How to Deploy a LAMP Stack on Ubuntu Server in 5 Easy Steps

Deploying a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack on an AWS EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) Ubuntu server can provide a reliable, scalable, and cost-effective solution for hosting web applications. This open-source software stack is widely used for developing and deploying dynamic web content, and can be a great choice for startups, small businesses, or individuals who need to quickly and easily launch a web server.

However, setting up a LAMP stack can be a daunting task, especially if you are new to web development and server administration. In this blog, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to deploy a LAMP stack on an AWS EC2 Ubuntu server.

To follow along with this guide, you should have a basic understanding of the Linux operating system and command line, as well as some familiarity with web server architecture and database management.

1. Linux Command Line: Deploying a LAMP stack on an AWS EC2 Ubuntu server requires some knowledge of the Linux command line. The command line is a text-based interface used to interact with the Linux operating system. It allows you to execute commands and perform tasks such as installing software, creating directories, and editing files. Some common Linux commands you may encounter when deploying a LAMP stack include sudo (which allows you to run commands with administrator privileges), apt-get (which is used to install and update software packages), and cd (which is used to change directories).
2. Web Server Architecture: A web server is a software program that receives requests from web browsers and serves web pages in response. Apache is the most widely used web server software and is part of the LAMP stack. Understanding the basic architecture of a web server can help you troubleshoot common issues and optimize your server for better performance. A web server typically consists of three components: the server software (such as Apache), the application server (such as PHP), and the database server (such as MySQL). These components work together to process and serve web pages to users.
3. MySQL Database Management: MySQL is a popular open-source relational database management system and is part of the LAMP stack. It allows you to store, organize, and manage large amounts of data for your web application. When deploying a LAMP stack, you will need to install and configure MySQL, create databases and tables, and manage user accounts and permissions. Some common MySQL commands you may encounter include mysql (which is used to access the MySQL command line interface), CREATE DATABASE (which is used to create a new database), and GRANT (which is used to assign privileges to user accounts).

Here are a few related concepts to keep in mind:

1. what is SDLC?

SDLC stands for Software Development Life Cycle. It is a process used by software development teams to design, develop, test, and deploy software products. The SDLC consists of several phases, each with its own set of activities and deliverables.

The typical phases of the SDLC are:

Planning: In this phase, the project’s feasibility is analyzed, and the requirements are gathered.

Design: In this phase, the software architecture is designed, and the system’s specifications are created.

Development: In this phase, the code is written and tested against the requirements.

Testing: In this phase, the software is tested to ensure that it meets the specified requirements and is free of defects.

Deployment: In this phase, the software is released into the production environment.

Maintenance: In this phase, the software is monitored, updated, and maintained to ensure that it continues to function correctly.

The SDLC is a comprehensive approach to software development that helps ensure that the software is developed efficiently, effectively, and with quality. It provides a structured framework that can be adapted to the specific needs of each project.

2. what is the difference between chmod and chown?

chmod and chown are two different Linux/Unix commands used for managing file permissions and ownership, respectively.

chmod is a command used to modify the permissions of a file or directory. Permissions refer to the access rights given to users and groups to read, write, and execute a file. The chmod command can change the permissions of a file or directory by modifying the permission bits associated with the file. These permission bits are represented by a series of numbers or letters, such as “rwx” for read, write, and execute.

chown, on the other hand, is a command used to change the ownership of a file or directory. Ownership refers to the user and group that are associated with a file or directory. The chown command allows the owner and group of a file or directory to be changed to a different user or group.

3. what does LAMP stack mean?

LAMP stack is an acronym for a set of open-source software components used for web development. The LAMP stack includes the following components:

Linux: A free and open-source operating system used as the base for the stack.

Apache: A web server that handles HTTP requests and serves web pages to clients.

MySQL: A relational database management system (RDBMS) used for storing and managing website data.

PHP: A server-side scripting language used for building dynamic web pages and web applications.

Together, the LAMP stack provides a complete web development environment for creating and deploying web applications. It is a popular stack among web developers due to its flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and ease of use. Other variations of the LAMP stack include WAMP (Windows, Apache, MySQL, PHP), MAMP (Mac, Apache, MySQL, PHP), and XAMPP (cross-platform, Apache, MySQL, PHP, Perl).

4. what is TCP and UDP?

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol) are both protocols used in computer networking to transmit data between devices.

TCP is a connection-oriented protocol that provides reliable, ordered, and error-checked delivery of data between applications. TCP is used for applications that require guaranteed delivery of data, such as email, file transfer, and web browsing. TCP provides features such as flow control, congestion control, and retransmission of lost packets to ensure that data is delivered accurately and efficiently.

UDP, on the other hand, is a connectionless protocol that provides a lightweight and unreliable way of transmitting data between devices. Unlike TCP, UDP does not provide any error-checking, ordering, or retransmission of lost packets. UDP is used for applications that require fast, low-latency data transfer, such as online gaming, video streaming, and VoIP (Voice over IP).

There are several ports commonly used in web communication. Some of the most important ones are:

Port 80: This is the default port used for HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) traffic, which is the protocol used for transferring web pages.

Port 443: This is the default port used for HTTPS (HTTP Secure) traffic, which is the encrypted version of HTTP. HTTPS is used to provide secure and encrypted communication between web servers and clients.

Port 21: This is the default port used for FTP (File Transfer Protocol) traffic, which is used for transferring files between servers and clients.

Port 22: This is the default port used for SSH (Secure Shell) traffic, which is a secure protocol used for remote login and command execution on servers.

Port 25: This is the default port used for SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) traffic, which is used for sending email messages between servers.

Port 110: This is the default port used for POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3) traffic, which is a protocol used for retrieving email messages from a server.

Port 143: This is the default port used for IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) traffic, which is a protocol used for accessing email messages on a server.

Port 23: This is the default port used for Telnet which is a network protocol used for remote login and terminal emulation.

Port 22: This is the default port used for SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) which is a secure alternative to FTP (File Transfer Protocol) which provides encrypted file transfer between computers over a network.

To deploy LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP) on an EC2 Ubuntu server, you can follow these general steps:

1. Launch an EC2 instance running Ubuntu Server: You can choose an appropriate instance type and configure the security group to allow incoming traffic on port 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS) if you plan to deploy a web application.

2. Update and upgrade the Ubuntu instance: After launching the instance, update and upgrade the Ubuntu operating system by running the following commands:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

3. Install Apache web server: Install the Apache web server by running the following command

sudo apt-get install apache2

4. Install MySQL database server: Install the MySQL database server by running the following command:

sudo apt-get install mysql-server

During the installation process, you will be prompted to set a root password for MySQL. Be sure to choose a strong and secure password.

5. Install PHP: Install PHP and related packages by running the following command:

sudo apt-get install php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql

6. Test the LAMP stack: To test if LAMP stack is working correctly, create a new PHP file named info.php in the Apache document root directory /var/www/html and add the following code:

<?php
phpinfo();
?>

Save the file and navigate to http://<your server's public IP>/info.php in a web browser. You should see a page with detailed information about the PHP configuration and other system settings.

Congratulations, you have successfully deployed LAMP on an EC2 Ubuntu server. From here, you can proceed to install and configure any additional software and applications that you need for your web project.