How to host YOURLS on Racknerd VPS

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. For deploying YOURLS, Racknerd is an ideal choice due to its reliable, and easy-to-use cloud infrastructure. ServerAvatar simplifies the deployment of YOURLS on Racknerd VPS (Virtual Private Server) by providing a user-friendly interface that automates the setup process, making it accessible to users with various levels of technical expertise.

Create a VPS in Racknerd

Getting started with Racknerd:

Creating an account and setting up a cloud VPS on RackNerd is simpler than you might imagine! Just follow our easy, step-by-step guide, and you'll be ready to go quickly. Start managing your RackNerd services quickly and effortlessly with one of the top hosting providers. Let's get started!

What is Racknerd?

RackNerd is a top-notch hosting provider offering various services, from cloud servers to dedicated servers and colocation. With a reputation for affordability and reliability, RackNerd is a great choice for both individuals and businesses seeking scalable and efficient hosting solutions. They provide the infrastructure you need to manage and optimize your websites, applications, and other online services seamlessly.

Step 1: Setup Cloud VPS with Racknerd

First, log in to your RackNerd account and navigate to the Services option. Next, click on Order New Services from the dropdown menu.

Create a VPS in Racknerd

Step 2: Select the plan

At this point, you'll see a variety of Shared Hosting plans in the Categories section on the left-hand side menu. We recommend choosing the KVM VPS plan. To proceed, simply click on the KVM VPS Hosting plan.
- KVM VPS: KVM VPS (Kernel-based Virtual Machine Virtual Private Server) uses KVM technology to create virtualized environments with dedicated resources like CPU, RAM, and storage. This type of VPS offers high performance, security, and flexibility, making it perfect for hosting websites, applications, and other online services.

Create a VPS in Racknerd

Step 3: Select KVM VPS Service

At this stage, you'll find several options available in the KVM VPS section. You can choose any KVM VPS service that suits your needs, but we recommend selecting the AMD Ryzen Linux VPS service for the best performance.
AMD Ryzen Linux VPS uses AMD Ryzen processors and the Linux operating system, providing high performance and reliability. It's ideal for websites, applications, and online services that require robust computing power and stability.

Create a VPS in Racknerd

Step 4: Select your KVM VPS Configuration

Here in the KVM VPS service, you'll find a range of plans designed to meet your specific requirements. The minimum requirement for hosting YOURLS application is 1GB of RAM, more is recommended for smoother performance, especially if you’re running other services on the server. The exact amount will depend on your usage and data storage needs.
Once you've selected your plan, simply click on Order Now to proceed with the next steps.

Create a VPS in Racknerd

Step 5: Additional VPS Options

Now, at this stage, you have to select additional options for your VPS. Here, you can select your billing cycle from annual or biennial payments. Furthermore, you can choose a location that is most suitable for you. Additionally, select your preferred operating system; we suggest Ubuntu 22.04 64-bit for the best performance. Click Continue to proceed to the next step.

Create a VPS in Racknerd

Step 6: Review and Finalize Details

you can review and confirm all the choices you've made for your VPS. Once you're satisfied with your selections, proceed to complete the payment process. Your VPS will be set up quickly and will be ready for use in a minimum amount of time.

Create a VPS in Racknerd

Congratulations! You have successfully created your Racknerd VPS, 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.

Connect a server using a direct method

Login/Register to ServerAvatar account, click the Create button from the right side of the screen, and select Server from the dropdown.
Select Direct Method in the serve connecting method section.
Type the Server Name as per your choice.
Select a Tech Stack as per your need. You can either select Apache, Nginx, OpenLiteSpeed or Node Stack.
Select a Database: MySQL, MariaDB or MongoDB.
Enable the toggle if you want to install the latest LTS version of node.js on your server.
Select a Management plan and click the Connect Now button.
You’ll see the command on your screen. Login to your server using an ssh connection and execute that command as a root user.
The server connection process will be started on your ServerAvatar account after executing the command.

Connect a server using integration

Login/Register to your ServerAvatar account, navigate to the Integration tab from the sidebar of the panel, and access Cloud Platform from the dropdown.
Now Select a cloud platform you want to link with ServerAvatar.
The popup form will appear on your screen. Enter details to link your cloud provider account. The integration method is different based on the cloud provider you select.
You can integrate five different cloud provider platforms with ServerAvatar, which is-
1. AWS Lightsail
2. Vultr
3. Digitalocean
4. Linode
5. Hetzner

Check the above link of cloud platforms to know more about integrating cloud platforms with ServeAvatar.

Connect a server using commands

Step 1. Login to your server using root user

Once you create a server as per your requirements, connect to your server using an ssh connection and execute the below three commands as a root user in your server console area.

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

Step 2. Select a web server

It will ask you which web server you would like to install on your server: Apache, Nginx, OpenLiteSpeed or Node Stack. Type anyone that you would like to install on your server and hit the enter button.

Step 3. Claim your server

Completing the process will give you a link to claim your server.

Open the link on your browser to access the ServerAvatar server panel.

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.