How to Set Up a WordPress Website on Azure: A Step-by-Step Guide

Setting up a WordPress website on Azure can be a straightforward process if you follow the right steps. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the entire process, from creating a virtual machine (VM) to configuring WordPress. By the end, you’ll have a fully functional WordPress site running on an Azure VM.

Step 1: Create a Virtual Machine (VM)

Create Resource Group:

Name: ABCHosting

Create VM:

Name: ABCHostingVM
Region: Australia Southeast
Image: Ubuntu Server
Architecture: X64
Azure Spot Discount: Enabled
Size: D2s_v3 (2 vCPUs, 8GB memory)
Authentication: SSH Public Key
Username: azureuser
Generate a new key pair: Name it ABCHosting_VM_key
Open port: SSH(22)
Disk type: Premium SSD

Step 2: Connect to the VM via SSH

Use the Azure CLI to connect to your VM:

ssh azureuser@<Your_VM_Public_IP> -i <Path_to_Your_Private_Key>

Step 3: Install Prerequisites

Update and upgrade the system packages:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 4: Install Apache

Enable and start the Apache web server:

sudo apt install apache2 -y
sudo systemctl enable apache2
sudo systemctl start apache2

Step 5: Install MySQL/MariaDB

Install MariaDB server and client:

sudo apt install mariadb-server mariadb-client -y
sudo mysql_secure_installation

Step 6: Install PHP and Required Extensions

Install PHP and necessary modules:

sudo apt install php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql php-cli php-curl php-gd php-mbstring php-xml php-xmlrpc php-soap php-intl php-zip -y

Step 7: Create MySQL Database and User

Access the MySQL shell and create a database and user for WordPress:

sudo mysql -u root -p

In the MySQL shell:

CREATE DATABASE wordpress_db;
CREATE USER 'wordpress_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON wordpress_db.* TO 'wordpress_user'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Step 8: Download and Configure WordPress

Navigate to the web root and download WordPress:

cd /var/www/html
sudo wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz
sudo tar -xzvf latest.tar.gz
sudo mv wordpress/* .
sudo rm -rf wordpress latest.tar.gz

Step 9: Create Apache Configuration File for WordPress

Create a new Apache configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/wordpress.conf

Add the following content:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerAdmin admin@example.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html
    ServerName example.com
    ServerAlias www.example.com

    <Directory /var/www/html/>
        Options FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Enable the new site and the rewrite module:

sudo a2ensite wordpress.conf
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 10: Configure Firewall Rules

Ensure your firewall rules are correctly set up on the VM:

Go to Azure Portal:

Open your web browser and navigate to the Azure Portal.

Navigate to Your Virtual Machine:

In the Azure portal, go to “Virtual Machines” and select your VM.

Network Security Group:

On the VM’s page, click on “Networking” in the left-hand menu to view the network security group (NSG) associated with your VM.

Add Inbound Security Rule:

Click on “Add inbound port rule.”
Set the “Source” to “Any.”
Set the “Source port ranges” to “*.”
Set the “Destination” to “Any.”
Set the “Destination port ranges” to “80, 443.”
Set the “Protocol” to “TCP.”
Set the “Action” to “Allow.”
Give the rule a name, like “Allow-HTTP-HTTPS.”
Click “Add” to create the rule.

Step 11: Finalize WordPress Setup

Open your web browser and go to http://<Your_VM_Public_IP>/wp-admin. Follow the WordPress installation wizard:

Select your language.
Complete the setup by entering the database details and creating an admin account.

Congratulations! You now have a fully functional WordPress site running on Azure. You can start customizing your website and adding content. If you encounter any issues, feel free to refer back to this guide or consult the official WordPress and Azure documentation for additional support. Happy blogging!