How to create a website in CloudPanel
Add a new PHP, WordPress, Node.js, static HTML, or reverse proxy site in CloudPanel. Set the domain, PHP version, document root, and system user in a few steps.
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CloudPanel organises hosting as individual "sites", each with its own domain, system user, document root, PHP version, and SSL certificate. Every site is isolated from the others at the filesystem level.
Site types in CloudPanel
| Type | Best for |
|---|---|
| PHP Site | Any PHP application-WordPress, Laravel, custom PHP, Joomla, etc. |
| Node.js Site | Node.js applications with a specific port |
| Python Site | Python/WSGI applications (uWSGI) |
| Static HTML | HTML/CSS/JS-only sites with no server-side processing |
| Reverse Proxy | Forward requests to a backend application running on another port |
For WordPress, Joomla, or any PHP-based CMS, choose PHP Site. There is also a dedicated WordPress option that pre-configures Nginx rules for WordPress.
Create a PHP site
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Open Sites
Log in to CloudPanel and click Sites in the left sidebar. Click + New Site.
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Choose PHP Site
Select Create a PHP Site from the site type options.
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Fill in the details
- Domain Name: Enter the full domain (e.g.,
yourdomain.com)-do not include www here; CloudPanel handles both by default - PHP Version: Choose the version appropriate for your application (PHP 8.1 or 8.2 recommended for WordPress)
- System User: CloudPanel creates a Linux user for this site; the default is generated from the domain name (you can customise it)
- System User Password: Set a password for this system user (used for SFTP access to this site)
- Domain Name: Enter the full domain (e.g.,
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Create the site
Click Create. CloudPanel creates the Nginx vHost, PHP-FPM pool, directory structure, and system user automatically.
Domain and DNS
Creating a site in CloudPanel does not configure DNS automatically. You still need to point your domain's A record at the server's IP address at your DNS provider. See How to point a domain to a CloudPanel server.
SSL certificate issuance also requires the domain to be pointed correctly before Let's Encrypt can validate it. Create the site first, then update DNS, then issue the SSL certificate.
Where files are stored
CloudPanel stores each site's files under the system user's home directory:
/home/SYSTEM_USER/htdocs/yourdomain.com/This is the web root (document root) for the site. Upload your website files here via SFTP or the file manager. Files placed here are served by Nginx.
CloudPanel isolates sites from each other at the OS level. The system user for site A cannot read files belonging to site B. This is a significant security advantage over traditional shared hosting where all sites run under the same user.
Next steps after creating a site
- Point the domain's DNS A record to your server IP
- Upload your website files via SFTP or the file manager
- Create a database if your application needs one
- Issue an SSL certificate for HTTPS
Related: How to point a domain to a CloudPanel server | How to connect to CloudPanel via SFTP | Managing files in CloudPanel-file manager and SFTP | How to create and manage databases in CloudPanel
Need CloudPanel on a server?
Use CloudPanel on an UnderHost VPS or dedicated server for fast PHP app and WordPress hosting without a heavy panel stack.
