Documentation

Guides for every first, second and hundredth server.

78 step-by-step how-tos for talented beginners, starting from a brand-new VPS. Every command is explained, every step is tested and nothing is left to guesswork.

Getting started with your VPS 10 guides

Choose the right VPS planMatch CPU, memory and storage to what you plan to run.5 min read Connect to your VPS with SSHLog in to your new server from macOS, Linux or Windows.6 min read Create a non-root user with sudoStop using root and set up a safer everyday account.6 min read Set up SSH key authenticationGenerate a key pair and log in without a password.8 min read Update your server's packagesApply updates safely with apt and know when to reboot.5 min read Configure a firewall with UFWAllow only the ports you need and block the rest.7 min read Set the hostname and timezoneGive your server a proper name and correct clock.5 min read Add swap space to a small VPSCreate a swap file so small servers survive memory spikes.6 min read Harden your SSH configurationDisable root login and password logins, and change settings safely.8 min read Block brute-force attempts with Fail2banBan addresses that repeatedly fail to log in.7 min read

Domains and DNS 8 guides

Point a domain name at your VPSCreate A and AAAA records so your domain reaches your server.7 min read Understand DNS record typesA, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS and SRV explained simply.8 min read Set up a subdomainServe blog.example.com or app.example.com from your server.5 min read Configure reverse DNS (PTR)Make your server's IP resolve back to your hostname.5 min read Lower your TTL before a migrationPlan DNS changes so cutover takes minutes, not days.5 min read Troubleshoot DNS with digQuery records, check propagation and read the answers.7 min read Set up wildcard subdomainsRoute *.example.com to one server and handle them in your web server.6 min read Manage records in the Lantern DNS editorAdd, edit and verify records in the LightServe control panel.5 min read

Web servers 10 guides

Install and configure nginxInstall nginx, start it and serve your first page.7 min read Install and configure ApacheInstall Apache HTTP Server and serve a test page.7 min read Host multiple sites with nginx server blocksRun several domains on a single VPS.8 min read Host multiple sites with Apache virtual hostsConfigure name-based virtual hosts for each domain.8 min read Enable HTTPS with free TLS certificatesIssue and auto-renew certificates with certbot.8 min read Redirect HTTP to HTTPS and www to non-wwwMake every visitor land on one secure canonical address.6 min read Set up an nginx reverse proxyPut nginx in front of an app running on a local port.8 min read Enable compression and browser cachingSpeed up pages with gzip and cache headers.6 min read Host a static websiteUpload an HTML site and serve it quickly and securely.6 min read Create custom error pagesReplace default 404 and 500 pages with your own.5 min read

LAMP and app hosting 9 guides

Install a LAMP stackLinux, Apache, MariaDB and PHP on a fresh VPS.10 min read Install a LEMP stackLinux, nginx, MariaDB and PHP-FPM on a fresh VPS.10 min read Secure your MariaDB installationRun the hardening script and understand each prompt.6 min read Create a database and a dedicated userGive each app its own database and least-privilege account.6 min read Deploy a PHP applicationUpload, configure and permission a PHP app correctly.9 min read Host a Node.js app with systemdRun your app as a service that starts on boot and restarts on failure.9 min read Host a Python web app with GunicornServe a Python app behind nginx using a virtual environment.10 min read Install phpMyAdmin safelyAdd a database web UI without exposing it to the world.8 min read Host a PHP-based content management systemPrepare the stack, files and database for a typical CMS.10 min read

Email servers 10 guides

How email works: SMTP, IMAP and MXThe journey of a message and the pieces you will run.7 min read Install Postfix on your VPSInstall the mail transfer agent and send a first test message.8 min read Configure Postfix main.cfSet hostname, domains, networks and safe relay rules.9 min read Install Dovecot for IMAPLet mail clients read mail over IMAP with TLS.9 min read Create virtual mailboxes for your domainHost several addresses without creating system users.10 min read Secure Postfix with TLSEncrypt SMTP connections and enable authenticated submission.8 min read Configure SPF for your domainPublish which servers may send mail for you.6 min read Sign outgoing mail with DKIMInstall OpenDKIM, generate keys and publish the record.9 min read Publish a DMARC policyStart in monitor mode and tighten step by step.6 min read Read Postfix logs and manage the mail queueFind out why mail is deferred, bounced or stuck.7 min read

Game servers 6 guides

Choose resources for a game serverEstimate CPU, RAM and bandwidth for your player count.5 min read Set up a Minecraft Java Edition serverInstall Java, download the official server and start your world.10 min read Run Minecraft as a systemd serviceStart on boot, restart on crash and stop cleanly.8 min read Manage your Minecraft allowlist and operatorsControl who can join and who can administer.6 min read Back up your Minecraft worldTake safe, scheduled backups of world data.7 min read Set up a Minecraft Bedrock Edition serverRun the official Bedrock dedicated server and open the right port.9 min read

Databases 6 guides

Install PostgreSQLInstall, create a role and connect locally.8 min read Back up and restore MariaDB with mysqldumpDump databases, compress them and restore into a fresh server.7 min read Install and secure RedisRun an in-memory cache bound to localhost with a password.7 min read Connect to a database over an SSH tunnelUse a local port forward instead of opening the database port.6 min read Tune MariaDB for a small VPSAdjust a few safe settings for 1-4 GB of memory.8 min read Back up and restore PostgreSQLUse pg_dump and psql to protect and recover your data.7 min read

Backups and monitoring 7 guides

Enable automatic security updatesLet unattended-upgrades patch your server while you sleep.6 min read Back up files with rsyncCopy site files to another machine efficiently over SSH.8 min read Schedule tasks with cronRead crontab syntax and run jobs on a timetable.7 min read Test your backups by restoring themA backup you have not restored is only a hope.7 min read Read system logs with journalctlFilter logs by service, time and priority.6 min read Monitor CPU, memory and disk usageUse htop, df, free and ncdu to find what is eating resources.7 min read Set up uptime and certificate expiry checksKnow your site is down before your visitors do.6 min read

Tools and troubleshooting 12 guides

Use tmux for persistent sessionsKeep commands running after you disconnect.6 min read Transfer files with scp and SFTPMove files between your computer and your server.6 min read Create and manage systemd servicesWrite a unit file and control it with systemctl.8 min read Deploy a site with a git pushUse a bare repository and a hook for push-to-deploy.9 min read Install a container engine and run your first containerInstall an engine from the distribution repositories and run a container.9 min read Write your first shell script for your serverAutomate a task with variables, conditions and exit codes.8 min read Troubleshoot a website that is downA calm, ordered checklist from DNS to the app.8 min read Fix permission denied errorsUnderstand users, groups and file modes.7 min read Free up disk space on your VPSFind large files and safely clean up.6 min read Recover access with the rescue consoleRegain control if you lock yourself out of SSH.6 min read Check open ports and listening servicesUse ss and nmap on your own server to see what is exposed.6 min read Add two-factor authentication to SSHRequire a time-based code in addition to your key.8 min read

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