This page describes how to install LAMP, which stands for Linux Apache MariaDB PHP. For this purpose, you need to set up:
- a working Apache2 webserver;
- a configured MariaDB database server;
- PHP for work with Apache; and finally
- phpMyAdmin with a configured pmadb database.
The needed time for the whole installation is around 20 minutes but it may depend on the performance of your Internet connection. This will require you spend some time in the terminal to properly set up.
Getting root access
To get root access, open a terminal and enter the following command:
su –
After entering a valid password, the prompt should turn red and end with a #.
Apache
The following is a step-by-step process to install the Apache2 webserver that will be used in a basic LAMP setup.
Installing Apache2
First of all, make sure you have root access and enter the following as root:
apt install apache2
Starting Apache2 Service
To start the Apache server, enter the following as root
service apache2 start
If you ever want to restart the Apache server:
service apache2 restart
To stop the apache2 service:
service apache2 stop
To automatically start the apache service after reboot
update-rc.d apache2 defaults
Testing the installation
Debian and consequently MX build of Apache2 stores the html pages under /var/www/html/
Now point your favorite Web browser to: ‘localhost’ or 127.0.0.1. You should see the default Apache2 welcome page.

Firewall
By default MX Linux does not enable the firewall, however, if you intend on using the firewall you will have to open the appropriate ports.
For unencrypted, http, traffic, open port 80 on the firewall
For encrypted, https, traffic, open port 443
PHP
Hypertext Preprocessor is a server-side scripting language designed for Web development, but also used as a general-purpose programming language.
Installation
Ensure you have root access and run the following command to install the PHP module for php7
apt install libapache2-mod-php7.0
Although it may have already been enabled, enable mod-php by executing:
a2enmod php7.0
PHP installation is complete
Restart the Webserver
Now that PHP is installed, restart the apache2 webserver:
service apache2 restart
Test the Installation
In order to verify that PHP is properly working, create a index.php file into the /var/www/html/ folder with the following content:
<?php phpinfo(); ?>
Now, point your browser to ‘localhost/index.php’. You should see a page containing a table with all PHP settings displayed.

MariaDB
MariaDB is an alternative package for MySQL, so further on the name mysql is used.
Installation
Ensure you have root access and enter:
apt install mariadb-server
Start the MariaDB server
As root user run the command in terminal:
service mysql start
Ensure that the server will start at every boot:
update-rc.d mysql defaults
Should you need to restart mysql, execute
service mysql restart
To stop the service
service mysql stop
Configure the MariaDB/MySql server
To configure the MariaDB server with improved security, please use the script mysql_secure_installation provided. Hereafter is the description of the full process.
mysql_secure_installation
stackstackstackstack
NOTE: RUNNING ALL PARTS OF THIS SCRIPT IS RECOMMENDED FOR ALL MariaDB
SERVERS IN PRODUCTION USE! PLEASE READ EACH STEP CAREFULLY!
In order to log into MariaDB to secure it, we’ll need the current password for the root user. If you’ve just installed MariaDB, and you haven’t set the root password yet, the password will be blank, so you should just press enter here. Enter current password for root (enter for none):
Just press Enter here.
OK, successfully used password, moving on…
Setting the root password ensures that nobody can log into the MariaDB root user without the proper authorization. Set root password? [Y/n] y
Just enter y here.
New password:
Enter the password for root now.
Re-enter new password:
Enter the password confirmation.
Password updated successfully!
Reloading privilege tables.. … Success! By default, a MariaDB installation has an anonymous user, allowing anyone to log into MariaDB without having to have a user account created for them. This is intended only for testing, and to make the installation go a bit smoother. You should remove them before moving into a production environment. Remove anonymous users? [Y/n]
Answer y to remove anonymous users.
… Success!
Normally, root should only be allowed to connect from ‘localhost’. This ensures that someone cannot guess at the root password from the network. Disallow root login remotely? [Y/n]
Answer y now.
… Success!
By default, MariaDB comes with a database named ‘test’ that anyone can access. This is also intended only for testing, and should be removed before moving into a production environment. Remove test database and access to it? [Y/n]
Answer y.
– Dropping test database…
… Success! – Removing privileges on test database… … Success! Reloading the privilege tables will ensure that all changes made so far will take effect immediately. Reload privilege tables now? [Y/n]
Answer y.
… Success!
Cleaning up… All done! If you’ve completed all of the above steps, your MariaDB installation should now be secure. Thanks for using MariaDB!
MariaDB has now been successfully Configured
Should you need to set a new password for MairaDB, as root:
mysqladmin -u root password
Password: <enter your password>
Confirm new password: <enter same password>
Log in to the client
Now you can log in into the server client by executing
mysql -u root -p
Enter password:
Then give your password.
You will be given some output similar to this:
Welcome to the MariaDB monitor. Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MariaDB connection id is 71 Server version: 10.1.38-MariaDB-0+deb9u1 Debian 9.8
Copyright (c) 2000, 2015, Oracle, MariaDB Corporation Ab and others.
Type ‘help;’ or ‘\h’ for help. Type ‘\c’ to clear the current input statement.
MariaDB [(none)]>
To go back to the terminal, enter:
exit
phpMyAdmin
What is phpMyAdmin? phpMyAdmin, also known as pma, is a tool to administrate your databases from a Web interface.
Installation
As root user, in the terminal run:
apt install phpmyadmin
This will install several packages and request to restart your webservice

Select to configure database for phpmyadmin with dconfig-common, and select Forward.

Enter your password for the MySQL. You will also be asked to enter it again.

Log into phpMyAdmin
To log in to phpMyAdmin:
Navigate to localhost/phpMyAdmin
Enter the username: phpmyadmin
and the root password of your mysql server

Click on the ‘go’ button

That’s all! You can now administer your databases from a Web interface.
Documentation about using phpMyAdmin can be found on the phpMyAdmin website.
Congratulations, a properly configured LAMP server has been successfully installed.
13 thoughts on “LAMP setup”
A big thanks from Athens Greece
Panos
This for PHP 7.0, but what could I do if I want to install another version of PHP such as 5.6, 7.1, 7.2,etc?
Hi all,
I wonder if an automatic LAMP installation would be possible with phpMyAdmin, or Adminer, included and working downloadable from the repositories. It would be useful for an home web-server for tests. Thank you and congrats for this great Distro.
Said Bakr, try php7.3, php7.2 instead of where it says php7.0 for starters. Worked for me on php7.3 at least :).
MX Linux doesn’t seem to have phpmyadmin in the apt repositories ?!?
MX Linux is well known to be based on Debian Stable, and phpmyadmin is not in the current Stable (buster) repo. In such cases, MX users would make a package request on the Forum.
You can find phpmyadmin in the MX package installer if you select the MX Text Repo tab. I installed it from there and it works fine.
You can find phpmyadmin in the MX package installer if you select the MX Text Repo tab. I installed it from there and it works fine.
Correction: The MX package installer has a MX Test Repo tab. I typed the word Text in error.
when running mysql_secure_installation, as above, I was told to just press enter here.
I pressed enter, and here’s what happened:
$ mysql_secure_installation
NOTE: RUNNING ALL PARTS OF THIS SCRIPT IS RECOMMENDED FOR ALL MariaDB
SERVERS IN PRODUCTION USE! PLEASE READ EACH STEP CAREFULLY!
In order to log into MariaDB to secure it, we’ll need the current password for the root user. If you’ve just installed MariaDB, and you haven’t set the root password yet, the password will be blank, so you should just press enter here.
Enter current password for root (enter for none): [I pressed enter, as directed]
ERROR 1698 (28000): Access denied for user ‘root’@’localhost’
Thinking that somehow the root password was already entered, I entered my password and received the same error message.
Where do I go from here?
[email protected]:/home/srabonx# mysql_secure_installation
NOTE: RUNNING ALL PARTS OF THIS SCRIPT IS RECOMMENDED FOR ALL MariaDB
SERVERS IN PRODUCTION USE! PLEASE READ EACH STEP CAREFULLY!
In order to log into MariaDB to secure it, we’ll need the current
password for the root user. If you’ve just installed MariaDB, and
you haven’t set the root password yet, the password will be blank,
so you should just press enter here.
Enter current password for root (enter for none):
ERROR 2002 (HY000): Can’t connect to local MySQL server through socket ‘/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock’ (2)
Enter current password for root (enter for none):
Very good the how to. I adapted the how to for php 7.4.10 via Synaptic, download phpMyAdmin and installed manually. Thanks from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sorry my poor English.
Correcting: Version 7.3.19-1~deb10u1