Install WordPress on AWS: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you’re considering launching your blog or a business website, WordPress is often the platform of choice, thanks to its user-friendly interface and extensive customization options. When paired with Amazon Web Services (AWS), you have the added benefit of scalability, reliability, and security. In this article, we will walk you through the essential steps to install WordPress on AWS, giving you the keys to unlock a world of online possibilities.

Why Choose AWS for Hosting Your WordPress Site?

Choosing the right hosting provider is crucial for the success of your website. AWS provides numerous advantages that make it an appealing option for hosting WordPress. First and foremost, AWS offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model, ensuring that you only pay for the resources you use. Additionally, AWS has a wide range of services to enhance your website’s performance and security. With a global network of servers, your website can load quickly for visitors from anywhere in the world.

AWS also minimizes downtime due to its robust architecture and offers built-in security features to help safeguard your data. For beginners, however, the setup process may seem daunting, but with a clear and structured approach, you’ll find it manageable—and rewarding.

Prerequisites: What You Need Before Getting Started

Before diving into the installation process, ensure you have the following:

Table of Contents

– An AWS account (you can sign up for free).
– Basic understanding of AWS services and the WordPress platform.
– A registered domain name (optional but recommended).

Step 1: Launch an EC2 Instance

An Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instance is essentially a virtual server where your WordPress site will reside. To create an EC2 instance, follow these steps:

1. Log In to Your AWS Account: Head to the AWS Management Console and log in with your credentials.
2. Navigate to the EC2 Dashboard: Click on “Services,” then select “EC2.”
3. Launch Instance: Click on “Launch Instance” to start the setup.
4. Choose an Amazon Machine Image (AMI): Select the Amazon Linux 2 AMI or any other preferred version, like Ubuntu, to suit your needs.
5. Select Instance Type:
– The t2.micro instance is suitable for beginners and eligible for the AWS Free Tier.
6. Configure Instance: Adjust settings according to your requirements and proceed to add storage.

Table 1: Recommended EC2 Instance Types

Instance Type	VCPU	Memory (GB)	Recommended For
t2.micro	1	1	Small personal sites or blogs
t2.small	2	2	Growing businesses or moderate traffic
t2.medium	2	4	Websites with higher traffic

After configuring the instance, make sure to set up security groups to allow inbound traffic on ports 22 (SSH), 80 (HTTP), and 443 (HTTPS). Finally, review and launch the instance.

Step 2: Install LAMP Stack

WordPress requires a LAMP stack, which consists of Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP. Once your EC2 instance is running, you can SSH into it using a terminal or an SSH client. Execute the following commands to install the required components:

bash
sudo yum update -y
sudo yum install httpd -y
sudo systemctl start httpd
sudo systemctl enable httpd
sudo yum install mysql -y
sudo yum install php php-mysql -y
sudo systemctl restart httpd

Step 3: Download and Configure WordPress

Navigate to the root directory and download the latest version of WordPress. Extract the package and set the correct permissions:

bash
cd /var/www/html
sudo wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz
sudo tar -xvzf latest.tar.gz
sudo chown -R apache:apache wordpress/

Next, create a database for your WordPress site using MySQL.

bash
mysql -u root -p
CREATE DATABASE wordpress;
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON wordpress.* TO ‘wordpressuser’@’localhost’ IDENTIFIED BY ‘password’;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Step 4: Complete the Installation via the Web Interface

Now, open a web browser and visit your public IP address. You should see the WordPress setup page. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation by entering your database details and setting up your admin account.

My Opinion: Build Your Online Presence

Installing WordPress on AWS allows you to create a scalable and reliable website that can grow alongside your ambitions. Once your WordPress site is running, you can explore various themes and plugins to customize your user experience.

To further enhance your site, consider integrating additional AWS services such as Amazon RDS for database management or CloudFront for content delivery.

How to Install WordPress on AWS