Server purchased, SSH connected, then what?
Stop blindly typing commands in the terminal, install a panel, and you can build a website with a few clicks.
1. First, Understand: The Difference Between Having a Server and Not Having a Server
Comparison Item Serverless (GitHub+Cloudflare) With Server (Baota/1Panel) Cost Free Server monthly rent (dozens to hundreds) Technical Barriers Low, just need to know Git Medium, need basic Linux knowledge What Can Run Static websites only Dynamic websites, databases, backend Freedom Low, limited by the platform High, install whatever you want Suitable for Blogs, display pages Forums, malls, need backend In short: Do you need a database, user login, and backend management? Buy a server. Just for display? See the previous serverless version.
2. Preparation Work
You need:
- A Linux Server (recommended Ubuntu 22.04 or CentOS 7/8)
- A domain (already resolved to server IP)
- An SSH client (PuTTY/Termius on computer, Termux/JuiceSSH on mobile)
- Patience (installing the panel takes about 5 minutes, building the site takes about 10 minutes)
- Use your brain (most important, if you don’t, it’s recommended not to read further)
Server recommendations: Alibaba Cloud, Tencent Cloud, Huawei Cloud, first-year users for just dozens of yuan.
Or go to Xianyu to buy second-hand servers, which are cheaper (but stability is luck-based).
3. Plan A: Baota Panel (Classic Brand, Beginner’s Choice)
3.1 Install Baota
SSH into your server and run the following command (choose according to the system):
Ubuntu/Debian:
wget -O install.sh https://download.bt.cn/install/install-ubuntu_6.0.sh && sudo bash install.sh ed8484becCentOS:
yum install -y wget && wget -O install.sh https://download.bt.cn/install/install_6.0.sh && sh install.sh ed8484becWait 2-3 minutes, after installation, the terminal will display:
- Panel address:
http://your_server_IP:8888/random_string- Username:
admin- Password:
randomly generated passwordRemember these three, if lost, you will have to reinstall.
3.2 Log in to the Panel
Open the address in a web browser and log in with the username and password.
The first login will pop up a window asking you to bind the Baota account (free registration), after binding you can use it.
3.3 Install Environment
Baota will recommend you install LNMP or LAMP:
- LNMP: Linux + Nginx + MySQL + PHP (recommended, better performance)
- LAMP: Linux + Apache + MySQL + PHP (better compatibility)
Version selection:
- Nginx: 1.24 or the latest stable version
- MySQL: 5.7 (stable) or 8.0 (more features)
- PHP: 7.4 (old projects) or 8.1 (new projects)
Click “One-click Installation”, wait 10-20 minutes, you can go and have a cup of tea.
3.4 Add Website
After the environment is installed, click “Website” → “Add Site” on the left menu.
Fill in:
- Domain: Enter your domain, such as
www.yourname.top- Root Directory: Default is fine (
/www/wwwroot/域名)- Database: If needed, check to create a MySQL database and set the username and password
- PHP Version: Select the one you installed earlier
Click “Submit”, the website is created.
3.5 Upload Code
Go into the website root directory (click into it in the file manager), and upload the code:
Method A: Baota built-in file manager
Drag and drop to upload, or edit online.
Method B: FTP
Baota will automatically create an FTP account, connect with FileZilla to upload.
Method C: Git Pull
In the terminal, execute:
cd /www/wwwroot/your_domain git clone https://github.com/your_username/repository_name.git .3.6 Configure Database (if needed)
If your website needs a database (such as WordPress, Typecho):
- Click “Database” on the left menu to find the database created earlier
- Click “Manage” to enter phpMyAdmin
- Import your SQL file, or manually create tables
3.7 Configure URL Rewriting/Redirect Rules
If your website uses a framework (such as Laravel, ThinkPHP, Vue Router History mode), you need to configure URL rewriting:
- Click “URL Rewriting” in website settings
- Select the corresponding framework preset (such as
thinkphp,laravel5)- Save
3.8 SSL Certificate (HTTPS)
Baota comes with a free Let’s Encrypt certificate:
- Click “SSL” in website settings
- Select “Let’s Encrypt”
- Check the domain, click “Apply”
- Wait 1-2 minutes, the certificate is automatically configured
- Enable “Force HTTPS”
Note: Before applying for SSL, make sure the domain has been resolved to the server IP, otherwise the verification will fail.
4. Plan B: 1Panel (Emerging Panel, More Modern)
If you find Baota too bulky and full of ads, you can try 1Panel, open source and free, with a cleaner interface.
4.1 Install 1Panel
SSH into the server and run:
curl -sSL https://resource.fit2cloud.com/1panel/package/quick_start.sh -o quick_start.sh && sudo bash quick_start.sh ```After installation, the terminal will display:
- Panel address:
http://your_server_ip:port/safe_entry - Username:
admin - Password:
random_password
Similarly, write it down.
4.2 Login and Initialization
Open the address in the browser, and after logging in, you will be guided to install the basic environment (OpenResty, MySQL, PHP), similar to Baota.
4.3 Create a Website
1Panel’s website building logic is similar to Baota:
- “Website” → “Create Website”
- Select “PHP Runtime Environment” or “Static Website”
- Fill in the domain, select the runtime environment, and set the root directory
- Submit
4.4 Upload Code & Configure Database
1Panel also supports file management, FTP, and Git pull, with operations similar to Baota.
The database is managed under the “Database” menu, supporting MySQL, Redis, and PostgreSQL.
4.5 SSL Certificate
1Panel also has built-in Let’s Encrypt, with a simpler application process and one-click completion.
Five: Baota vs 1Panel, Which One to Choose?
| Comparison Item | Baota | 1Panel |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | Traditional, many features | Modern, simple |
| Ads | Yes (free version) | No |
| Open Source | Closed source | Open source |
| Features | Extremely rich (email, monitoring, firewall) | Core features complete |
| Resource Consumption | Slightly higher | Lower |
| Community | Large, many tutorials | Growing |
Recommendation:
- If you are a complete beginner and want to save trouble, choose Baota (many tutorials, and you can find answers to problems)
- If you have some foundation and dislike ads, choose 1Panel (refreshing, open source, and can be further developed)
Six: Common Questions
Q: What should I do if I can’t connect to the server?
Check the security group/firewall to make sure ports 22 (SSH), 80 (HTTP), 443 (HTTPS), and 8888 (Baota) are open.
Q: Can’t access the domain?
Check if the DNS resolution is correct and wait for DNS to take effect (usually a few minutes to a few hours).
Q: The website shows 502/503 errors?
PHP service is not started, or the rewrite configuration is incorrect. Restart PHP and check the Nginx configuration in the panel.
Q: Forgot the password for Baota/1Panel?
Baota: Use the
bt 5command to reset the password. 1Panel: Use1pctl reset password.
Q: The server was attacked?
Baota comes with a built-in firewall, and 1Panel also has a WAF plugin. Also, remember to change the default SSH port, don’t use 22.
Conclusion
The core of building a website with a server is just one sentence: Install panel → Install environment → Upload code → Configure domain → Enable SSL, five steps solved.
Baota and 1Panel have encapsulated complex Linux commands into buttons, you don’t need to know how to write code, just click the mouse.
Suitable for people:
- Need to run dynamic websites (forums, blogs, malls)
- Need a database (MySQL, Redis)
- Need backend services (PHP, Python, Node.js)
- Want to fully control the server (want to install what)
If you still don’t know after reading this, it is recommended to rent a server with Baota pre-installed (many cloud vendors have it in the image market), or… come back and ask me.
Previous article review: “No server? No recordal? Step-by-step guide to deploying a personal website for free”
