How to optimize WordPress with Ubuntu VPS
Ubuntu Virtual Private Server optimized for WordPress
EC2
Any suggestions on how to improve WPjeOS and still keep this VPS relatively user-friendly?
WP-JeOS VPS server is short for WorPress Just Enough Operating System Virtual Private Server. Optimized for speed, safety, performance, budget and manageability. WP-JeOS uses AWS RDS, AWS ElastiCache and CloudFlare for database, cache, speed and safety. As a result the server gets dramatically offloaded. Thereby utilizing resources better for remaining services.
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WooCommerce needs DOMDocument to create HTML emails
sudo apt-get install php-xml
To display none-English characters you should install:
sudo apt-get install php7.0-mbstring
sudo a2enmod expires
sudo a2enmod headers
sudo service apache2 restart
Do not zlib.output_compression if you are using W3C Total Cache.
sudo nano /etc/php/7.0/apache2/php.ini
Use “Ctrl”+”W” and search for zlib.output_compression and change the value from Off to On
zlib.output_compression = On
The directive zlib.output_compression_level is used to adjust the compression level. Set the value between 1 and 9. Choose 1 to get the least compression or 9 to get most. The default value is six which balances compression without degrading the servers performance.
zlib.output_compression_level = 6
Finally, restart Apache, so the changes take effect.
sudo service apache2 restart
PHP GD is required on WordPress and plugins like Imsanity to resize images.
Install GD with this command
sudo apt-get install php7.0-gd
Then restart Apache
To crop images with the built-in image editor in WordPress image magick is required
sudo apt-get install imagemagick
sudo service apache2 restart
Many of the things we have accomplished when configuring our VPS server is done as the user “root”. This is a obstacle to Apache webserver, WordPress and the tools we use to manage the server. We need to give Apache the required permissions to work correctly.
We want to be able to control the server with tools like an SSH client, SFTP client, WP-CLI, and WordShell. We will need to give the VPS user “ubuntu” the required access to the files and folders that constitute WordPress.
Short version:
Change the permission on /var/www/ and all subfolder with the following command:
sudo chown -R ubuntu /var/www/ && sudo chown -R www-data /var/www/ && sudo chgrp -R www-data /var/www/ && sudo find /var/www/ -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \; && sudo find /var/www/ -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \; && sudo chown www-data:www-data -R /var/www/ && sudo usermod -aG www-data ubuntu && sudo chmod -R g+w /var/www/
To verify that the permissions are correct:
cd /var/www/MyDomain1.com
Then issue the command:
sudo ls -l /var/www/MyDomain1.com
Both the user and group should be “www-data“. If this is not the case, then here is how to correct this:
The Apache web server needs permission to run WordPress.
Change the owner of the files with this command:
sudo chown -R www-data /var/www/MyDomain1.com
moreover, alter the group with this command:
sudo chgrp -R www-data /var/www/MyDomain1.com
Set all files to 644 with this command
sudo find /var/www/MyDomain1.com/ -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;
Set all folders to 755 with this:
sudo find /var/www/MyDomain1.com/ -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
The WordPress configuration file wp-config.php needs extra protection with the 660 rights
sudo chmod 660 /var/www/MyDomain1.com/wp-config.php
Apache needs access both as a group and a user.
sudo chown www-data:www-data -R /var/www/MyDomain1.com/
The user ubuntu needs to access the websites directory tree and home folder with the admin tools SFTP, SSH, WP-CLI, and WordShell.
This command adds the user ubuntu to the group www-data:
sudo usermod -aG www-data ubuntu
and
sudo chmod -R g+w /var/www/MyDomain1.com
If needed restart SSHD or the VPS server to make sure that the permission has taken effect.
To reset the SSHD server
sudo systemctl restart sshd.service
To reset the Apache server
sudo service apache2 restart
Or restart the VPS server:
sudo restart now
When you are setting up many sites try chaining together the commands using
&&
This will run all the commands one-by-one. If something goes wrong. The process will stop with an error message.
sudo chown -R www-data /var/www/html/ && sudo chgrp -R www-data /var/www/html/ && sudo find /var/www/html/ -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \; && sudo find /var/www/html/ -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \; && sudo chown www-data:www-data -R /var/www/html/ && sudo usermod -aG www-data ubuntu && sudo chmod -R g+w /var/www/html/ && sudo chmod 660 /var/www/html/wp-config.php
To make sure that the changes take effect. Restart apache and the SSHD server:
sudo systemctl restart sshd.service sudo service apache2 restart
Chaining commands are faster than running all these commands once at a time:
sudo chown -R www-data /var/www/html
sudo chgrp -R www-data /var/www/html
sudo find /var/www/html -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;
sudo find /var/www/html -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
sudo chown www-data:www-data -R /var/www/html/
sudo usermod -aG www-data ubuntu
sudo chmod -R g+w /var/www/html
WordPress JeOS servers are budget friendly. Instead of running the heavy load on a single server, it could be wise to distribute your WordPress sites to several EC2 VPS servers.
Use your SSH client and log in to MyServer1.com, MyServer3.com, and MyServer2.com and verify that the user “ubuntu” has the rights to perform actions on all your websites on all of your VPS servers.
When you want to WordShell to administer many VPS servers you need to configure SSH as described here:
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After this, you would be ready to administer all your WordPress sites on all of your VPS servers with WordShell, WP-CLI, SFTP and SSH from your mobile, tablet, Windows, Mac or whatever you choose as your favorite tools.
Since I do not want to spend time learning CSS and PHP I have used Thesis since 28. April 2010 for most of my WordPress work. The second reason for using Thesis is the personal support tickets I post frequently. The third reason for using Thesis is the support forum. I usually get help within 24 hours. In 2016 there wh was ere problems with Thesis and WP-CLI. After some months the issue was fixed in a newer version of Thesis. Thanks. Thesis is built on three features:
With these features combined with use of forum and support ticket are you able to accomplish very much with WordPress without having programming skills. You should head over to their homepage to get all the details.
Genesis framework from Studiopress is much the same as Thesis. Genesis is used by more people than Thesis. Genesis strictly follows the guidelines and recommendations from WordPress. I find Thesis to be easier to use. Genesis is used by more developers. Studiopress also provides hosting.
A large number of developer create attractive child themes for Thesis and Genesis WordPress framework. Both Chris Pearson, the creator of the Thesis framework and Brian Gardner the founder of Studiopress Genesis recommends the childthemes created by the Hodder brothers at Themedy.
This plugin is extremely useful for the following scenarios:
Chances are that you just get fed up with technology, plugins, themes, things that don´t work. Sometimes a relative, family member, friend, customer or acquaintance needs help getting a website up and running and you just don´t feel beeing able to assist. Sometimes a client presents you with a budget that just not fit a WordPress job. Then WIX comes to the rescue. WIX is fast, simple and easy. Get a good looking website running in just a few minutes. Sometimes with your help. Sometimes close to anybody can create good results with WIX.
Reviews are more and more important for anyone selling almost anything. Asking for reviews are not always the job you prefer, but you should do it nevertheless. This plugin displays your Google Reviews in WordPress.
Not all of us enjoy using a SSH client. Some require GUI admin panel. When I closed down my datacenter in 2008, all the websites was migrated to Webhosting UK. After nine years I am still amazed about the 24-7-365 support with the “Getting Things Done” attitude of this company. They are remarkable and outstanding. Their VPS server and reseller hosting with cPanel is for some customers a better choice than a WPJeOS server at Amazon.
vSSH is the client I have used for many years. It has a very nice key management feature. Easy to set up as a VPN client when using SOCKS Proxy when out of the office. This is a fast, userfriendly and trouble free SSH client.
Bluehost is one of the larger providers of web hosting with a nice track record.
KonvertKit has many features but is yet easy to use.
Use OptiMonster to get e-mail subscriptions to your ConvertKit lists. OpinMonster can be used to so much more than just getting e-mail subscribers.
You can use your SSH to create a SOCKS proxy VPS connection to WordPress. Its very simple to set up a dynamic port forwarding in a SSH client vSSH.
This procedure gives you a VPN connection. The SOCKS VPN setup enables you to access the Google PageSpeed admin page and WordPress through a secure tunnel. All you need is an SSH client on your PC. Nothing to install or configure on the server side.
Unfortunately, this does not work on iPad and iPhone.