How to host YOURLS on InterServer VPS - ServerAvatar

YOURLS is an open-source URL-shortening platform known for its features and flexibility. With a range of plugins and customizable options, YOURLS supports personalized URL-shortening solutions without requiring deep technical knowledge. It allows users to efficiently create and manage short links, offering features for link tracking, custom URL generation, and analytics. Hosting YOURLS on InterServer provides a dependable and scalable solution. InterServer provides a wide range of instance types and configurations to match various performances with flexible deployment options. ServerAvatar simplifies the process by providing a clear, step-by-step guide to setting up your YOURLS application on InterServer VPS.

Create a VPS in InterServer

Getting started with InterServer:

InterServer's Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting leads their array of hosting solutions, providing businesses and developers a sturdy platform to drive their online endeavors with dependable flexibility. InterServer's VPS hosting leverages cutting-edge technology and infrastructure housed in state-of-the-art data centers. This ensures optimal performance and uptime, crucial for demanding applications and websites. With Interserver's VPS plans, users benefit from dedicated resources including CPU cores, RAM, and storage, providing a scalable environment capable of handling varying levels of traffic and resource requirements.

Interserver's VPS hosting stands out for its cost-effectiveness while maintaining high performance and a rich feature set. Their range of VPS plans caters to diverse needs, accommodating startups, small businesses, and large enterprises with tailored solutions. Whether you're launching a new project, migrating an existing site, or seeking to upgrade to a more robust hosting solution, Interserver's VPS hosting offers the performance, scalability, and support needed to succeed in today's digital landscape.

Let’s get started with creating the virtual private server in Interserver, for that follow the steps given below.

Step 1: Accessing Your InterServer Account

• First, log in to InterServer account. If you are new to InterServer, click on the Sign Up to register with InterServer. Refer to the below image.

Step 2: Create VPS in InterServer

• After you log in to your InterServer account, the Dashboard of InterServer will appear. You can see various sections like Domains, Web Hosting, Licenses, Storage, and Dedicated Servers. However, you have to click on the Order Now button in the VPS section to create a fresh VPS.

Step 3: Configuring the VPS in InterServer

• First you need to choose the Platform for your VPS. It should be a kernel-based virtual machine (KVM).
• Now you have to select the location of your VPS. Make sure to select a server location closest to your major traffic source demographically.
• Then you have to select the Slices. It is the number of cores on your server, which you can select according to your requirements.
• Moreover, you have to choose image i.e. an operating system running on the server. So here you have to select an OS for your server along with its versions.
• Generally, the YOURLS application requires Ubuntu 18.04 LTS or a later version for compatibility and support. If you are managing your servers with ServerAvatar, Select Ubuntu 20.04 x64 bit or Ubuntu 22.04 x64 bit.
• In addition to this you have to set the root password for your VPS of your own choice. After filling up all the necessary details for your VPS Click on the Continue button.

Step 4: Review your VPS details

• Here you have to verify the details of your virtual machine, select the agreed terms checkbox, and click on the Place Order button to create VPS.

Step 5: Make a payment for your VPS

• The final step is to make a payment for your VPS, so for that, you have to Add Billing Address and verify your order of VPS. There are various modes of payment available to make a payment for your VPS. Select the mode as per your convenience.

• Congratulations! You have successfully created your instance in InterServer which is now ready to connect with ServerAvatar.

Initial Server Configuration

The Initial server configuration includes the installation and configuration of various packages required to host your website. Usually, You have to write commands and modify configuration files. Luckily, With ServerAvatar, Your full server configuration and optimization can be automated.

Here are the three ways to automatically configure your server with ServerAvatar.

wget https://srvr.so/install
chmod +x install
./install

Install and Setup YOURLS on Cloud using ServerAvatar

Getting Started With YOURLS:

YOURLS is a powerful set of PHP scripts that allows you to run Your Own URL Shortener on your server. This gives you full control over your links, provides detailed statistics, supports plugins, and much more, all in a free and open-source package.

Key Features:

• Open Source: YOURLS is open-source, so you can modify and use it according to your needs.
• Extensible: You can extend its functionality using various Plugins available in the YOURLS environment.
• Total Control: YOURLS allows you to manage your short links, putting your branding front and center by using your own domain or subdomain.
• Detailed Insights: Get detailed insights into link performance with YOURLS' comprehensive statistics and analytics, helping you understand how your links are performing.

Requirements:

• Web Server: YOURLS requires Apache version 2.4 or greater, with the mod_rewrite module enabled.
• PHP: PHP version 7.4 or greater is needed for YOURLS to work correctly. If you plan on using the YOURLS API, make sure the PHP cURL extension is enabled.
• Database: MySQL 5.0 or greater & MariaDB 10.0 or greater for storing link data.
• HTTPS Support: For security reasons, it's recommended to host your YOURLS installation on a server with HTTPS support.

Install and Setup YOURLS on Cloud using ServerAvatar:

Step 1: Create an Application

• To create a new Custom application for YOURLS, navigate to the Applications tab on the server panel. Click on the Create button on the server panel to start the process of application creation.

• On the following screen, fill in the Application details, including:

  • Application Name: enter your Application Name.
  • Select Domain: Select between a Test Domain or a Primary Domain as per your requirements.
  • Enter Domain: Enter your Application Domain.
  • Method: Select Git as your application method.
  • Service Provider: Select GitHub as service provider for cloning the repository.
  • Repository Type: Public
  • Clone HTTPS URL: https://github.com/YOURLS/YOURLS.git
  • Branch: master
  • Deployment Script: composer update (to update the composer after cloning)

• Now, your Application is ready. You can see your Application in the Dashboard.

Step 2: Create a Database

• To create a Database that stores your confidential data, Go to the Dashboard and click on the Databases option. Enter Your Database name and just hit on the “Create a Database” button as shown in the image below.

• After successfully creating a Database, you can see your Database in the Databases Dashboard.

Step 3: Copy config.php File

• Go to Application Dashboard and navigate to File Manager open the public_html folder by clicking on it.

• Select the sample-config.php and click on copy icon as shown in the image below.

• In the pop-up of Copy File enter the location for the file to copy at /public_html/user/config.php and click on the Copy button as shown in the below image.

Step 4: Update config.php File

• After copying the config.php file, open it and modify fields such as Database Name, Database Username, Password, and YOURLS Site.

• To find your database credentials, navigate to the Databases section in the server panel and click on the manage users icon next to the database you have set up for your application.

• You can see your Database credentials as shown in the image below.

Step 5: Update your Custom Webroot

• Navigate to the Settings section in your Application panel and add admin to your custom webroot path as shown in the below image and click on Update Custom Webroot.

Step 6: Access YOURLS

• Now, to access the YOURLS, open your web browser and enter your site's domain.
  • Example: http://yourlsapp.satesting1.click
  • For instance: http://your-application-domain
• It will redirect You to Yourls installation page.

• Now, Click on the Install YOURLS Button.

• After completing the Installation process, You will see the go to YOURLS Administration Page as shown in the below image.

• You can log in to the YOURLS Administration page using the username and password.
  • Username: Your Username
  • Password: Your Password