AlmaLinux 9 + NGINX + PHP-FPM
Building, Securing, and Optimizing a High-Performance Linux Web Server
What's Included:
Key Highlights
- Production-grade AlmaLinux 9 configuration
- Modern NGINX architecture and optimization
- Deep PHP-FPM tuning for concurrency
- MariaDB/MySQL deployment and integration
- Firewall + SELinux security configuration
- SSL setup with Let’s Encrypt
- Monitoring and log analysis
- Backup and update strategy design
- Scaling strategies for growing traffic
- Cheat sheets and troubleshooting flowcharts
Overview
Step-by-step guide to building a secure, high-performance PHP production stack on AlmaLinux 9 with NGINX and PHP-FPM. Learn installation, optimization, security hardening, SSL, scaling, monitoring, and production best practices.
The Problem
Many PHP applications are deployed on servers that “work,” but lack structure, documentation, and security awareness.
- Outdated Apache configurations copied from forums
- Poorly tuned PHP-FPM worker settings
- No clear understanding of NGINX request flow
- Weak firewall rules and misconfigured SELinux
- No monitoring or backup strategy
- Performance bottlenecks under traffic spikes
Without a structured approach, production hosting becomes reactive firefighting instead of confident engineering.
The Solution
AlmaLinux 9 + NGINX + PHP-FPM provides a structured, production-ready blueprint.
- Step-by-step installation from clean OS to live application
- Clear explanation of each configuration decision
- Performance-focused PHP-FPM tuning guidance
- SELinux-aware security configuration
- Firewall and SSL setup with modern best practices
- Monitoring and backup systems for operational resilience
- Scaling strategies for growing applications
By the end, you will not just deploy a web server—you will engineer one.
About This Book
AlmaLinux 9 + NGINX + PHP-FPM is a complete, production-focused guide to building, securing, and optimizing a modern PHP web server stack from the ground up.
Too many PHP deployments rely on copy-pasted configurations and outdated tutorials. The result? Servers that work—until they don’t. This book replaces guesswork with clarity. You will learn not just how to install NGINX and PHP-FPM on AlmaLinux 9, but how to configure, secure, monitor, and scale the entire stack with confidence.
Starting from a fresh AlmaLinux 9 installation, you will build a hardened, production-ready environment step by step. You will understand how NGINX processes requests, how PHP-FPM manages workers, how database backends integrate into the stack, and how to tune every layer for real-world performance and reliability.
What You'll Learn
- Architecture of a modern Linux web stack
- Installing and preparing AlmaLinux 9 for production use
- Configuring NGINX for performance and security
- Deploying and tuning PHP-FPM for concurrency and load
- Installing and securing MariaDB or MySQL
- Application deployment workflows
- Firewall configuration and network hardening
- Working with SELinux in enforcing mode
- SSL configuration using Let’s Encrypt
- Advanced hardening techniques for web servers
- Monitoring performance and resource usage
- Backup strategies and update management
- Scaling beyond a single VPS
This is not a beginner-only tutorial—it is a production handbook designed for developers and administrators who want infrastructure they truly understand.
Build it correctly. Secure it properly. Run it with confidence.
Who Is This Book For?
- PHP developers moving into DevOps responsibilities
- Linux administrators hosting PHP applications
- Freelancers managing VPS-based client projects
- Infrastructure engineers building LEMP stacks
- Students learning real-world Linux web server deployment
Who Is This Book NOT For?
- Readers looking only for basic Linux introduction
- Windows-based IIS hosting environments
- Cloud-managed PaaS-only workflows without server access
Table of Contents
- Understanding the Production Web Stack
- Installing and Preparing AlmaLinux 9
- Installing and Configuring NGINX
- Advanced NGINX Setup
- Installing PHP and PHP-FPM
- Optimizing PHP-FPM for Production
- Installing MariaDB or MySQL
- Deploying a Production Web Application
- Firewall and Network Security
- SELinux and Secure Configuration
- Configuring SSL with Let’s Encrypt
- Advanced Security Features
- Monitoring Server Performance
- Backup and Update Strategy
- Scaling the Web Stack
- From VPS Admin to Production Engineer
- Appendices: NGINX Cheat Sheet, PHP-FPM Tuning, Security Checklist, Troubleshooting Guide
Requirements
- Basic Linux command-line familiarity
- Access to a VPS or local virtual machine
- Basic understanding of PHP applications
- Willingness to configure and test services hands-on
