# Create a WordPress site

Install a new WordPress site on one of your servers, with its own database, Redis cache and HTTPS. It takes four short screens and a few minutes of setup.

## Before you start

- An active server created as **WordPress & apps** or **Mixed projects**. The site form calls these **Docker host** and **General purpose**. See [Create a server](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/create-a-server).
- A domain you can point at the server, or a temporary address if Nuvlo offers one.
- Room on your plan for another site. At the limit, the **Create** menu sends you to Billing. See [Plans and pricing](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/plans-and-pricing).
- Permission to manage sites. Owners, admins and developers have it by default.

## Step 1: Start a new site

Open **Sites** and click **Create**, then **Site**. The **Create site** page opens with the question **What would you like to deploy?**

![The Create menu open on the Sites page, with Site, 1-Click app, Move an existing site, Server and Database](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/shots/install-wordpress--create-menu.webp)

## Step 2: Choose the server and WordPress

Under **Server**, pick the server the site runs on. Under **Site type**, click **WordPress**.

WordPress runs in its own isolated stack with PHP, MariaDB, Redis and a web server. If the server you picked is a different type, the WordPress card is greyed out and says **Requires a Docker host or general-purpose server**.

![Create site, first step: the server list and the site type cards, with WordPress first](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/shots/install-wordpress--site-type.webp)

To bring a WordPress site over from another host, click **Move an existing site** on the same screen. See [Move a WordPress site to Nuvlo](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/move-a-wordpress-site).

## Step 3: Set the address and HTTPS

The first WordPress screen is **Domain & connection**.

- If you see an **Address** choice, pick **Your domain** to use your own domain, or **Temporary … address** to start right away on a random address and switch to your domain later. Search engines don’t index temporary addresses.
- For your own domain, type it in **Domain name**, for example `example.com`.
- Under **Visitors land on**, choose whether visitors end up on `example.com`, on `www.example.com`, or on **Both** without forwarding.

Under **HTTPS**, choose how the site gets its certificate:

| Option | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| **Cloudflare** | HTTPS works right away. Nuvlo adds the DNS record in your connected Cloudflare account. The domain must be in that account, or the form won’t continue. See [Connect Cloudflare](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/connect-cloudflare). |
| **Let’s Encrypt** | Free. You point the domain’s A record at the server yourself. Nuvlo checks every few minutes and adds the certificate once DNS points there. |

Click **Next: configure WordPress**.

![Domain & connection step with the domain name field, Visitors land on choice and the HTTPS options](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/shots/install-wordpress--domain.webp)

## Step 4: Configure WordPress

On **Configure WordPress**, choose the stack. The defaults suit most sites.

| Setting | Choices |
| --- | --- |
| **Web server** | **Nginx** (firewall and bot protection available) or **OpenLiteSpeed** (LiteSpeed Cache built in). OpenLiteSpeed turns the firewall and bot protection off, and switches PHP 8.5 to 8.4. |
| **PHP version** | PHP 8.0 to 8.5. **PHP 8.4 (recommended)**. PHP 8.5 is Nginx only. 8.0 and 8.1 no longer get updates. |
| **Redis object cache** | **Automatic** adjusts between 32 and 512 MB. **Fixed** keeps the size you pick, 32 to 512 MB. |
| **Full-page cache** | On by default. Serves saved copies of pages to visitors who aren’t logged in. |
| **Firewall** | **8G** (default), **7G** or **Off**. Needs Nginx. |
| **Bot protection** | Blocks bad bots and scrapers and limits login attempts. Needs Nginx. |
| **Behind Cloudflare** | Shows real visitor IP addresses instead of Cloudflare’s. Always on for Cloudflare HTTPS and temporary addresses. |

Click **Next: site and administrator**.

![Configure WordPress step with web server, PHP version, caching and security settings](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/shots/install-wordpress--configure.webp)

## Step 5: Set up the site and administrator

Fill in **Site title**, **Admin email**, **Admin username** and **Admin password**. **Generate** fills in a random 16-character password. Nuvlo doesn’t store the password after the site is created, so save it somewhere safe. You can still sign in from the dashboard with one click.

Under **WordPress version**, the newest release is preselected and marked **(latest)**. Pick an older one only if you need it.

Click **Next: review**.

![Site & administrator step with site title, admin email, username, password and WordPress version](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/shots/install-wordpress--administrator.webp)

## Step 6: Review and create the site

The **Review your site** screen lists the address, software, administrator and performance settings. Use **Back** to change anything, then click **Create WordPress site**.

## Step 7: Follow the installation

Nuvlo shows each stage as it happens: **Preparing site**, **Starting containers**, **Initializing database**, **Installing WordPress**, **Configuring WordPress**, **Connecting the address** and **Finishing up**. This usually takes a few minutes.

When it’s done, the **Your WordPress login** dialog shows the admin address, username and password, each with a copy button. You also get an email that the site is live.

Click **Open site** to go to the site’s page in Nuvlo, or **WordPress admin** to open the WordPress dashboard.

## Step 8: Point your domain at the server

Skip this step if you used Cloudflare HTTPS or a temporary address.

For **Let’s Encrypt**, add an A record for your domain at your DNS provider, with the server’s IP address as its value. The site’s **Overview** tab shows the IP address with a copy button.

![Details on a WordPress site’s Overview tab with the address, server and IP address with its copy button](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/shots/install-wordpress--ip-address.webp)

Until the certificate exists, the site answers over plain HTTP. Once DNS points at the server, Nuvlo adds the certificate by itself, usually within a few minutes of the change spreading. You can also click **Turn on HTTPS** on the **Domains** tab. See [SSL certificates](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/ssl-certificates).

## If the installation stops

If a stage fails, the screen shows **Setup stopped** and the reason. Click **Open the site**. Its header shows **Retry install**, which runs the installer again on the files and database it already set up.

If the first attempt stopped before the site’s files were written, a retry can’t help. Delete the site and create it again. See [Delete a site](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/delete-a-site).

## What’s next

- Sign in without a password: [Sign in to WordPress admin with one click](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/wordpress-magic-login).
- Make sure WordPress can send email: [Send WordPress email through an email service](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/site-email).
- Set up backups: [Back up a site](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/back-up-a-site).
- Moved from a temporary address? [Change a site’s domain](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/change-site-domain).

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Source: https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/install-wordpress