# How to Install WordPress on Arch Linux > URL: https://www.atlantic.net/dedicated-server-hosting/how-to-install-wordpress-on-arch-linux/ | Published: 2022-12-16 | Updated: 2025-10-01 | Author: Hitesh Jethva WordPress is a content management system that allows you to build and host a website on the web. It offers a plugin architecture and a template system that allows users to customize any website to fit their business, blog, portfolio, or online store. It is written in PHP and uses MariaDB and MySQL as database backends. In this post, we will show you how to install WordPress with Apache on Arch Linux. ## Step 1 – Configure Repository By default, the default repository is outdated in Arch Linux, so you will need to modify the default mirror list. You can do it by editing the mirrorlist configuration file: ``` nano /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist ``` Remove all lines and add the following lines: ``` ## Score: 0.7, United States Server = http://mirror.us.leaseweb.net/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch ## Score: 0.8, United States Server = http://lug.mtu.edu/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch Server = http://mirror.nl.leaseweb.net/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch ## Score: 0.9, United Kingdom Server = http://mirror.bytemark.co.uk/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch ## Score: 1.5, United Kingdom Server = http://mirrors.manchester.m247.com/arch-linux/$repo/os/$arch Server = http://archlinux.dcc.fc.up.pt/$repo/os/$arch ## Score: 6.6, United States Server = http://mirror.cs.pitt.edu/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch ## Score: 6.7, United States Server = http://mirrors.acm.wpi.edu/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch ## Score: 6.8, United States Server = http://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch ## Score: 7.1, India Server = http://mirror.cse.iitk.ac.in/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch ## Score: 10.1, United States Server = http://mirrors.xmission.com/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch ``` Save and close the file, then update all the package indexes with the following command: ``` pacman -Syu ``` ## Step 2 – Install Apache and PHP First, install the Apache web server with the following command: ``` pacman -Sy apache ``` After successful installation, start and enable the Apache service with the following command: ``` systemctl start httpd systemctl enable httpd ``` Next, install PHP and other required extensions using the following command: ``` pacman -Sy php php-gd php-cgi php-apache ``` Next, edit the PHP configuration file and enable the required extensions: ``` nano /etc/php/php.ini ``` Add the following lines: ``` extension=pdo_mysql extension=mysqli ``` Save and close the file when you are finished. ## Step 3 – Install and Configure MariaDB Database First, install the MariaDB server with the following command: ``` pacman -S mariadb ``` ``` ``` Next, start and enable the MariaDB service with the following command: ``` systemctl start mysqld systemctl enable mysqld ``` Now, run the security script that is included with MariaDB. This is a critical step to secure your database installation by setting a root password, removing anonymous users, and restricting root user access. ``` mariadb-secure-installation ``` Follow the on-screen prompts. It is highly recommended to answer “Y” (yes) to all questions for a secure environment: - Enter current password for root (enter for none): **Press Enter** - Set root password? [Y/n]: **Y** - Remove anonymous users? [Y/n]: **Y** - Disallow root login remotely? [Y/n]: **Y** - Remove test database and access to it? [Y/n]: **Y** - Reload privilege tables now? [Y/n]: **Y** With the database server secured, log in to the MariaDB console as the root user: ``` mariadb -u root -p ``` Once you are connected, create a database and user for WordPress: ``` CREATE DATABASE wordpress CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_general_ci; CREATE USER 'wordpress'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_strong_password'; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON wordpress.* TO 'wordpress'@'localhost'; ``` Next, flush the privileges and exit from the MariaDB shell with the following command: ``` FLUSH PRIVILEGES; EXIT; ``` ## Step 4 – Install WordPress CMS First, navigate to the Apache default root directory and download the latest version of WordPress with the following command: ``` cd /srv/http wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz ``` Once the download is completed, extract the downloaded file using the following command: ``` tar xvf latest.tar.gz ``` Next, rename the WordPress configuration file: ``` mv /srv/http/wordpress/wp-config-sample.php /srv/http/wordpress/wp-config.php ``` Next, edit the WordPress configuration file and define your database: ``` nano /srv/http/wordpress/wp-config.php ``` Change the following lines: ``` define( 'DB_NAME', 'wordpress' ); /** MySQL database username */ define( 'DB_USER', 'wordpress' ); /** MySQL database password */ define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'password' ); ``` Save and close the file, then change the ownership of the WordPress directory: ``` chown -R root:http /srv/http/wordpress ``` Next, grant ownership of the `wp-content` directory to the Apache user (`http`). This allows WordPress to install themes/plugins and upload media. ``` chown -R http:http /srv/http/wordpress/wp-content ``` Finally, set secure file and directory permissions. Directories should be `755` and files should be `644`. ``` find /srv/http/wordpress/ -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \; ``` ``` find /srv/http/wordpress/ -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \; ``` These permissions ensure that only the file owner can write to files, while the web server can still manage themes, plugins, and uploads in the designated `wp-content` directory. ## Step 5 – Configure Apache for WordPress Next, edit the Apache default virtual host configuration file: ``` nano /etc/httpd/conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf ``` Remove all lines and add the following code: ``` ServerAdmin webmaster@example.com DocumentRoot "/srv/http/wordpress" ServerName wordpress.example.com ErrorLog "/var/log/httpd/wordpress-error_log" CustomLog "/var/log/httpd/wordpress-access_log" common ``` Save and close the file, then edit the Apache configuration file: ``` nano /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf ``` Uncomment the following line: ``` Include conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf LoadModule mpm_prefork_module modules/mod_mpm_prefork.so ``` Comment out the following line: ``` #LoadModule mpm_event_module modules/mod_mpm_event.so ``` Add the following lines: ``` LoadModule php_module modules/libphp.so AddHandler php-script .php Include conf/extra/php_module.conf ``` Save and close the file, then restart the Apache service to apply the changes: ``` systemctl restart httpd ``` ## Step 6 – Access WordPress Web Installation Wizard With all the server-side components configured, there are two final steps: telling your local machine how to find your new site and running the WordPress web installer. **Update Your Local Hosts File** To access the site using the custom domain `wordpress.example.com`, you must map this hostname to your local machine’s IP address. Add the entry to your `/etc/hosts` file with the following command. This ensures your web browser knows to look for the site on your local machine. ``` echo "127.0.0.1 wordpress.example.com" | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts ``` **Access the WordPress Web Installation Wizard** Now, open your web browser and access the WordPress installation using the URL **http://wordpress.example.com.** You will be redirected to the WordPress site configuration page: ![WordPress site configuration page](https://www.atlantic.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/p1-19.png) Provide your website name and admin credentials and click on the **Install WordPress** button. Once WordPress is installed, you should see the following page: ![WordPress installed](https://www.atlantic.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/p2-15.png) Click on the **Login** button. You should see the WordPress login page: ![WordPress login page](https://www.atlantic.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/p3-7.png) Provide your admin username and password and click on the **Login** button. You should see the WordPress admin dashboard on the following page: ![WordPress dashboard page](https://www.atlantic.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/p4-3-1024x509.png) ## Conclusion In this post, we explained how to install WordPress with Apache on Arch Linux. You can now create and deploy your website or blog from the WordPress admin dashboard. Try WordPress on [dedicated server hosting](https://www.atlantic.net/dedicated-server-hosting/) from Atlantic.Net!