How to Install WordPress on Amazon Linux 2 (Step-by-Step Guide)

Introduction: Why Use Amazon Linux 2 for WordPress?

Amazon Linux 2 is a stable, secure, and performance-optimized OS provided by AWS, widely used for deploying PHP-based applications like WordPress. If you want to self-host WordPress on an EC2 instance and have full control over your infrastructure, Amazon Linux 2 is a powerful and cost-effective choice.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of installing WordPress on Amazon Linux 2 — even if you’re new to cloud servers.

Note: This tutorial assumes you’re using an EC2 instance and have basic familiarity with the AWS Console.

Prerequisites

Before diving into the installation, make sure you have the following ready:

• An active AWS account (create here)
• An EC2 instance running Amazon Linux 2
• A domain name (optional, but recommended)
• Access to SSH and sudo privileges

Step 1: Update Your Server

First, log in to your EC2 instance using SSH:

ssh -i your-key.pem ec2-user@your-ec2-public-ip

Then, update the installed packages:

sudo yum update -y

Step 2: Install Apache Web Server

Install and start Apache:

sudo yum install httpd -y
sudo systemctl start httpd
sudo systemctl enable httpd

Allow traffic on HTTP and HTTPS ports:

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=https
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Step 3: Install PHP and Extensions

WordPress requires PHP and several extensions:

sudo amazon-linux-extras enable php8.2
sudo yum clean metadata
sudo yum install php php-mysqlnd php-fpm php-json php-mbstring -y

Restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart httpd

Step 4: Install and Configure MariaDB (MySQL)

Install MariaDB:

sudo yum install mariadb-server -y
sudo systemctl start mariadb
sudo systemctl enable mariadb

Secure your installation:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Create a WordPress database and user:

sudo mysql -u root -p
CREATE DATABASE wordpress;
CREATE USER 'wpuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'strongpassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON wordpress.* TO 'wpuser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

External Resource: MariaDB official documentation

Step 5: Download and Configure WordPress

Navigate to the Apache root directory:

cd /var/www/html
sudo wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz
sudo tar -xzf latest.tar.gz
sudo cp -r wordpress/* .

Set proper permissions:

sudo chown -R apache:apache /var/www/html
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/html

Step 6: Create the wp-config.php File

Create and edit the configuration file:

sudo cp wp-config-sample.php wp-config.php
sudo nano wp-config.php

Update the following lines:

define( 'DB_NAME', 'wordpress' );
define( 'DB_USER', 'wpuser' );
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'strongpassword' );
define( 'DB_HOST', 'localhost' );

Save and exit.

Step 7: Complete the Installation via Browser

Visit your server’s public IP in the browser:

http://your-ec2-public-ip

You should now see the WordPress installation screen. Complete the setup by choosing a site title, admin username, password, and email.

Step 8: Secure Your WordPress Site

1. Install an SSL certificate using Let’s Encrypt or AWS ACM.
2. Change file permissions to enhance security.
3. Regularly update WordPress, themes, and plugins.
4. Install security plugins like Wordfence.

External Resource: WordPress Security Guide – WordPress.org

Related Guide

👉 Fix WordPress Error Establishing a Database Connection

Now your WordPress blog is successfully running on Amazon Linux 2!