How to Install WordPress on Google Cloud?

Introduction

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) offers a reliable and scalable infrastructure for hosting websites and applications. Installing WordPress on Google Cloud allows you to take advantage of its robust features and resources. In this step-by-step guide, we will walk you through the process of installing WordPress on Google Cloud. By the end of this tutorial, you will have a fully functional WordPress website up and running on Google Cloud Platform.

Prerequisites

Before we begin the installation process, make sure you have the following prerequisites:

• A Google Cloud Platform account
• A project created in the Google Cloud Console
• Basic understanding of working with the command line interface
• A domain name linked to your Google Cloud project (optional, but recommended)

Step 1: Create a Virtual Machine Instance

The first step is to create a virtual machine (VM) instance on Google Cloud. Follow these steps:

1. Login to your Google Cloud Console.
2. Create a new project or select an existing project.
3. In the Navigation menu, go to Compute Engine > VM Instances.
4. Click on “Create” to create a new VM instance.
5. Choose a name for your instance, select a region and zone, and choose the machine configuration that suits your needs. Make sure to allocate enough resources for your website.
6. Under “Boot disk,” select a suitable operating system image. For WordPress, you can choose a Debian or Ubuntu image.
7. Click on “Create” to create the VM instance.

Step 2: Connect to the VM Instance

Once the VM instance is created, you need to connect to it via SSH. Follow these steps:

1. In the VM Instances page, locate your newly created instance and click on the SSH button in the “Connect” column.
2. A browser-based SSH terminal will open, allowing you to connect to your instance.

Step 3: Install LAMP Stack

The next step is to install the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack on your VM instance. Follow these steps:

1. Update the package lists by running the command: sudo apt update
2. Install Apache web server by running the command: sudo apt install apache2
3. Start Apache and enable it to start on boot with the command: sudo systemctl start apache2 and sudo systemctl enable apache2
4. Install MySQL server by running the command: sudo apt install mysql-server
5. Secure your MySQL installation by running the command: sudo mysql_secure_installation and following the prompts.
6. Install PHP and necessary extensions by running the command: sudo apt install php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql
7. Restart Apache for the changes to take effect: sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 4: Create a MySQL Database and User

WordPress requires a MySQL database to store its data. Follow these steps to create a database and user:

1. Login to MySQL as the root user: sudo mysql
2. Create a new database for WordPress: CREATE DATABASE wordpress;
3. Create a new user and grant privileges to the WordPress database: CREATE USER 'wordpressuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password'; (Replace ‘wordpressuser’ and ‘password’ with your desired username and password)
4. Grant all privileges to the user on the WordPress database: GRANT ALL ON wordpress.* TO 'wordpressuser'@'localhost';
5. Flush the privileges and exit MySQL: FLUSH PRIVILEGES; and EXIT;

Step 5: Download and Install WordPress

Now it’s time to download and install WordPress on your VM instance. Follow these steps:

1. Download the latest version of WordPress by running the command: wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz
2. Extract the downloaded file: tar -xvzf latest.tar.gz
3. Move the WordPress files to the Apache web server root directory: sudo mv wordpress/* /var/www/html/
4. Set the correct ownership and permissions for the WordPress files: sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/ and sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/
5. Rename the sample configuration file: sudo mv /var/www/html/wp-config-sample.php /var/www/html/wp-config.php
6. Edit the WordPress configuration file: sudo nano /var/www/html/wp-config.php
7. Update the database details in the configuration file. Modify the following lines with your database information:
   define('DB_NAME', 'wordpress');
define('DB_USER', 'wordpressuser');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'password');
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');
8. Save the changes and exit the text editor.

Step 6: Configure Apache Virtual Host

To access your WordPress website using your domain name, you need to configure an Apache virtual host. Follow these steps:

1. Create a new virtual host configuration file: sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/your-domain.conf
2. Add the following configuration to the file, replacing “your-domain” with your actual domain name:
   <VirtualHost *:80>
  ServerName your-domain.com
  ServerAlias www.your-domain.com
  DocumentRoot /var/www/html
</VirtualHost>
3. Save the file and exit the text editor.
4. Enable the virtual host configuration: sudo a2ensite your-domain.conf
5. Restart Apache for the changes to take effect: sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 7: Complete the WordPress Installation

Now, you can complete the installation of WordPress through your web browser. Follow these steps:

1. Open your web browser and enter your domain name in the address bar.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your WordPress website, including site title, admin username, password, and email address.
3. Click on “Install WordPress” to complete the installation.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully installed WordPress on Google Cloud Platform. You now have a fully functional WordPress website that is ready to be customized and published. By leveraging the power of Google Cloud’s infrastructure, you can enjoy a scalable and reliable hosting environment for your website. Remember to regularly update and maintain your WordPress installation to ensure optimal performance and security.