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Ubuntu 22.04 LEMP Installation (Nginx, MySQL, PHP)

What will you learn in this guide?​

In this guide, you will learn how to turn your Ubuntu server into a full-fledged web platform.
We will establish a fast and secure infrastructure using Nginx, MySQL and PHP-FPM components together.

Technical Summary​

Main topic: LEMP (Linux, Nginx, MySQL, PHP) installation on Ubuntu
Solved problem: End-to-end server infrastructure for PHP based web applications
Steps: Nginx → MySQL → PHP-FPM → Nginx configuration → tests

Note: If you are using Ubuntu 24.04, use php8.3-fpm instead of php8.1-fpm.

Prerequisites​

  • Ubuntu 22.04 server
  • Non-root, sudo authorized user
  • UFW firewall active

1️⃣ Nginx Web Server Installation​

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nginx
  • These commands update the package list and install Nginx.

1.1 Firewall Setting​


sudo ufw allow 'Nginx HTTP'
sudo ufw status
  • This step allows HTTP traffic.

1.2 Test from browser:​


http://SUNUCU_IP

2️⃣ MySQL Database Installation​


sudo apt install mysql-server
sudo mysql_secure_installation
  • These steps install MySQL and ensure basic security.

Suggestion: Create separate user for applications instead of root.

3️⃣ PHP and PHP-FPM Installation​

1. Nginx cannot run PHP codes directly. PHP-FPM takes care of this job.


sudo apt install php8.1-fpm php-mysql
  • This command installs the PHP processor and MySQL support.

php -v
  • This command verifies the PHP version.

2. Why Use Nginx and PHP-FPM Together?

  • Nginx serves static files very fast

  • PHP-FPM processes PHP codes securely and isolated

  • This structure works more stable in high traffic

4️⃣ Creating Nginx Server Block​


sudo mkdir /var/www/ornek.com
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /var/www/ornek.com
sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/ornek.com
  • These steps create the site directory and open the configuration file.

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name ornek.com www.ornek.com;
    root /var/www/ornek.com;

    index index.php index.html;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
    }

    location ~ \.php$ {
        include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
        fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock;
    }

    location ~ /\.ht {
        deny all;
    }
}
  • This configuration enables PHP-FPM integration.

4.1 Activating the Site​


sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/ornek.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo unlink /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/default
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx

5️⃣ Let's Test If PHP Works​


nano /var/www/ornek.com/info.php

<?php
phpinfo();

Open from browser:


http://SUNUCU_IP/info.php

Be sure to delete after testing:


sudo rm /var/www/ornek.com/info.php

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)​

1. What causes 502 Bad Gateway error? Usually PHP-FPM is not working or the socket path is incorrect.


sudo systemctl status php8.1-fpm
ls /run/php/

2. Can there be more than one site on one server? Yes. You can create a separate server block for each domain.

3. How do I update the PHP version? Just install the new version and update the fastcgi_pass path.

Result You now have a fully functional LEMP infrastructure. This structure is ideal for WordPress, Laravel and custom PHP projects. 🔐 It is highly recommended to add Let's Encrypt SSL as the next step. 🚀 You can immediately try the optimized Ubuntu servers on GenixNode for high-performance projects.