If you’re running your own server and just want an easier way to manage websites, CloudPanel is a nice lightweight option.

It’s free, supports PHP, Node.js, and Python, and runs on Ubuntu 22.04 or Debian 11. In this guide, I’ll walk you through installing CloudPanel on Ubuntu 22.04, adding a WordPress site, and setting up SSL.

I’ll keep it practical, short, and focused on the steps you actually need.

What CloudPanel Is Good For (And Who This Is For)

CloudPanel is a hosting control panel that helps you manage web hosting tasks from a browser instead of the terminal all the time.

It supports:

• PHP sites (including WordPress)
• Node.js apps
• Python apps
• Static HTML sites

On top of that, it includes security and management features like:

• Firewall management with UFW
• Access restriction by IP
• IP and bot blocker
• Basic authentication
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
• Let’s Encrypt SSL
• Automated backups
• Cloudflare integration

Under the hood, it uses this stack:

• Nginx + PageSpeed module
• MySQL/MariaDB
• PHP 7.1–8.1
• Redis
• ProFTPD
• Node.js LTS
• Yarn
• Python

This article is for you if:

• You have a server or VPS with Ubuntu 22.04
• You want a simple panel to host WordPress, PHP, Node.js, HTML, or Python sites
• You want a web UI instead of doing everything manually with config files

Before You Install: Requirements and Safety

CloudPanel has some minimum requirements. Make sure your server meets these before you bother installing.

Required OS:

• Ubuntu 22.04 or
• Debian 11

Minimum server specs:

• CPU: 1 core
• RAM: 2 GB
• Disk: 10 GB

CloudPanel can be used on:

• Cloud providers like AWS, DigitalOcean, Hetzner Cloud, Google Cloud, Azure, Vultr (they even provide images there)
• Other cloud providers
• Dedicated servers

As long as you’re on Ubuntu 22.04 or Debian 11, you can install it manually.

Safety tips before you start:

• Use a fresh server if possible. Installing panels on top of a heavily customized system can cause weird issues.
• If it’s not a new server, at least back up your important data and databases first.
• Make sure you have root or sudo access.

Step 1: Install CloudPanel on Ubuntu 22.04

I’ll focus on Ubuntu 22.04 here, since that’s what most people use.

CloudPanel can be installed with MariaDB 10.8 as the database server on Ubuntu 22.04. The official process is basically one install step, and when it’s done you’ll see a clear message.

High-level steps:

1. Connect to your server via SSH as root (or a sudo user).
2. Run the CloudPanel installer for Ubuntu 22.04 with MariaDB 10.8.
3. Wait for the installation to finish.

When the installation is complete, CloudPanel will show this message in the terminal:

The installation of CloudPanel is complete!

That’s your confirmation that everything went through.

After that, CloudPanel will be available at:

• https://IP-Server:8443

Just replace IP-Server with your actual server IP.

Quick safety note:

• CloudPanel uses HTTPS on port 8443.
• If you have a firewall or security group (like in AWS or other cloud providers), make sure port 8443 is allowed from your IP.

Step 2: First-Time Login and Admin Account Setup

Once the installation is done, open your browser and go to:

• https://IP-Server:8443

Because it’s a new install, CloudPanel will ask you to create an Admin account on first access.

Steps:

1. Visit https://IP-Server:8443.
2. Fill in the requested fields to create your Admin user.
3. Submit the form to create the account.

After that, CloudPanel will redirect you to the login page.

Log in using the Admin username and password you just created.

Once logged in, you’ll land in the CloudPanel frontend area, where you can manage sites, SSL, and other settings.

Step 3: Add a New Website (Example: WordPress)

Now let’s add a website. CloudPanel supports multiple app types:

• WordPress
• Generic PHP site
• Node.js app
• HTML (static site)
• Python site

I’ll use WordPress as the example here because that’s what most people start with.

To add a new site:

1. In the CloudPanel menu, go to Sites.
2. Click + ADD SITE.
3. Choose what kind of site you want to host.
4. For this example, select Create a WordPress site.

CloudPanel will ask for a few details:

• Domain Name – The domain for your site.
• Site Title – The title of your WordPress site.
• Admin User Name – The WordPress admin username.
• Admin Password – The WordPress admin password.
• Admin E-Mail – The WordPress admin email address.

Fill those in carefully. The admin password and email matter because they control your WordPress dashboard access.

When all fields are filled, click Create.

After a bit, you’ll see a message like:

WordPress Site has been created!

At this point, WordPress is installed and configured under that domain inside CloudPanel.

Make sure you:

• Copy or save the WordPress credentials that CloudPanel shows you.

When you’re done, click Back to Sites to return to the list of sites.

Step 4: Check the Default SSL (Self-Signed)

Right after installation, CloudPanel will use a self-signed SSL certificate by default.

That means:

• The panel is using HTTPS
• Browsers will likely show a warning (because it’s not from a trusted certificate authority)

Self-signed SSL is fine for internal access or just initial setup.

But for any public site, you’ll probably want a proper certificate.

CloudPanel supports:

• Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates
• Custom SSL from other certificate authorities

Next, we’ll switch to Let’s Encrypt for a proper, trusted certificate.

Step 5: Enable Let’s Encrypt SSL for Your Site

Let’s Encrypt is built into CloudPanel, so activating SSL is handled via the UI.

To enable Let’s Encrypt on a site:

1. In CloudPanel, go to Sites.
2. On the site you want to secure, click Manage.
3. Go to the SSL/TLS section.
4. Under Actions, choose New Let’s En… (this is the menu item for creating a new Let’s Encrypt certificate).

CloudPanel will then handle requesting and installing a Let’s Encrypt certificate for that domain.

A couple of practical reminders:

• Make sure your domain’s DNS points to the server IP first, otherwise Let’s Encrypt validation will fail.
• Only request SSL for domains that are publicly reachable.

Once it’s done, your site will use a valid Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate instead of the self-signed one.

Security Features You Can Explore Next

Out of the box, CloudPanel gives you several security tools that are worth using once you’re comfortable with the basics.

Available features include:

• Firewall UFW – To control which ports are open.
• Access Restriction by IP – Limit panel or site access to specific IP addresses.
• IP & Bot Blocker – Block bad traffic and simple bots.
• Basic Authentication – Add an extra password layer on a site or directory.
• Two-Factor Authentication – Add 2FA to the panel for safer admin access.
• Let’s Encrypt SSL – We already covered this for your site.
• Automated Backups – Useful to protect you from mistakes or hacks.
• Cloudflare Integration – If you’re using Cloudflare, this can make life easier.

When you start hosting real sites (especially client sites), it’s worth spending a few minutes inside the panel enabling at least:

• 2FA for the admin account
• Proper firewall rules
• Automated backups

Quick Recap and Next Step

You’ve seen how to:

• Check the basic requirements for CloudPanel
• Install CloudPanel on Ubuntu 22.04 with MariaDB 10.8
• Access the panel at https://IP-Server:8443
• Create the first Admin account and log in
• Add a new WordPress site from the Sites menu
• Understand the default self-signed SSL
• Enable a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate for your site from SSL/TLS

From here, you can start adding more sites (PHP, Node.js, HTML, Python) and explore CloudPanel’s security and backup features.

Need more help? Check the latest CrushEdge posts.