Getting Started With A New VPS

You have a new VPS, or you are about to buy one. This page covers what to check before you order and what to do in the first hour.

Before you buy

• Match the plan to the job. A VPN or a small bot needs very little. A WordPress site wants 1 to 2 GB of RAM, and a game server or several containers want 4 GB or more. The guides suggest plans for each.
• Pick a location near your users. It affects speed more than most specs do.
• Look at price and renewal. Compare the cost per year across billing periods, and read the renewal terms on the order page.
• Check what is included. Support, backups and DDoS protection differ between providers and plans, so read what your plan actually includes instead of assuming.
• Know the rules. Read the provider's terms of service for what you may run on the server.

The first hour

1. Update the system. sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y on Debian and Ubuntu.
2. Secure it. Create a normal user, use SSH keys, turn on a firewall and install Fail2ban. The security guide walks through it.
3. Install what you need. A web server, a database or Docker. A control panel such as cPanel, Plesk or DirectAdmin makes management easier, but it needs more RAM and usually a paid license.
4. Set up backups. Keep copies somewhere other than the server and test restoring one.
5. Keep an eye on it. Use htop and Monit to watch resources, and update regularly.

Learning Linux on a VPS

A Linux VPS is one of the cheapest and safest places to learn Linux. It is a real server that is separate from your own computer, so a mistake cannot harm your files, and if you break it you can reinstall the operating system in minutes and start again. Try different distributions, install web servers and databases, and set up things like a VPN or self-hosted apps. The smallest plans are plenty for learning.