Creating a WordPress blog on OpenLiteSpeed is a powerful way to get high performance with full control over your server. While the setup involves several technical steps, each part follows a clear and repeatable pattern. Once completed, you’ll have a fast, secure WordPress blog ready for production.
This guide walks through the entire process step by step, from server preparation to a live WordPress blog.
Step 1: Point Your Domain to the Server
Before configuring OpenLiteSpeed, your domain must resolve to the server.
At your DNS provider, create the following records:
- An A record pointing the root domain to your server IP
- (Optional) An A record for
wwwpointing to the same IP
Wait until DNS propagation completes before continuing.
Step 2: Create the Website Directory
Each WordPress site should live in its own directory.
Create the directory structure:
/var/www/yourdomain/html
Set correct ownership and permissions so OpenLiteSpeed can read and write files:
chown -R lsadm:lsadm /var/www/yourdomain
chmod -R 755 /var/www/yourdomain
Create a temporary test file:
echo "Site works" > /var/www/yourdomain/html/index.html
Step 3: Create the Virtual Host Configuration File
OpenLiteSpeed requires a dedicated configuration file for each virtual host.
Create the folder and file:
/usr/local/lsws/conf/vhosts/yourdomain/vhconf.conf
Add the following content:
docRoot $VH_ROOT/html/
index {
useServer 0
indexFiles index.php, index.html
}
Ensure the file is owned by OpenLiteSpeed:
chown -R lsadm:lsadm /usr/local/lsws/conf/vhosts/yourdomain
Step 4: Add the Virtual Host in OpenLiteSpeed
In the OpenLiteSpeed Admin panel:
- Go to Virtual Hosts
- Click Add
- Set the Virtual Host Name
- Set the Virtual Host Root to
/var/www/yourdomain/ - Set the Config File to
conf/vhosts/yourdomain/vhconf.conf
Save the configuration.
Step 5: Configure the Document Root
Inside the Virtual Host settings:
- Set Document Root to:
$VH_ROOT/html
Save the changes.
Step 6: Map the Domain to the Virtual Host
This step tells OpenLiteSpeed which domain should use this virtual host.
In Listeners → Default → Virtual Host Mappings:
- Add your domain and optional
wwwdomain - Assign them to the Virtual Host
- Set the context to
/
Save the mapping.
Step 7: Enable Scripts and Add Context
WordPress requires PHP execution.
Enable Scripts
In Virtual Hosts → Security:
- Enable Scripts/ExtApps
Add Static Context
Add a context with:
- URI:
/ - Location:
$VH_ROOT/html/
Save the changes.
Step 8: Restart OpenLiteSpeed
Apply all configuration changes with a graceful restart:
- Go to Actions
- Click Graceful Restart
Then test the site in your browser using HTTP.
Step 9: Create the WordPress Database
Log in to MariaDB:
sudo mariadb
Create the database and user:
CREATE DATABASE blog_db CHARACTER SET utf8mb4;
CREATE USER 'blog_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'strong_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON blog_db.* TO 'blog_user'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;
Save these credentials for the WordPress setup.
Step 10: Install WordPress Files
Navigate to the site directory:
cd /var/www/yourdomain/html
Download and extract WordPress:
wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz
tar -xzf latest.tar.gz
mv wordpress/* .
rm -rf wordpress latest.tar.gz
Set ownership:
chown -R lsadm:lsadm .
Step 11: Complete WordPress Installation
Open your domain in a browser.
Follow the WordPress installer:
- Enter database name, user, and password
- Create an admin account
- Set your blog title
After completion, your WordPress blog will be live.
Step 12: Secure the Blog with SSL
Create the Let’s Encrypt challenge directory:
mkdir -p /var/www/yourdomain/html/.well-known/acme-challenge
Issue the certificate:
certbot certonly --webroot -w /var/www/yourdomain/html -d yourdomain.com -d www.yourdomain.com
Configure SSL in OpenLiteSpeed by setting the certificate and private key paths, then perform another graceful restart.
Conclusion
Setting up a WordPress blog on OpenLiteSpeed follows a logical sequence: prepare the domain, configure the virtual host, install WordPress, and secure it with SSL. While the process is technical, it becomes straightforward once you understand the flow.
With OpenLiteSpeed and WordPress working together, you get a fast, efficient blog platform that’s ready to scale and easy to replicate for future sites.
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