Learning Devuan GNU/Linux - Web Server & Database Stack

#Introduction

Now it's time to build something real: a web server and database stack on Devuan. Episode 12 guides you through installing nginx and Apache2 as web servers, PHP-FPM for processing PHP, and MariaDB and PostgreSQL as databases. All of these services are enabled through the init system — the service and update-rc.d pattern from episode 5.

This is where Devuan's strength shows: there are no mysterious unit files. Every web and database service is a script in /etc/init.d/ that you can read, modify, and monitor directly. You'll understand exactly what's running on your server.

#Web Server: nginx and Apache2

#nginx: Lightweight and Fast

nginx is a popular choice for modern sites: lightweight, fast for static files, and efficient as a reverse proxy. Install and run it:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nginx
sudo service nginx start
sudo service nginx status

sudo service nginx start starts the nginx daemon. Verify it by opening http://localhost in a browser or with curl:

curl -I http://localhost

An HTTP/1.1 200 OK response from curl -I http://localhost means nginx is running. The default document root is /var/www/html/.

#Apache2: Flexible and Widely Used

Apache2 is the classic web server, very flexible through modules and .htaccess files:

sudo apt install apache2
sudo service apache2 start
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo service apache2 restart

a2enmod rewrite enables the rewrite module — often needed by web applications. After changing modules, restart Apache so the changes take effect.

#PHP-FPM

#Connecting PHP to the Web Server

PHP-FPM runs PHP as a separate service that talks to the web server over a FastCGI socket:

sudo apt install php-fpm
sudo service php-fpm start

sudo service php-fpm start starts the php-fpm daemon. Pool configuration lives in /etc/php/*/fpm/pool.d/ — this is where you set the user, socket, and execution limits.

#nginx Configuration for PHP

An example nginx server block that forwards PHP requests to php-fpm:

server {
    listen 80;
    root /var/www/lab;
    index index.php index.html;
 
    location ~ \.php$ {
        include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
        fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php-fpm.sock;
    }
}

Enable the site and test:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/lab /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo service nginx reload

sudo service nginx reload reloads the configuration without dropping connections — a smoother practice than a restart.

#Database: MariaDB and PostgreSQL

#MariaDB

MariaDB is a stable MySQL derivative, popular for web applications:

sudo apt install mariadb-server
sudo service mariadb start
sudo mysql_secure_installation

sudo mysql_secure_installation guides you through setting the root password, removing anonymous users, and the test database. After that, create a database and user:

sudo mariadb -e "CREATE DATABASE labdb;"
sudo mariadb -e "CREATE USER 'lab'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'rahasia';"
sudo mariadb -e "GRANT ALL ON labdb.* TO 'lab'@'localhost';"

#PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL offers advanced features and strong data integrity:

sudo apt install postgresql
sudo service postgresql start
sudo -u postgres createuser --interactive

sudo service postgresql start starts the PostgreSQL cluster. To create a new database and user, use sudo -u postgres createdb labdb then log in with psql.

#Enabling Services at Boot

#update-rc.d for Auto-Start

To keep the stack alive after a reboot, enable auto-start for each service:

sudo update-rc.d nginx enable
sudo update-rc.d php-fpm enable
sudo update-rc.d mariadb enable

update-rc.d nginx enable creates symlinks in /etc/rcN.d/ so nginx boots with the system. Verify all services are running after a reboot with service --status-all.

#Conclusion

Episode 12 built a web server and database stack on Devuan: nginx and Apache2 as web servers, PHP-FPM for PHP processing, and MariaDB and PostgreSQL for data storage — all managed and enabled through the init system.

Key takeaways:

• nginx is fast and lightweight; Apache2 is flexible with modules.
• PHP-FPM connects over a FastCGI socket.
• sudo service nginx reload reloads without dropping connections.
• mysql_secure_installation secures MariaDB from its defaults.
• PostgreSQL uses the postgres user for administration.
• update-rc.d enables services to start at boot.

In the next episode, episode 13, we'll cover firewall: nftables and iptables — building an nftables ruleset, understanding the difference from iptables, enabling UFW, and configuring IP forwarding, NAT, and a gateway on Devuan.