard for secure remote access and is widely adopted for server administration and software installations.

SSH is chosen for its security features, efficient remote access, platform independence, and scripting capabilities. It’s a fundamental tool for server administration and is often the preferred method for managing servers in professional and production environments.

EASIEST METHOD TO INSTALL WORDPRESS USING SSH

Prerequisites:

  1. SSH Access: Make sure you have SSH access to your server. You can use an SSH client like ssh in the terminal.
  2. Database: Create a MySQL or MariaDB database for WordPress and note down the database name, username, and password.

Step 1: Connect to Your Server via SSH

Open a terminal and connect to your server using SSH. Replace your_username and your_server_ip with your actual SSH username and server IP address.

ssh your_username@your_server_ip

Enter your password when prompted.

Step 2: Download WordPress

Navigate to the directory where you want to install WordPress. For example, if you want to install it in the web root directory:

cd /var/www/html

Download the latest version of WordPress using wget:

wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz

Extract the downloaded archive:

tar -xzvf latest.tar.gz

This will create a wordpress directory with WordPress files.

Step 3: Create the WordPress Configuration File

Go into the WordPress directory:

cd wordpress

Copy the sample configuration file:

cp wp-config-sample.php wp-config.php

Open wp-config.php in a text editor:

nano wp-config.php

Replace the placeholder values with your database information:

define('DB_NAME', 'your_database_name');
define('DB_USER', 'your_database_user');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'your_database_password');
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

Save and exit the text editor (Ctrl + X, then Y, then Enter for nano).

Step 4: Set Up File Permissions

Adjust file permissions to make sure WordPress can write to certain directories:

find . -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find . -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;

Step 5: Create an Uploads Directory

Create an uploads directory inside the wp-content directory to allow WordPress to store media files:

mkdir wp-content/uploads
chmod 775 wp-content/uploads

Step 6: Complete the Installation

Open your web browser and navigate to your server’s domain or IP address. Follow the WordPress installation wizard, providing the requested information.

Once the installation is complete, you can log in to the WordPress admin dashboard and start building your website.

That’s it! You’ve successfully installed WordPress via SSH on your server.

Conclusion

In conclusion, using SSH (Secure Shell) for installing WordPress offers a secure and efficient method for managing your server. The decision to use SSH is driven by various factors, including security, remote access capabilities, efficiency, platform independence, and adherence to industry standards. SSH encrypts communication, ensuring the confidentiality of sensitive data during transmission, and provides secure authentication methods.

The remote access provided by SSH facilitates server administration, allowing you to interact with your server’s command line from a local machine. This proves valuable for tasks like software installations, configurations, and general server management. Additionally, SSH’s scripting and automation capabilities enable the efficient execution of repetitive tasks and operations across multiple servers.

SSH’s cross-platform compatibility makes it a versatile solution that can be employed on various operating systems, including Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its use of a single, secure port simplifies firewall traversal, contributing to its ease of deployment in diverse network environments.

Overall, SSH has become an industry standard for secure remote access and server management, making it a preferred choice for professionals and organizations when installing and maintaining applications like WordPress on remote servers.

Also, If you are looking for hosting service to practice this method of installation make sure to check out our VPS and Dedicated hosting services where you can get the SSH access and try this out.