How to Install WordPress on Raspberry Pi

WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems (CMS), known for its flexibility and ease of use.

Installing WordPress on a Raspberry Pi is a great way to learn about server and website management while using a compact and affordable device.

In this article, we will guide you through the steps to install WordPress on your Raspberry Pi as part of a Raspberry Pi course.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

1. Raspberry Pi with Raspberry Pi OS installed and updated.
2. Internet connection.
3. Access to the terminal of your Raspberry Pi (either locally or via SSH).

Prepare the Environment

Update the system

It is crucial to have the system updated. Open a terminal and run:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Install Apache, MySQL, and PHP

WordPress needs a web server (Apache), a database (MySQL), and PHP to function. Let’s install these components.

Install Apache

Apache is a web server that will host your WordPress site:

sudo apt install apache2

Verify that Apache is running by opening your browser and accessing the IP address of your Raspberry Pi. You should see an Apache welcome page.

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Install MySQL

MySQL is the database management system. Install it with:

sudo apt install mysql-server

After installation, we need to set a password for the MySQL root user.

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Make sure to remember this password, as you will need it later.

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Install PHP

PHP is the programming language used by WordPress. Install it along with some necessary modules:

sudo apt install php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql

Restart Apache for the changes to take effect:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

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Configure MySQL for WordPress

Access MySQL

Access the MySQL command line:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Enter the password you set during the MySQL installation.

Create a database and user

Within the MySQL client, run the following commands to create a database and a user for WordPress:

CREATE DATABASE wordpress;
CREATE USER 'wordpressuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'yourpassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON wordpress.* TO 'wordpressuser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Replace yourpassword with a secure password for the wordpressuser.

Download and Install WordPress

Download WordPress

First, navigate to the Apache web directory:

cd /var/www/html

Download the latest version of WordPress:

sudo wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz

Extract the downloaded file:

sudo tar xzvf latest.tar.gz

This will create a directory called wordpress. Move the contents of this directory to the root directory of Apache:

sudo mv wordpress/* .

Configure WordPress

Rename the configuration file:

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

Edit the configuration file to add your database information:

sudo nano wp-config.php

Look for the following lines and update them with your database information:

define('DB_NAME', 'wordpress');
define('DB_USER', 'wordpressuser');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'yourpassword');
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

Save the file (CTRL + X, then Y and Enter).

Adjust Permissions

Make sure Apache has access to the WordPress files:

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

Complete the installation through the browser

Now, open your web browser and access the IP address of your Raspberry Pi. You should see the WordPress installation page. Follow the instructions to set up your site, including:

• Choosing the language.
• Configuring the site name, admin user, password, and email.

Access the admin panel

Once you complete the installation, you will be able to access the WordPress admin panel at:

http://[your-ip-address]/wp-admin

Log in with the username and password you created during the setup.