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How To Install Linux, Nginx, MySQL, PHP (LEMP)
Stack on Debian 7
TAGGE D I N: LI NUX BAS I CS , NGI NX , MY S QL, P HP , DE BI AN
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P UBLI S HE D: OCT 31, 2013 • UP DATE D: AUG 4, 2014
Lemp Stack: Basic Info
LEMP stack is a group of open source software to get a VPS up and
running. The acronym includes the Linux (L), MySQL (M), and PHP (P) of
the more traditional LAMP stack, but switches out Apache for Nginx
(pronounced engine x).
This tutorial explains how to install nginx/MySQL/PHP­fpm, as well as all of
the required repos to download nginx and php­fpm. It will also review how
to configure php and nginx, as well as how to create a php info page.
1) Update Apt­Get
The apt­get update command is used to re­synchronize the package index
files from their sources. If used in combination with the apt­get upgrade
command, they install the newest versions of all packages currently
available.
At the moment, we only need to do a thorough update:
sudo apt-get update
2) Install MySQL on your VPS
MySQL is a powerful database management system used for organizing
and retrieving data
To install MySQL, open terminal and type in these commands:
sudo apt-get install mysql-server
During the installation, MySQL will ask you to set a root password. If you
miss the chance to set the password while the program is installing, it is
very easy to set the password later from within the MySQL shell.
Once you have installed MySQL, we should activate it with this command:
sudo mysql_install_db
Finish up by running the MySQL set up script:
sudo /usr/bin/mysql_secure_installation
The prompt will ask you for your current root password. Type it in.
Enter current password for root (enter for none):
OK, successfully used password, moving on...
The prompt will ask if you want to change the root password. Go ahead
and choose N for this option, as the root password should aready be set;
however, for the rest of the questions you can simply reply Y to all­­ unless
there is a reason for you to do otherwise.
Now let's install nginx!
3) Install and Configure Nginx on your VPS
Installation
Initial installation is simple with the apt­get command.
sudo apt-get install nginx
nginx needs a command to begin running:
sudo service nginx start
Now if you point your browser to your IP address, it should confirm that
nginx was successfully installed on your cloud server.
*Run the following command to reveal your VPS's IP address.
ifconfig eth0 | grep inet | awk '{ print $2 }'
Configuration
Open up the default virtual host file with this command:
sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/default
The configuration should include the changes below (the details of the
changes are under the config information):
UPDATE: Newer Ubuntu versions create a directory called 'html' instead of
'www' by default. If /usr/share/nginx/www does not exist, it's probably called
html. Make sure you update your configuration appropriately.
[...]
server {
listen
80;
root /usr/share/nginx/www;
index index.php index.html index.htm;
server_name example.com;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.html;
}
error_page 404 /404.html;
error_page 500 502 503 504 /50x.html;
location = /50x.html {
root /usr/share/nginx/www;
}
# pass the PHP scripts to FastCGI server listening on /var/run/php5location ~ \.php$ {
try_files $uri =404;
fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php5-fpm.sock;
fastcgi_index index.php;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_
include fastcgi_params;
}
}
[...]
Here are the details of the changes:
Add index.php to the index line.
Change the server_name from local host to your domain name or IP
address (replace the example.com in the configuration)
Change the correct lines in “location ~ \.php$ {“ section
Save and Exit
4) Install and Configure PHP
Installation
You probably guessed it! We will use the apt­get command to install PHP­
FPM:
sudo apt-get install php5-fpm php5-mysql
Configuration
We need to make one small change in the php configuration. Open up
php.ini:
sudo nano /etc/php5/fpm/php.ini
Find the line cgi.fix_pathinfo=1 and change the 1 to 0.
cgi.fix_pathinfo=0
If this number is kept as 1, the php interpreter will do its best to process the
file that is as near to the requested file as possible. This is a possible
security risk. If this number is set to 0, conversely, the interpreter will only
process the exact file path— a much safer alternative.
Save and Exit.
We need to make another small change in the php5­fpm configuration.
Open up www.conf:
sudo nano /etc/php5/fpm/pool.d/www.conf
Find the line, listen = 127.0.0.1:9000, and change the 127.0.0.1:9000 to
/var/run/php5­fpm.sock.
listen = /var/run/php5-fpm.sock
Save and Exit.
Restart php­fpm:
sudo service php5-fpm restart
5) Create a Php Info Page
We can quickly see all of the details of the new php configuration.
To set this up, first create a new file:
sudo nano /usr/share/nginx/www/info.php
Add in the following line:
<?php
phpinfo();
?>
Then Save and Exit.
Finishing Up
Restart nginx:
sudo service nginx restart
You can see the nginx and php­fpm configuration details by visiting
http://youripaddress/info.php
Your LEMP stack is now set up and configured on your virtual private
server :)
By Adam LaGreca
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38 Comments
kyle November 4, 2013
I think it is safe to include a section that checks/removes apache if its already on your
server. Great guide!
infy November 16, 2013
This tutorial actually installs Apache in the first steps. I removed apache manually, but it
keeps on reinstalling when I run the suggested php installation command. (libapache2­
mod­auth­mysql).
Is apache needed? When I open the browser on the IP it shows apache instead of nginx...
Kamal Nasser November 17, 2013
@infy: Thanks, I've updated the article. You do not need libapache2­mod­auth­mysql.
peterson.m.chris November 20, 2013
I'm getting these errors (see below) and can't see my php info page. However, I get the "It
works!" default page on my IP.
Restarting nginx: nginx: [emerg] bind() to 0.0.0.0:80 failed (98: Address already in use)
nginx: [emerg] bind() to 0.0.0.0:80 failed (98: Address already in use)
nginx: [emerg] bind() to 0.0.0.0:80 failed (98: Address already in use)
nginx: [emerg] bind() to 0.0.0.0:80 failed (98: Address already in use)
nginx: [emerg] bind() to 0.0.0.0:80 failed (98: Address already in use)
nginx: [emerg] still could not bind()
nginx.
Kamal Nasser November 20, 2013
@Chris: Rebooting your droplet should fix it.
peterson.m.chris November 21, 2013
I did a sudo reboot, I get the same error. This happened to me a few weeks ago when I tried
to set up Nginx as well. Thought I'd give it another try.
Kamal Nasser November 22, 2013
@Chris: You probably have apache listening on port 80. Try to see what's already using
that port:
sudo netstat -plutn | grep 80
peterson.m.chris December 2, 2013
Yeah looks like apache2 is listening.
Kamal Nasser December 2, 2013
@Chris: Uninstall apache and start nginx:
sudo service apache2 stop
sudo apt-get remove apache2*
sudo service nginx start
peterson.m.chris December 2, 2013
That did it, thanks!
So does Apache some with a new droplet already?
Kamal Nasser December 5, 2013
@Chris: It shouldn't, no. The only exceptions are the application images which usually
come with Apache preinstalled.
jimojimmyojim December 7, 2013
i was getting this error: bind() to 0.0.0.0:80 failed (98: Address already in use)
but i did this: sudo fuser ­k 80/tcp
and then: service nginx start
and it was all good. i think another service was using port 80, which had to be stopped and
then i started nginx
james.daynz January 22, 2014
Not sure why, nginx working fine, everything went fine but when i go to
http://127.0.0.1/info.php it just downloads the file.
m.connelly.2711 January 28, 2014
This doesn' work for nginx
Kamal Nasser January 28, 2014
@m.connelly.2711: What part isn't working for you?
Kamal Nasser January 28, 2014
@james.daynz: Did you restart nginx after modifying its config files?
edreamer2009 February 6, 2014
Excellent tutorial Kamal. I have been using my droplets for other purposes thus far, but
decided to build a LEMP stack and this was a perfect walk through for a first time run at it.
Thank you,
E
andrius.baliutis February 18, 2014
Hello, i do everything. It seems that all things installed corectly. But then i trying to put ip
address in my browser it didint load anything..
dwing February 20, 2014
If youu do not want to install apache, change the order.
false: sudo apt­get install mysql­server php5­mysql right: sudo apt­get install mysql­server
Before: sudo service php5­fpm restart
Do: sudo apt­get install php5­mysql Then everything is fine. Also note, that on Debian apt­get install mysql­server will install an
old version. Use apt­get install mysql­server­5.5 instead.
admin April 6, 2014
Is this tutorial using Debian 7 because it's better suited a LEMP stack as apposed to
Ubuntu?
I'd like to build a stack best suited for WordPress for speed, caching and concurrency
Is this the stack to use? Or can I take my existing premade WordPress Ubuntu 13.10
droplet and modify it using this tutorial?
Any clear direction is indeed appreciated
Kamal Nasser April 7, 2014
@Shane: Both OSes work just fine for a LEMP stack. We have tutorials for multiple OSes
so you can follow the tutorial on your preferred OS.
parsonsandrew1 May 23, 2014
Thank you for the tutorial. Step 2 installs Apache. @dwing points this out, and I think it would be great (read:
necessary) if you could update the tutorial so the installation of Apache is avoided. hostmaster May 29, 2014
I agree with parsonsandrew1!
Andrew SB May 29, 2014
@dwing, @hostmaster, and @parsonsandrew1:
I've edited the article so that php5­mysql is installed at the same time as php5­fpm that way
Apache isn't getting pulled in. Thanks all!
geo.sukarno June 14, 2014
My Droplet using Ubuntu 12.04, still fresh create. I was setup xrdp, restart, and worked.
Then i want install nginx only, using this tutorial.
But has 2 error, 'ldconfig' and 'start­stop­daemon' not found in PATH or not executable.
Screenshot:
http://picpaste.com/nginx­install­problem.png
How to fix the problem?
geo.sukarno June 15, 2014
Updated.
It's my fault, for not using sudo.
I guess if I was logged in as root, I do not need to use sudo, it turns out I was wrong.
When using sudo, then the error about "not found in PATH or not executable" will not
occur.
rideshare7 June 20, 2014
Change the correct lines in “location ~ \.php$ {“ section.. Can you pls help me what does this means?
Andrew SB June 20, 2014
@rideshare7: It is just summarizing the difference between the default Nginx configuration
and what you added. So, change this:
#location ~ \.php$ {
#
fastcgi_split_path_info ^(.+\.php)(/.+)$;
#
# NOTE: You should have "cgi.fix_pathinfo = 0;" in php.ini
#
#
# With php5-cgi alone:
#
fastcgi_pass 127.0.0.1:9000;
#
# With php5-fpm:
#
fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php5-fpm.sock;
#
fastcgi_index index.php;
#
include fastcgi_params;
#}
into this:
location ~ \.php$ {
try_files $uri =404;
fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php5-fpm.sock;
fastcgi_index index.php;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_
include fastcgi_params;
}
rideshare7 June 20, 2014
@astarr: Thanks for a prompt reply. Really appreciated. And the tutorial is a great help :)
elmphn July 3, 2014
Which extra steps would you do if you were to configure more than one fastcgi web
servers? For example, if I'd like web1 to 9000 and web2 to 9001
With TCP requests like fastcgi_pass 127.0.0.1:9000; I guess it is all a matter a
changing the number but, what about with php5­fpm.sock?
Kamal Nasser July 4, 2014
@elmphn: You can simply change the socket's path to whatever you want (on both ends,
php5­fpm and nginx).
marcos July 27, 2014
Hello, i'm following this tutorial, but when load the page, the css and js is not loading.
what happened?
Kamal Nasser July 30, 2014
@marcos: Are there any errors in nginx's error log?
sudo tail /var/log/nginx/error.log
gp+digitalocean July 31, 2014
Hello,
"# pass the PHP scripts to FastCGI server listening on 127.0.0.1:9000"
This comment is incorrect, the configuration uses a unix domain socket.
halsaifm1 August 2, 2014
im getting this when i restart it ....
root@example:~# sudo service nginx restart
Restarting nginx: nginx: [emerg] unknown directive "104.131.216.41" in /etc/nginx/sites­
enabled/default:9
Kamal Nasser August 4, 2014
@halsaifm1: What does the default file look like? The line with your IP address should
look like this:
server_name 104.131.216.41;
Kamal Nasser August 4, 2014
@gp+digitalocean: Thanks, I've corrected it.
halsaifm1 August 6, 2014
thanksssssss it worked !!!!! i thought we only need to put the ip but it seems i need to put the
server name and then the ip . thanks again ;)
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