How To Setup Woocommerce On Centos Vps

Setting Up WooCommerce on a CentOS VPS: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction:

Ready to launch your online store? WooCommerce, a powerful and flexible WordPress plugin, is a fantastic choice. This article guides you through the process of installing and configuring WooCommerce on a CentOS Virtual Private Server (VPS). Setting up your own VPS provides greater control and scalability compared to shared hosting. While it involves more technical steps, this guide will simplify the process, allowing you to get your e-commerce store up and running efficiently. This article will cover everything from preparing your server to the final configuration, ensuring a smooth and successful setup.

Main Part:

Prerequisites: A Solid Foundation

Before diving into WooCommerce, we need to ensure your CentOS VPS has the necessary components.

• A CentOS VPS: You’ll need a CentOS VPS with root access. Choose a provider that offers sufficient resources for your expected traffic and product catalog.
• Basic Linux Command Line Knowledge: Familiarity with basic commands like `ssh`, `cd`, `nano`, and `yum` is essential.
• SSH Client: Tools like PuTTY (for Windows) or the terminal (for Linux/macOS) are used to connect to your VPS.
• A Domain Name (Optional but Recommended): For a professional online presence, register a domain name and point it to your VPS’s IP address.

Step 1: Install the LAMP Stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL/MariaDB, PHP)

The LAMP stack is the backbone of a WordPress/WooCommerce website. We’ll install each component.

1. Update Your System: Always start by updating your system’s packages:

sudo yum update -y

2. Install Apache Web Server:

sudo yum install httpd -y

sudo systemctl start httpd

sudo systemctl enable httpd

• Verify Apache is running by accessing your VPS’s IP address in your browser. You should see the Apache test page.

3. Install MariaDB Database Server: MariaDB is a popular MySQL replacement.

sudo yum install mariadb-server mariadb -y

sudo systemctl start mariadb

sudo systemctl enable mariadb

• Secure your MariaDB installation:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

• Follow the prompts to set a root password and configure security settings.

4. Install PHP and Required Extensions: WooCommerce needs PHP to function. We’ll also install essential extensions.

sudo yum install php php-mysqlnd php-gd php-xml php-mbstring php-curl php-json -y

5. Restart Apache: After installing PHP, restart Apache to load the new modules:

sudo systemctl restart httpd

Step 2: Create a Database for WordPress/WooCommerce

1. Log in to MariaDB: Use the root password you set during `mysql_secure_installation`.

sudo Discover insights on How To Set Up Accurate Shipping Classes In Woocommerce mysql -u root -p

2. Create a Database: Choose a name for your database (e.g., `woocommerce_db`).

CREATE DATABASE woocommerce_db;

3. Create a User: Create a user with access to the database. Replace `your_username` and `your_password` with strong credentials.

CREATE USER ‘your_username’@’localhost’ IDENTIFIED BY ‘your_password’;

4. Grant Privileges: Grant the user access to the database.

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON woocommerce_db.* TO ‘your_username’@’localhost’;

5. Flush Privileges: Apply the changes.

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

6. Exit MariaDB:

EXIT;

Step 3: Install WordPress

1. Download WordPress: Navigate to Apache’s document root (usually `/var/www/html/`) and download the latest WordPress package.

cd /var/www/html/

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

2. Extract WordPress:

sudo tar -xvf latest.tar.gz

3. Move WordPress Files: Move the contents of the `wordpress` directory to the document root.

sudo mv wordpress/* .

sudo mv wordpress/.htaccess .

sudo rmdir wordpress

sudo rm latest.tar.gz

4. Set correct file permissions: To ensure the webserver can properly access and modify the wordpress files, you need to grant the correct permissions.

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

Step 4: Configure WordPress

1. Rename `wp-config-sample.php`:

sudo mv wp-config-sample.php wp-config.php

2. Edit `wp-config.php`: Open the file with a text editor (e.g., `nano wp-config.php`).

sudo nano wp-config.php

• Update the database connection details with the information you created in Step 2:

 define( 'DB_NAME', 'woocommerce_db' ); 

/ MySQL database username */

define( ‘DB_USER’, ‘your_username’ );

/ MySQL database password */

define( ‘DB_PASSWORD’, ‘your_password’ );

/ MySQL hostname */

define( ‘DB_HOST’, ‘localhost’ );

3. Generate Authentication Unique Keys and Salts: WordPress uses salts for security. You can generate these online or use the WordPress command:

curl -s https://api.wordpress.org/secret-key/1.1/salt/

• Copy the output and paste it into `wp-config.php`, replacing the existing salt definitions.

4. Save and Close `wp-config.php`: (In Check out this post: How To Center Woocommerce Products nano, press `Ctrl+X`, then `Y`, then `Enter`).

Step 5: Complete the WordPress Installation Through the Web Interface

1. Access WordPress in Your Browser: Open your web browser and navigate to your VPS’s IP address or domain name.

2. Follow the WordPress Installation Wizard:

• Choose your language.
• Enter a site title, username, password, and email address for your WordPress administrator account.
• Click “Install WordPress.”

Step 6: Install and Configure WooCommerce

1. Log in to Your WordPress Dashboard: Use the username and password you created in Step 5.

2. Install the WooCommerce Plugin:

• Go to “Plugins” -> “Add New.”
• Search for “WooCommerce.”
• Click “Install Now” and then “Activate.”

3. Follow the WooCommerce Setup Wizard: The wizard will guide you through:

• Store address
• Industry
• Product types
• Payment gateways (e.g., PayPal, Stripe)
• Shipping options

Step 7: Configure WooCommerce Settings

Take time to explore the WooCommerce settings under “WooCommerce” in the WordPress dashboard. Customize:

• Products: Set product display options, inventory management, and more.
• Shipping: Configure shipping zones, methods, and costs.
• Payments: Set up your preferred payment gateways and their settings.
• Accounts & Privacy: Configure account creation, privacy policies, and data retention.
• Emails: Customize the emails sent to customers.