rocky-linux
22 articles in this category.
Adding a Second WordPress Site to the Same VPS
How to host multiple WordPress sites on one Vultr VPS — a second Nginx server block, database, and WordPress installation without touching the first site.
Read →Changing the SSH Port and Disabling Root Login
Step-by-step guide to moving SSH off port 22 and disabling root login on Rocky Linux 9 — without locking yourself out. The exact sequence matters, and this article covers why.
Read →Completing the WordPress Installation — From Browser Setup to First Secure Configuration
The browser installation wizard, first wp-admin steps, securing wp-admin access by IP in Nginx, and the setup sequence that gets a WordPress site production-ready quickly.
Read →Disable Password Login — SSH Key Authentication Only
The final security step for SSH: disabling password authentication entirely so only key holders can connect. How to do it safely, why it matters, and what to do the one or two times you lock yourself out anyway.
Read →Installing Nginx on Rocky Linux 9
How to install Nginx on Rocky Linux 9, understand its directory structure, and test the config correctly — including why nginx -t is the most important habit you'll build.
Read →Downloading and Extracting WordPress via Command Line
Three commands to get WordPress onto your VPS — download, extract, and move into place. No FTP, no control panel, just wget and tar.
Read →Installing MariaDB and Creating the WordPress Database
Install MariaDB on Rocky Linux 9, run the security setup, create a database and dedicated user for WordPress. Plus an honest note on why using root for everything is convenient but not ideal.
Read →Installing and Configuring Redis Object Cache for WordPress
Install Redis on Rocky Linux 9, connect it to WordPress with the Redis Object Cache plugin, and understand what it actually caches and why it makes a real difference.
Read →Installing SSL with Let's Encrypt and Certbot
Free SSL certificates on Rocky Linux 9 with Certbot — installation, Nginx config update, auto-renewal setup, and what to do when you run certbot and nothing seems to change.
Read →Installing PHP-FPM and Choosing the Right Version
How to install PHP-FPM on Rocky Linux 9 using the Remi repository, choose between Unix socket and TCP port, and configure the extensions WordPress needs.
Read →PHP-FPM Pool Tuning — Match Workers to Your Server's RAM
How to tune PHP-FPM worker processes for your VPS RAM, calculate the right pm.max_children value, and prevent the out-of-memory crashes that happen when WordPress gets unexpected traffic.
Read →Configuring the Nginx Server Block with FastCGI Cache
The complete Nginx server block for WordPress with FastCGI page caching — every directive explained. Plus the difference between server-level cache and plugin cache, and a WP Rocket storage warning worth knowing.
Read →Keeping the Server Updated Safely
How to update Rocky Linux system packages, Nginx, PHP, and MariaDB without taking down a live WordPress site — and what to do when an update breaks something.
Read →Fail2ban — Automatically Block Brute Force Attempts
How to install and configure Fail2ban on Rocky Linux 9 to automatically ban IPs that repeatedly fail SSH authentication. Including how to unban yourself when it blocks you by mistake.
Read →Setting Up firewalld — Only Open What You Need
How to configure firewalld on Rocky Linux 9 for a WordPress VPS. Which ports to open, which to keep closed, and how to debug when something stops working because of the firewall.
Read →Testing the LEMP Stack Before Installing WordPress
Verify every component of your LEMP stack is working correctly before installing WordPress. Ten minutes of testing now prevents hours of debugging later.
Read →Monitoring Your VPS — What to Watch and What to Ignore
A practical monitoring routine for a self-managed WordPress VPS. The five metrics that actually matter, how to check them in under five minutes, and what numbers should make you act.
Read →Why Server Security Must Come Before Everything Else
What actually happens to an unsecured VPS within minutes of going online. Real log data, real attack patterns, and why the security steps in this part aren't optional.
Read →Setting WordPress File Permissions Correctly
The correct file and directory permissions for WordPress on Rocky Linux with Nginx — and the quick fix for the three most common permission errors you'll hit.
Read →Rocky Linux vs Ubuntu vs Debian — Which OS Should You Choose?
The honest answer to which Linux distribution to pick for your WordPress VPS. Why the choice matters less than tutorials make it seem, what actually differs between them, and how to decide without overthinking it.
Read →First Things to Do After Connecting — Initial Server Setup
The 10-minute checklist after your first SSH connection. Update the system, create a non-root user, set a hostname. These steps prepare your server for everything in Part 3 — and skipping them makes later work harder.
Read →What Is Linux — And Why Does Every VPS Run It?
Linux explained for WordPress developers who've never touched it. What it is, why servers use it, which version to pick, and why the choice matters less than you think.
Read →