Any Linux can be "installed without looking." To properly set up and maintain, it will take time, knowledge and skills. The specific situation will not always be ideal: sometimes you have to install a system and a stack of web technologies, taking into account limiting factors.
In the usual situation, when you need to get an excellent system and tools of a productive web server, installing LAMP on UBUNTU 18.04 is a good solution that ensures stability and reliability.
Server or desktop
If you want to install LAMP from scratch, you should think about which installation to choose. UBUNTU web server is a stable operating system available via SSH. Typically, configuration and management work is done remotely, but you can do this directly on the console. The administrator controls the server, configures the necessary components, changes the operating modes, performs purely administrative functions.
Desktop is a stable, server-side idea, plus graphical features. Here you can not only ensure the functioning of LAMP, but also engage in Internet development, solve any other information problems: write, read, play, design recipes and compose your own music.
Graphical environment and web management
According to the logic of web development, installing a LAMP server on UBUNTU involves the functioning of a specialized operating system in order to maintain sites, organize file storage and solve network problems.
Parallel use of the server for program development is usually not practiced. But it should be noted: desktop systems provide an extensive graphical arsenal for convenient management of the server and the LAMP software package.
The server version allows you to manage your capabilities through a web resource located on it.
The desired installation option depends on the specific task and application.
Installation options
The zero installation option, especially when there are no strict requirements, which components and which versions need to be installed, is half an hour of work: to do everything “as is” and everything will work. Here the meaning of default - has a direct meaning: "done by default, works by definition."
An option that requires effort is when you need to install PHP of the last century (outdated version) or MySQL with transit to Oracle through MS SQL and third-party application software. It is still difficult to agree with search engines to this day: they are looking not for what is required, but for what they “think” is appropriate.
The usual situation: you need to install LAMP, UBUNTU 18 is already worth it and you do not need to touch it - it does not cause problems in 100 cases out of 100. There is no problem removing what was previously installed and installing a new one.
Probable installation issues
Problems will be when you need to install prehistoric PHP 5.2.17 and ensure that the site is focused on outdated components or using promising NGINX ideas, performing background tasks of parsing and writing data to tables like innoDB. Installation of php-fpm can cause difficulties. Perhaps the best choice would be to install LAMP on UBUNTU 16.04 or choose CentOS 6.10.
In practice, it’s not always possible to install the system from scratch and focus on the latest versions of software products. Very often there are problem situations when you need to restore a heavy site, transfer it to another server and ensure its operation.
In cases when a lot of programmers worked on the site and it has disastrous sizes, the correct choice of installation option is essential.
Virtual Machines, Denver and UBUNTU
Virtualization is modern and practical. Not every site owner is correctly oriented in the virtual world. A correctly made web resource can be transferred from hosting to hosting by simply copying files and folders. Databases also do not present problems if they do not use innoDB tables, indexing is not broken, and a virus or hacker passes by.
Using virtual machines and transferring web resources, and even more so the entire server, can create additional problems. Not every acquaintance with files like vm-100-disk-1.qcow2 ends with a simple solution. It would seem simpler than simple: the site was working on one virtual machine, they made a * .qcow2 disk image file and moved it to another place. May have problems.
Attempts to restore the image in a new virtual space can cause significant time and labor costs for specialists in real space.
The idea of Denver is not a virtual machine, and is also good in a way. Some developers believe that LAMP is less practical than a compact and convenient denver. Do not forget that Denver is not a full-featured web server, but a virtual machine has a different purpose.
The best solution will always be to use full LAMP software and a reliable operating system.
Installation concept
Before setting or deciding anything, you should think and determine what is required. PHP 7 and PHP 5 are completely different things, and Apache 1 and 2 are far from the same person. MySQL - does not differ in version stability and phpAdmin may not be the way we would like.
Modern applied software and “ala system” (no longer an operating system, but not yet applied software) have been characterized by uncertainty in ideals and forms of implementation for twenty years.
Incompatibility is the scourge of information technology, and the number of conditions for the reliable functioning of the necessary software is growing as fast as the number of versions (especially assemblies, often assembled incorrectly) of the main programs that make up LAMP is growing, no matter what operating system it is running on.
In some ways, virtualization can help: you can install several different LAMP packages, provide the usual conditions for old sites, and take the latest versions for new sites.
Installing and configuring LAMP on UBUNTU is not a complicated process, but conceptual preparation can save time in the future. Errors in choosing the right software may require reinstallation. In a real situation, time always matters (both at the beginning of work, and with the development support).
Language selection and installation
UBUNTU is installed by itself, Apache, MySQL and PHP also do not require close attention. In fact, installing a system is choosing a language, setting up a file system and usage modes.
Here are UBUNTU and LAMP: the installation took two dozen steps and thirty minutes of time. This figure on the right shows screenshots of the windows, which the system clarifies the essential details.
At the initial stage, one should not attach importance to everything that the UBUNTU server asks April 18: the installation of LAMP will not cause difficulties when agreeing with the recommendations of the system. Only important:
- location (country);
- keyboard setup;
- keyboard switching method (ctrl-shift recommended);
- network setup (IP address and computer name);
- setting up accounts (first user of the system).
Configuring the file system, software or hardware raids, Apache virtual hosts, improving performance and other serious issues will find their solution at the right time.
Installing UBUNTU + LAMP is the dynamics of the development of specialist knowledge and skills, and not an instant solution to serious problems. This is important to consider.
Step-by-step installation instructions for UBUNTU LAMP
All that has been said about simplicity is true. But this is only the beginning. In fact, setting up and maintaining a UBUNTU web server requires serious knowledge and skills. Performing the step-by-step installation instructions for a clean UBUNTU LAMP installation is not difficult.
Not much action and time. You can make sites.
Difficulties begin when you need to configure virtual hosts, increase the performance of PHP or MySQL, and ensure proper logging to quickly identify problems and find errors. During the operation of UBUNTU LAMP, the “installation” is elementary; you will have to acquire real knowledge and skills.
Real instructions for action in real circumstances
Difficulties begin with orientation in the command system and the UBUNTU file system. Windows users will have to change their mind about files and folders. Actually, the family of linkoids also needs to reconsider their attitude to the file system, but this topic is from the field of programming theory: it's too common to look at the world of information through files and folders.
Information is a system of interacting unique objects, with its own meaning and logic. Information does not fit into a primitive file-folder concept.
You just need to get used to the UBUNTU command system. In principle, this can be done in a day, but it is better not to rush. Proper navigation through folders and files will help with a hand-made compendium, which will certainly become a reference book. Since the installation of UBUNTU LAMP it is recommended to immediately record, then it is all implanted into knowledge and skills, but for the first time a pencil and a notebook are important and significant time savings.
In cases where the LAMP package was installed on another Linux or with complex requirements (to the configuration, to the versions of the required programs and for other circumstances), careful analysis of search results helps in the work.
It is difficult to challenge the fact that it is difficult to find something on the Internet. But the successful logic of key phrases may not be repeated, something can be forgotten. By saving the search results for the right solutions, you can achieve more, at least save time.
UBUNTU is a great system, and the latest version of LAMP is a great web server. But the knowledge and skills of a specialist is the best solution. Computer, system and application software is the result of human activity, an assistant, but not the central idea of the development of web technologies.