Keyword: install Laravel on VPS
Framework: Laravel 11+
Server: Ubuntu 22.04 / 24.04
Web Server: Nginx
Installing Laravel on a VPS using Nginx is the preferred setup for speed, security, and scalability. In this 2026 guide, you’ll learn step-by-step how to install Laravel on a VPS with Nginx, even if you’re a beginner.
Why Install Laravel on a VPS?
Using a VPS instead of shared hosting gives you:
- Full server control
- Better performance
- Higher security
- Ability to scale
- Optimized Nginx + PHP setup
This is why most professional Laravel projects are deployed on a VPS.
Server Requirements for Laravel (2026)
Before you install Laravel on VPS, make sure your server has:
- Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04
- PHP 8.2 or 8.3
- Nginx
- MySQL / MariaDB
- Composer
- Git
Step 1: Connect to Your VPS
Use SSH to connect:
ssh root@your_server_ip
Update your server:
apt update && apt upgrade -y
Step 2: Install Nginx
apt install nginx -y
Start and enable Nginx:
systemctl start nginx
systemctl enable nginx
Check in browser:
Step 3: Install PHP (Required Extensions)
apt install php php-cli php-fpm php-mysql php-xml php-mbstring php-curl php-zip php-bcmath php-gd -y
Check PHP version:
php -v
Step 4: Install Composer
curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php
mv composer.phar /usr/local/bin/composer
Verify:
composer –version
Step 5: Install MySQL
apt install mysql-server -y
Secure MySQL:
mysql_secure_installation
Create database:
CREATE DATABASE laravel_db;
CREATE USER ‘laravel_user’@’localhost’ IDENTIFIED BY ‘password’;
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON laravel_db.* TO ‘laravel_user’@’localhost’;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
Step 6: Install Laravel on VPS
Go to web directory:
cd /var/www
Install Laravel:
composer create-project laravel/laravel laravel-app
Set permissions:
chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/laravel-app
chmod -R 775 /var/www/laravel-app/storage /var/www/laravel-app/bootstrap/cache
Step 7: Configure Environment File
cd /var/www/laravel-app
cp .env.example .env
php artisan key:generate
Edit .env:
APP_NAME=Laravel
APP_ENV=production
APP_URL=http://your_domain.com
DB_DATABASE=laravel_db
DB_USERNAME=laravel_user
DB_PASSWORD=password
Step 8: Configure Nginx for Laravel
Create config file:
nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/laravel
Paste this:
server {
listen 80;
server_name your_domain.com;
root /var/www/laravel-app/public;
index index.php;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
}
location ~ \.php$ {
include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php8.2-fpm.sock;
}
location ~ /\.ht {
deny all;
}
}
Enable site:
ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/laravel /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
nginx -t
systemctl reload nginx
Step 9: Fix Storage & Cache Permissions
php artisan storage:link
php artisan config:clear
php artisan cache:clear
Step 10: Access Laravel Application
Open browser:
Laravel is now successfully installed on your VPS using Nginx.
Common Errors & Fixes
1. 502 Bad Gateway
- Check PHP-FPM version
- Verify fastcgi_pass socket
2. Permission Denied
chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/laravel-app
SEO FAQs: Install Laravel on VPS
Is Nginx better than Apache for Laravel?
Yes. Nginx is faster, uses fewer resources, and is ideal for Laravel.
Which PHP version is best for Laravel in 2026?
PHP 8.2 or PHP 8.3.
Can I install Laravel on VPS without a domain?
Yes, using server IP.
Final Thoughts
If you want high performance Laravel hosting, learning how to install Laravel on VPS using Nginx is essential. This setup is perfect for production environments, SaaS apps, and enterprise projects.