Initial CentOS Server Setup: Safe Basics for New Servers

You just spun up a fresh CentOS server and now you’re staring at an IP address thinking, “Okay… now what?” If you’re running WordPress sites, small business apps, or just tinkering like I do at night after the kids sleep, these first minutes matter. A few basic steps now will make your server safer and easier to live with later….

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Secure Apache on Debian 10 with Let’s Encrypt and Certbot

If you’re running a Debian 10 server with Apache and still serving your site over plain HTTP, you’re basically shouting your traffic across the internet. That’s bad news for logins, contact forms, and anything even slightly private. This hits small business sites, WordPress installs, and any DIY server where HTTPS was put off as “later”. The good news: with Let’s…

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Install and Use Composer Safely on Debian 10 (Step-by-Step)

Install and Use Composer Safely on Debian 10 (Step-by-Step)

If you’re trying to install some PHP tool and it keeps saying “run this with Composer”, but your Debian 10 server just shrugs, this one’s for you. Before: you copy-paste commands from a GitHub README, get a Composer error, and nothing works. After: Composer is installed, verified, and you can install PHP packages and frameworks without guessing. This guide is…

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Step-by-Step: Set Up SSH Keys on Debian 10 Safely

Step-by-Step: Set Up SSH Keys on Debian 10 Safely

Who This Is For (And What Problem We’re Fixing) If you’re logging into a Debian 10 server using passwords, you’re doing it the hard way. SSH keys are easier once set up, and much safer than typing passwords all day. This guide walks you through creating SSH keys on your Debian 10 client (your own computer) and explains the prompts…

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