How To Install Lighttpd And PHP (PHP-FPM) On CentOS 6

lighttpd is an open-source web server more optimized for speed-critical environments than common products while remaining standards-compliant, secure and flexible. This tutorial shows how you can install Lighttpd on a CentOS 6 server with PHP (PHP-FPM).

First, update CentOS to latest version, login root and type the following command

# yum update -y

Install some packages need for the following steps

# yum install wget make cpp gcc gcc-c++ -y

Make a folder where you will store lighttpd and php sources

# mkdir -p /opt/source

Installing Lighttpd

You need to download the latest lighttpd source from http://www.lighttpd.net/download into the /opt/source. Type the following command

# cd /opt/source
# wget http://download.lighttpd.net/lighttpd/releases-1.4.x/lighttpd-1.4.30.tar.gz

Extract lighttpd-1.4.30.tar.gz package

# tar zxvf lighttpd-1.4.30.tar.gz
# cd lighttpd-1.4.30

To build lighttpd, type the following command

# ./configure --prefix=/webserver/lighttpd --disable-ipv6
# make
# make install

During ./configure, you might get some errors like the following

...
configure: error: pcre-config not found, install the pcre-devel package or build with --without-pcre
...

To solve the problem, type the following command

# yum install pcre pcre-devel

...
configure: error: zlib-headers and/or libs where not found, install them or build with --without-zlib
...

To solve the problem, type the following command

# yum install zlib zlib-devel

...
configure: error: bzip2-headers and/or libs where not found, install them or build with --without-bzip2
...

To solve the problem, type the following command

# yum install bzip2 bzip2-devel

Configuring Lighttpd

Access to folder of lighttpd, where lighttpd installed [/webserver/lighttpd] and make dirs

# cd /webserver/lighttpd
# mkdir -p etc/init.d
# mkdir -p etc/sysconfig
# mkdir -p www/htdocs
# mkdir -p var/run
# mkdir -p var/log
# mkdir -p var/lock/subsys
# mkdir -p var/cache

Add a user called “lighttpd” and chown all dir made for lighttpd user

# useradd -s /sbin/nologin -d /webserver/lighttpd/www/ lighttpd
# chown lighttpd -R etc
# chown lighttpd -R var
# chown lighttpd -R www

Return back forder /opt/source/lighttpd-1.4.30 to copy configuration files

# cd /opt/source/lighttpd-1.4.30
# cp doc/config/modules.conf /webserver/lighttpd/etc/
# cp -r doc/config/conf.d /webserver/lighttpd/etc/
# cp -r doc/config/vhosts.d/ /webserver/lighttpd/etc/

Create default lighttpd configuration file: /webserver/lighttpd/etc/lighttpd.conf (download sample lighttpd.conf file). Type the following command

# wget http://www.lifelinux.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/lighttpd.conf_.txt -O /webserver/lighttpd/etc/lighttpd.conf

If you want to run lighttpd by default when the system boots, create file called lighttpd in /webserver/lighttpd/etc/init.d/

# vi /webserver/lighttpd/etc/init.d/lighttpd

Append following line

#!/bin/sh
#
# lighttpd     Startup script for the lighttpd server
#
# chkconfig: - 85 15
# description: Lightning fast webserver with light system requirements
#
# processname: lighttpd
# config: /webserver/lighttpd/etc/lighttpd.conf
# config: /webserver/lighttpd/etc/sysconfig/lighttpd
# pidfile: /webserver/lighttpd/var/run/lighttpd.pid
#
# Note: pidfile is assumed to be created
# by lighttpd (config: server.pid-file).
# If not, uncomment 'pidof' line.

# Source function library
. /etc/rc.d/init.d/functions

if [ -f /webserver/lighttpd/etc/sysconfig/lighttpd ]; then
	. /webserver/lighttpd/etc/sysconfig/lighttpd
fi

if [ -z "$LIGHTTPD_CONF_PATH" ]; then
	LIGHTTPD_CONF_PATH="/webserver/lighttpd/etc/lighttpd.conf"
fi

prog="lighttpd"
lighttpd="/webserver/lighttpd/sbin/lighttpd"
RETVAL=0

start() {
	echo -n $"Starting $prog: "
	daemon $lighttpd -f $LIGHTTPD_CONF_PATH
	RETVAL=$?
	echo
	[ $RETVAL -eq 0 ] && touch /webserver/lighttpd/var/lock/subsys/$prog
	return $RETVAL
}

stop() {
	echo -n $"Stopping $prog: "
	killproc $lighttpd
	RETVAL=$?
	echo
	[ $RETVAL -eq 0 ] && rm -f /webserver/lighttpd/var/lock/subsys/$prog
	return $RETVAL
}

reload() {
	echo -n $"Reloading $prog: "
	killproc $lighttpd -HUP
	RETVAL=$?
	echo
	return $RETVAL
}

case "$1" in
	start)
		start
		;;
	stop)
		stop
		;;
	restart)
		stop
		start
		;;
	condrestart)
		if [ -f /webserver/lighttpd/var/lock/subsys/$prog ]; then
			stop
			start
		fi
		;;
	reload)
		reload
		;;
	status)
		status $lighttpd
		RETVAL=$?
		;;
	*)
		echo $"Usage: $0 {start|stop|restart|condrestart|reload|status}"
		RETVAL=1
esac

exit $RETVAL

Chmod lighttpd with executed permission and create symbolic link in “/etc/init.d”. Type the following command

# chmod +x /webserver/lighttpd/etc/init.d/lighttpd
# ln -s /webserver/lighttpd/etc/init.d/lighttpd /etc/init.d/lighttpd

Create file called “lighttpd” in /webserver/lighttpd/etc/sysconfig

# vi /webserver/lighttpd/etc/sysconfig/lighttpd

Append following line

LIGHTTPD_CONF_PATH=/webserver/lighttpd/etc/lighttpd.conf

To start lighttpd for the first time, type the following command

# /etc/init.d/lighttpd start

Install PHP (PHP-FPM)

Download latest version of PHP at http://download.php.net

# cd /opt/source
# wget http://www.php.net/get/php-5.3.10.tar.gz/from/ca.php.net/mirror

To Extract its, enter

# tar zxvf php-5.3.10.tar.gz
# cd php-5.3.10

To build PHP, I’ll create bash file called build.sh

# vi build.sh

Append following line

#!/bin/sh
"./configure" \
"--prefix=/webserver/php" \
"--enable-fpm" \
"--with-libdir=lib64" \
"--with-bz2" \
"--with-config-file-path=/webserver/php/etc" \
"--with-config-file-scan-dir=/webserver/php/etc/php.d" \
"--with-curl=/usr/local/lib" \
"--with-gd" \
"--with-gettext" \
"--with-jpeg-dir=/usr/local/lib" \
"--with-freetype-dir=/usr/local/lib" \
"--with-kerberos" \
"--with-mcrypt" \
"--with-mhash" \
"--with-mysql" \
"--with-mysqli" \
"--with-pcre-regex=/usr" \
"--with-pdo-mysql=shared" \
"--with-pdo-sqlite=shared" \
"--with-pear=/usr/local/lib/php" \
"--with-png-dir=/usr/local/lib" \
"--with-pspell" \
"--with-sqlite=shared" \
"--with-tidy" \
"--with-xmlrpc" \
"--with-xsl" \
"--with-zlib" \
"--with-zlib-dir=/usr/local/lib" \
"--with-openssl" \
"--with-iconv" \
"--enable-bcmath" \
"--enable-calendar" \
"--enable-exif" \
"--enable-ftp" \
"--enable-gd-native-ttf" \
"--enable-libxml" \
"--enable-magic-quotes" \
"--enable-soap" \
"--enable-sockets" \
"--enable-mbstring" \
"--enable-zip" \
"--enable-wddx"

Type the following command to install PHP

# sh build.sh
# make
# make install

If you have problems building PHP then read the article. Next step, copy php.ini to /webserver/php/etc/, enter

# cp php.ini-production /webserver/php/etc/php.ini

Rename php-fpm.conf, enter

# cd /webserver/php/etc
# cp php-fpm.conf.default php-fpm.conf

Open php-fpm.conf, type

# vi php-fpm.conf

Append following line

[global]
pid = run/php-fpm.pid
error_log = log/php-fpm.log
[www]
listen = 127.0.0.1:9000
listen.allowed_clients = 127.0.0.1
user = nobody
group = nobody
pm = dynamic
pm.max_children = 5
pm.start_servers = 2
pm.min_spare_servers = 1
pm.max_spare_servers = 3
pm.max_requests = 500

If you want to run PHP-FPM by default when the system boots, create file called php-fpm in /etc/init.d/

# vi /etc/init.d/php-fpm

Append following line

#! /bin/sh

### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides:          php-fpm
# Required-Start:    $all
# Required-Stop:     $all
# Default-Start:     2 3 4 5
# Default-Stop:      0 1 6
# Short-Description: starts php-fpm
# Description:       starts the PHP FastCGI Process Manager daemon
### END INIT INFO

php_fpm_BIN=/webserver/php/sbin/php-fpm
php_fpm_CONF=/webserver/php/etc/php-fpm.conf
php_fpm_PID=/webserver/php/var/run/php-fpm.pid

php_opts="--fpm-config $php_fpm_CONF"

wait_for_pid () {
	try=0

	while test $try -lt 35 ; do

		case "$1" in
			'created')
			if [ -f "$2" ] ; then
				try=''
				break
			fi
			;;

			'removed')
			if [ ! -f "$2" ] ; then
				try=''
				break
			fi
			;;
		esac

		echo -n .
		try=`expr $try + 1`
		sleep 1

	done

}

case "$1" in
	start)
		echo -n "Starting php-fpm "

		$php_fpm_BIN $php_opts

		if [ "$?" != 0 ] ; then
			echo " failed"
			exit 1
		fi

		wait_for_pid created $php_fpm_PID

		if [ -n "$try" ] ; then
			echo " failed"
			exit 1
		else
			echo " done"
		fi
	;;

	stop)
		echo -n "Gracefully shutting down php-fpm "

		if [ ! -r $php_fpm_PID ] ; then
			echo "warning, no pid file found - php-fpm is not running ?"
			exit 1
		fi

		kill -QUIT `cat $php_fpm_PID`

		wait_for_pid removed $php_fpm_PID

		if [ -n "$try" ] ; then
			echo " failed. Use force-exit"
			exit 1
		else
			echo " done"
		fi
	;;

	force-quit)
		echo -n "Terminating php-fpm "

		if [ ! -r $php_fpm_PID ] ; then
			echo "warning, no pid file found - php-fpm is not running ?"
			exit 1
		fi

		kill -TERM `cat $php_fpm_PID`

		wait_for_pid removed $php_fpm_PID

		if [ -n "$try" ] ; then
			echo " failed"
			exit 1
		else
			echo " done"
		fi
	;;

	restart)
		$0 stop
		$0 start
	;;

	reload)

		echo -n "Reload service php-fpm "

		if [ ! -r $php_fpm_PID ] ; then
			echo "warning, no pid file found - php-fpm is not running ?"
			exit 1
		fi

		kill -USR2 `cat $php_fpm_PID`

		echo " done"
	;;

	*)
		echo "Usage: $0 {start|stop|force-quit|restart|reload}"
		exit 1
	;;

esac

Chmod php-fpm with executed permission, enter

# chmod +x /etc/init.d/php-fpm

To start PHP-FPM for the first time, type the following command

# /etc/init.d/php-fpm start

Configure PHP-FPM and Lighttpd working together

Uncomment the following line in /webserver/lighttpd/etc/modules.conf

##
## FastCGI (mod_fastcgi)
##
include "conf.d/fastcgi.conf"

Open /webserver/lighttpd/etc/conf.d/fastcgi.conf, and append following line

server.modules += ( "mod_fastcgi" )
fastcgi.server = ( ".php" =>
  ( "php-tcp" =>
    (
      "host" => "127.0.0.1",
      "port" => "9000"
    )
  )
)

Save and close the file. Type the following command to restart Lighttpd

# /etc/init.d/lighttpd restart

This completes the installation steps. To test php you can create a info.php file in the document root folder

# vi /webserver/lighttpd/www/htdocs/info.php

Append following line

<?php
phpinfo();
?>

If you see the above, you have completed a successful installation of lighttpd and php.

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