This illustrated guide walks you from the Roundcube inbox to the cleanup controls, explains every deletion option, and shows how to apply the same steps to Trash, Spam, Sent and Inbox.

Quick answer: In Roundcube, click Webmail Home, open the email address menu in the top-right corner, and select Manage Disk Usage. Find the folder you want to clean, click Manage, choose a rule such as 1 year old or more, and select Delete Permanently only after reviewing what that rule will remove.

Important: This tutorial applies to Roundcube provided through cPanel Webmail. Manage Disk Usage is a hosting control-panel feature; it is not available in every standalone Roundcube installation. Menus may look slightly different depending on your provider and screen size.

Before you delete: protect the messages you need

Permanent deletion is different from moving a message to Trash. Messages removed through Manage Disk Usage cannot be restored using Roundcube’s normal Trash recovery workflow. Do not rely on a hosting backup unless your provider has confirmed that an appropriate backup exists and can be restored.

• Back up important emails and attachments. Save invoices, account recovery messages, contracts and conversations you need to keep. Check that your saved copies actually open.
• Check the account address. Make sure you are managing the intended mailbox, especially if you use several business addresses.
• Review the folder first. Open it in Roundcube and inspect the messages before running a bulk rule. The cleanup form is not a message-by-message preview.
• Remember connected devices. When your email apps use IMAP, server-side deletions normally synchronize to them. A synchronized phone or laptop is not automatically an independent backup.
• Start with a small, low-risk folder. Trash or reviewed spam is usually easier to evaluate than your main Inbox.

The screenshots below have been edited for privacy: the example account is info@domain.com, and message details, mailbox counts and private identifiers are obscured. Arrows show the controls to use. No messages were deleted while preparing this guide.

Step 1: Open Webmail Home from Roundcube

Sign in using the webmail address supplied by your hosting provider and open Roundcube. In the left-hand navigation, click Webmail Home. On a smaller screen, you may need to open the application menu to find it.

This takes you out of the inbox view and into the cPanel Webmail Home page. You do not need to select an email or click the inbox toolbar’s Delete button for this method.

Step 2: Open your email account menu

On Webmail Home, look at the top-right corner. Click your email address—for example, info@domain.com—or the small arrow beside it to expand the account menu.

If Webmail Home displays a large Roundcube logo and an Open button, you are in the right place. You do not need to reopen the inbox yet.

Step 3: Choose Manage Disk Usage

In the expanded account menu, click Manage Disk Usage. You can also find the same feature under Other Webmail Features on the Webmail Home page, if that section is available.

The Manage Disk Usage page lists folders in the current email account. It shows each folder’s name, message count, storage usage and available actions. The Search field on this page searches mailbox folder names; it is not a search box for message subjects or dates.

Step 4: Find the folder and click Manage

Choose the folder you want to clean. Common entries are INBOX, spam, Sent, Trash, Drafts and Archive. Roundcube may call a folder Junk while the disk usage table calls it spam.

For this example, locate Trash and click Manage in that row’s Actions column. The example shows about 2.66 MB in Trash, but your own figures will differ. The amount listed is the whole folder’s usage; a filter may remove only part of it.

Expanding Manage reveals a Messages to delete dropdown and a Delete Permanently button. Confirm that these controls belong to the folder you intended to clean. Each folder has its own action panel.

Step 5: Choose which messages to delete

Open the Messages to delete dropdown. The choices shown in this interface are listed below. Selecting a rule does not by itself delete messages; the deletion action is separate.

To delete old emails, choose 1 year old or more. To empty the reviewed Trash folder completely, choose All messages instead. These are different operations: an age-based cleanup can leave newer messages in Trash.

Step 6: Review the selection, then delete permanently

Before clicking the button, check three things: the correct email account, the correct folder, and the correct deletion rule. Make sure any messages you need have been backed up.

When you are ready, click Delete Permanently. If your installation shows an additional confirmation prompt, read it carefully before confirming. Do not assume that every installation will offer another opportunity to cancel.

Wait for the operation to finish and read any success or error message. Avoid repeatedly clicking the button while it is processing. Return to the folder in Roundcube to check the result, and review the disk usage figures again after they refresh.

How to clean Trash, Spam, Sent and Inbox

Empty Trash

Go to Trash → Manage → All messages, then use Delete Permanently after reviewing the folder. If you only want to remove older discarded emails, use the one-year rule. Moving emails to Trash alone may leave them consuming mailbox space until they are permanently removed.

Delete old spam or junk mail

Find spam or the folder corresponding to Junk, click Manage, and choose the appropriate rule. Review it for legitimate messages that were incorrectly filtered before selecting All messages. Deleting spam clears stored messages; it does not prevent new spam from arriving.

Remove old sent messages and large attachments

Find Sent and expand Manage. The one-year option is useful for older correspondence, while the size option can target bulky messages. Save any important sent attachments first. Removing your stored sent copy does not recall the message or delete the recipient’s copy.

Clean the Inbox carefully

For INBOX, follow the same Manage-and-select process. Review or export important correspondence before applying a bulk rule. Avoid choosing Previously viewed simply because you have already opened your messages; that option can include current conversations, receipts and account information.

Use All messages for Inbox only when you deliberately intend to empty it. If you want to delete a few specific messages, use Roundcube’s normal message selection instead of a broad disk-usage rule.

Check Drafts, Archive and custom folders

Other folders can consume space too. Review saved drafts, archived mail and custom folders when planning a cleanup. Moving messages into an Archive folder within the same mailbox generally reorganizes them without removing their storage usage. Keep an independent copy outside the server mailbox if your goal is to preserve mail while freeing server space.

Optional: delete messages before a specific date

If you need a precise cutoff rather than the one-year preset, the Custom query … option accepts Dovecot mailbox search syntax. For example, BEFORE 01-Jan-2025 targets messages before that date in the selected folder. The cutoff is exclusive, and the server’s stored message date may differ from the date you expect from the displayed email header.

Do not paste a query you do not understand into a permanent-deletion form. Verify your intended date range in the mailbox and keep a backup first. For supported syntax and the built-in choices, see the official cPanel Email Disk Usage documentation and its linked Dovecot reference.

Troubleshooting common cleanup problems

I cannot find Webmail Home or Manage Disk Usage

Your provider may use another Roundcube theme or may not supply cPanel’s Webmail Home integration. Try the webmail landing page provided by your host. If you have cPanel access, look for Email Disk Usage there. Ask your provider whether the feature is enabled for your account instead of following an unfamiliar login link.

The folder still contains messages

A filter removes only matching messages. The one-year rule leaves newer mail, and the 30 MB rule leaves smaller messages. Check the selected folder and rule before deciding whether another cleanup is needed. An empty folder may not show a Manage action.

My storage usage has not decreased

First check whether matching messages were actually removed, rather than merely moved to Trash. Then refresh the page after allowing time for usage information to update. cPanel notes that cached disk usage values may not immediately reflect recent changes. If the figures remain inconsistent, contact your hosting provider with the folder name and time of the cleanup.

The operation fails or takes a long time

Read the displayed error, confirm that your webmail session is still active, and work through one folder at a time. If a large cleanup times out or repeatedly fails, ask your provider to check the mailbox rather than repeatedly submitting the same action.

Frequently asked questions

Can I recover emails after clicking Delete Permanently?

There is no normal Roundcube undo or Trash recovery for this operation. A recovery might be possible from a separate backup, but availability and retention depend on your provider and your own backup arrangements.

Does this delete the email account itself?

No. The controls described here remove matching messages from a selected folder. They are separate from deleting an email account in the hosting control panel.

Will this remove mail from my phone or Outlook?

It can. IMAP clients normally synchronize server-side deletions. Independently downloaded or exported copies may remain, depending on the application and account configuration.

Does deleting messages remove their attachments?

The attachments stored inside those messages are removed with them. A file that you previously downloaded to your computer is a separate copy.

Is deleting old emails the same as setting automatic retention?

No. This walkthrough performs a manual cleanup when you run it. It does not create a recurring deletion policy. Review your mailbox periodically and ask your host about any automatic retention features separately.

Keep mailbox space under control

Review Trash and spam regularly, save important attachments outside the mailbox, and periodically check Sent for large files. Choose the narrowest deletion rule that meets your goal, confirm the folder, and keep a usable backup before any permanent cleanup.

OpenClaw shatters this passive model by providing a self-hosted, model-agnostic, autonomous AI agent that lives on your own infrastructure and communicates with you through everyday messaging channels like Telegram, WhatsApp, Slack, and Discord. Instead of merely answering questions, OpenClaw executes multi-step workflows, monitors systems 24/7, schedules automated tasks, and bridges the gap between conversational AI and real-world software engineering on high-performance cloud hosting platforms like Aveshost.

The Shift from Reactive Chatbots to Autonomous AI Agents

To appreciate why OpenClaw is capturing widespread developer adoption, one must first understand the architectural ceiling of traditional AI chatbots. Standard consumer AI tools operate under a strictly synchronous, turn-based request-response pattern:

1. The Human Initiates: You navigate to a website or open an app and formulate a question.
2. The Model Generates Text: The server computes probabilities and returns a string of text.
3. The Conversation Dies: Once the response completes, the model enters a dormant state until you press Enter again. It cannot check your email ten minutes later, cannot notify you if your server crashes at midnight, and cannot run a bash script on your server.

An autonomous AI agent operates on a completely different premise. Rather than waiting passively for instructions, an agent is equipped with memory, tool-use capabilities, scheduling loops, and communication adapters. When you instruct an autonomous agent to “monitor my backup job and notify me on WhatsApp if it fails,” the agent plans the execution steps, runs diagnostic checks, logs output, and proactively messages your phone when an event occurs.

OpenClaw represents the realization of this vision: an open-source platform that transforms leading foundation models into proactive, round-the-clock digital assistants operating safely within your private cloud environment.

What Is OpenClaw? Definition, Origins & Vision

At its core, OpenClaw is an open-source, self-hosted autonomous AI agent framework designed to execute tasks, automate systems, and communicate across multi-channel messaging protocols. Built on modern Node.js and TypeScript, it allows users to connect state-of-the-art language models—such as Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude, OpenAI GPT-4o, or self-hosted local models like Llama 3.2 via Ollama—directly to their daily workflow tools.

The Origins: From Clawdbot to OpenClaw

OpenClaw was originally created by veteran software engineer Peter Steinberger (founder of PSPDFKit). Steinberger initially designed the software as a personal, hackable automation experiment known under early codenames such as Clawdbot and Moltbot. The driving motivation was simple: why should a developer have to open a browser window to interact with AI when they spend their entire day inside Slack, Telegram, or terminal sessions?

In early 2026, the project underwent a formal transition into OpenClaw, adopting a community-driven open-source governance model. The project expanded from an experimental personal script into an enterprise-grade agent orchestration framework with robust plugin architectures, strict permission boundaries, and native cross-platform deployment support.

How OpenClaw Works: Inside the Core Agent Architecture

To understand what makes OpenClaw reliable in production environments, let us examine its internal architectural layers. OpenClaw decouples user interfaces, reasoning models, and tool execution into modular subsystems:

1. The Gateway Server Daemon

The heartbeat of OpenClaw is its background gateway daemon (by default running on port 18789). The gateway maintains persistent WebSocket connections, orchestrates incoming event queues, tracks user session states, and coordinates execution workers. Running as a persistent Linux daemon (e.g., via systemd), it guarantees that your agent never sleeps even when your local computer is powered down.

2. The Model Agnostic Orchestration Layer

Unlike proprietary applications tethered to a single corporate AI provider, OpenClaw features a pluggable model provider layer. You can route routine classification queries to lightning-fast, cost-effective models like Google Gemini 3.8 Flash, complex architectural planning to Claude 5.1 Fable or GPT 5.6 Sol, and sensitive internal business data to local Ollama inference engines running directly on your VPS CPU or GPU.

3. The Channel Adapter Ecosystem

Instead of requiring a specialized proprietary app, OpenClaw bridges directly into the messaging platforms you already rely on:

• Telegram Bot API: Instant bidirectional communication with inline buttons and markdown rendering.
• WhatsApp Business / Webhook API: Direct messaging on your mobile phone from anywhere in the world.
• Slack & Discord Bots: Native integration into team development channels and community servers.
• Local Web UI & REST Gateway: A clean browser dashboard for configuration and management.

4. Tool Calling & Sandboxed Skills Engine

An AI model without tools can only talk; an AI model with tools can act. OpenClaw includes a comprehensive Skills Engine that allows the agent to execute real commands in controlled environments. Available capabilities include executing bash scripts, browsing websites with headless Playwright instances, querying SQL databases, reading files, and calling REST APIs.

Key Features of OpenClaw That Set It Apart

OpenClaw combines several breakthrough design principles that distinguish it from the crowded field of conversational AI tools:

• 24/7 Autonomous Proactivity: OpenClaw does not need a human to trigger every action. You can define recurring cron jobs (e.g., “Scan my server logs every morning at 08:00 AM and message me a bulleted summary”) that execute in the background automatically.
• Complete Data Sovereignty: Every conversation log, uploaded document, API key, and memory vector remains entirely on your private server. No third-party corporation can inspect your confidential prompts or train future foundation models on your intellectual property.
• Extensible Custom Skills: Adding capabilities to OpenClaw is as simple as writing a lightweight TypeScript or Python script. Whether integrating with a custom CRM, GitHub repositories, or internal cloud APIs, the skill ecosystem is infinitely extensible.
• Long-Term Memory Persistence: OpenClaw maintains episodic and semantic memory across conversations. It remembers your preferences, project conventions, previous task results, and architectural constraints across days, weeks, and months.

OpenClaw vs. SaaS AI: Comprehensive Comparison Table

To help you evaluate whether a self-hosted agent aligns with your workflow, review this direct head-to-head comparison between OpenClaw and conventional SaaS chatbot subscriptions (such as ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro, and Microsoft Copilot):

Real-World Use Cases & Practical Automation Workflows

What can you actually do once OpenClaw is installed on your server? Here are four practical, high-impact workflows teams and developers deploy today:

1. DevOps & Autonomous Server Sentry

Connect OpenClaw to your Ubuntu server environment to act as an on-call site reliability engineer. OpenClaw can monitor CPU load, disk capacity, and SSL certificate expiration dates. If Nginx throws consecutive 502 errors or memory spikes over 90%, OpenClaw diagnoses the offending process, restarts the container or service, and sends a concise root-cause analysis to your Telegram chat. (Pair this with our guide on essential Linux commands for rapid administration).

2. Automated Research & Competitive Intelligence

Instead of manually browsing competitor websites or reading through lengthy documentation, instruct OpenClaw to perform scheduled web crawls using headless browser skills. Every Monday morning, OpenClaw crawls targeted industry blogs, filters out fluff, extracts key announcements, and delivers an executive briefing straight to your Slack channel.

3. Private Executive Personal Assistant

Forward email attachments, flight confirmations, meeting transcripts, and PDF invoices to your OpenClaw WhatsApp bot. Because the assistant maintains state and vector search capabilities, you can text your bot weeks later: “What was the hotel confirmation code from my trip last month?” and receive an instant, accurate answer without searching through cluttered email folders.

4. Rapid AI Application Prototyping

Developers use OpenClaw as an interactive code execution sandbox. You can text OpenClaw a Python snippet, request performance optimizations, have it run unit tests on your server, and commit the verified code to GitHub. For related developer workflows, explore our tutorials on deploying websites from VS Code using AI and deploying Google AI Studio apps to Aveshost.

How to Get Started with OpenClaw on Your Own VPS

Setting up your own OpenClaw agent requires just a few straightforward steps on a modern Linux virtual private server. Here is the recommended deployment roadmap:

1. Provision a High-Speed VPS: Deploy a clean instance of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or 22.04 LTS on High-Speed Cloud VPS with at least 2GB–4GB of RAM and NVMe SSD storage.
2. Assign a Domain & Configure DNS: Point an A-record (e.g., openclaw.domain.com) to your server’s public IP address. Check our tutorials on getting a domain name and configuring Cloudflare DNS records.
3. Follow Our Production Deployment Guide: For complete, copy-paste configuration files including systemd service daemons, Nginx reverse proxy blocks, Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates, and Telegram integration, follow our step-by-step companion tutorial:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion & The Future of Open-Source Agents

The generative AI revolution began with conversational text prompts, but its true future belongs to autonomous self-hosted agents. By combining data sovereignty, proactive scheduling, multi-channel messaging, and uninhibited tool execution, OpenClaw represents a liberating alternative to closed, subscription-locked AI monopolies.

Whether you deploy OpenClaw as an automated DevOps sentry, a tireless research assistant, or a private executive secretary, self-hosting your agent ensures that you remain the undisputed owner of your intelligence infrastructure. Deploy your server, connect your preferred models, and experience the transformative power of autonomous AI automation today.

Recommended Next Reads & Developer Guides:

• How to Install and Set Up OpenClaw on Ubuntu Server (Production Guide)
• How to Use Gemini for SEO (Prompts, Tips & Strategies)
• How to Deploy Your Website from VS Code Using AI
• How to Deploy a Google AI Studio Web App to Aveshost (Easy Guide)
• How to Set Up DNS Records for Your Domain in Cloudflare
• How to Get a Free Domain Name – Here’s How (No Tricks)
• Top 90+ Essential Linux Commands Plus Cheat Sheet

Whether you want an intelligent assistant that monitors servers, executes scheduled tasks, or handles client conversations across Telegram, WhatsApp, Slack, and Discord, this comprehensive production guide will walk you step-by-step through installing OpenClaw, creating a hardened systemd daemon, setting up an Nginx reverse proxy with Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS, configuring AI providers (including Google Gemini, OpenAI, and local Ollama models), and locking down your server with UFW firewall rules on Aveshost high-speed hosting.

Server Requirements & Prerequisites

Before installing OpenClaw, ensure your Ubuntu server meets the recommended hardware specifications and network requirements:

• Operating System: Clean installation of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat) or Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish).
• Compute & RAM:
  • Standard Cloud API Mode (Gemini/OpenAI/Claude): 1–2 vCPUs, 2 GB–4 GB RAM, 25 GB NVMe SSD storage.
  • Local LLM Mode (Ollama / On-device inference): 4+ vCPUs, 16 GB–32 GB RAM (or dedicated GPU instance), 60 GB+ NVMe SSD.
• Registered Domain Name & DNS: A fully qualified domain or subdomain (e.g., openclaw.domain.com) with an A Record pointing to your Ubuntu server’s public IP address. (Check our tutorials on how to get a domain name and setting up DNS records in Cloudflare).
• User Privileges: SSH access with a standard user with sudo privileges (avoid running application daemons as root). Review our guide to top essential Linux commands for terminal navigation.

Step 1: Update Ubuntu & Install Node.js 22 LTS

Log in to your Ubuntu server via SSH and ensure all repository package lists and existing binaries are fully up to date:

# Update and upgrade package index
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

# Install essential system utilities and build tools
sudo apt install -y curl wget git build-essential ufw software-properties-common ca-certificates apt-transport-https

OpenClaw requires a modern Node.js runtime (Node.js v22.x or v24.x LTS recommended). We will install Node.js 22 LTS directly via the official NodeSource repository:

# Add NodeSource repository for Node.js 22 LTS
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash -

# Install Node.js and NPM
sudo apt install -y nodejs

# Verify installed versions
node -v
npm -v

Next, enable Corepack to activate pnpm and yarn package managers, which provides high-speed caching for AI package dependencies:

sudo corepack enable
sudo corepack prepare pnpm@latest --activate

Step 2: Install and Initialize OpenClaw

For a clean production deployment, create a dedicated system service account named openclaw. Running background AI services under a non-root service user isolates server permissions and prevents security vulnerabilities:

# Create a system user and home directory for OpenClaw
sudo useradd -r -s /bin/bash -m -d /opt/openclaw openclaw

# Switch to the openclaw user directory
cd /opt/openclaw

You can now install OpenClaw globally using either the automated quick-installation script or the global NPM package manager:

Method A: Automated Quick Install (Recommended)

# Run the official installer script
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

Method B: Global NPM Package Installation

# Install OpenClaw CLI globally
sudo npm install -g openclaw@latest --allow-scripts=openclaw

# Verify OpenClaw binary is available
openclaw --version

Initialize OpenClaw and configure your initial workspace environment:

# Initialize configuration directory
openclaw init --workspace /opt/openclaw/workspace

Step 3: Configure AI Model Providers (Gemini, OpenAI, Ollama)

OpenClaw supports multi-model inference routing. You can connect enterprise cloud APIs or run local open-source models completely offline.

Create a centralized environment file /opt/openclaw/.env containing your API keys and configuration flags:

sudo nano /opt/openclaw/.env

Add your configuration settings to the file:

# OpenClaw Server Gateway Configuration
OPENCLAW_HOST=127.0.0.1
OPENCLAW_PORT=18789
OPENCLAW_AUTH_TOKEN=generate_a_long_secure_token_here_32_chars

# Cloud AI Model Providers
GEMINI_API_KEY=your_google_gemini_api_key
OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_api_key
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_anthropic_api_key

# Default Primary Model Selection
DEFAULT_MODEL=gemini-2.5-flash

# Optional: Local Ollama Endpoint (if running private models)
OLLAMA_BASE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:11434

Secure the environment file with strict permission bits so only the openclaw user can read your secrets:

sudo chown openclaw:openclaw /opt/openclaw/.env
sudo chmod 600 /opt/openclaw/.env

Optional: Setting Up Local Private Models with Ollama

If you prefer 100% private local inference without recurring API costs, install Ollama on your Ubuntu server:

# Install Ollama on Linux
curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh

# Pull high-performance lightweight reasoning models
ollama pull llama3.2:3b
ollama pull mistral

Step 4: Create a 24/7 Production Daemon with Systemd

In a production environment, you should never run background tasks using standard SSH terminal sessions or basic tmux windows. Using a native systemd unit file ensures OpenClaw automatically starts on system boot, captures error logs in journald, and recovers instantly from crashes.

Create the systemd service file at /etc/systemd/system/openclaw.service:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/openclaw.service

Paste the following production unit configuration:

[Unit]
Description=OpenClaw Autonomous AI Production Gateway
After=network.target network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=openclaw
Group=openclaw
WorkingDirectory=/opt/openclaw
EnvironmentFile=/opt/openclaw/.env
ExecStart=/usr/bin/openclaw gateway --port 18789 --host 127.0.0.1
Restart=always
RestartSec=5s
KillMode=mixed
TimeoutStopSec=30
LimitNOFILE=65536

# Sandboxing and Security Restrictions
PrivateTmp=true
ProtectSystem=full
ProtectHome=read-only
ReadOnlyDirectories=/etc

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Reload systemd, enable the service to start at boot, and start OpenClaw:

# Reload systemd configuration
sudo systemctl daemon-reload

# Enable OpenClaw to start on server boot
sudo systemctl enable openclaw

# Start the OpenClaw service
sudo systemctl start openclaw

# Verify service status
sudo systemctl status openclaw

You can inspect real-time logs and debugging information anytime using journalctl:

# Stream real-time OpenClaw gateway logs
sudo journalctl -u openclaw -f -n 50

Step 5: Set Up Nginx Reverse Proxy with HTTPS & WebSockets

OpenClaw’s internal gateway listens on 127.0.0.1:18789. To access the web UI securely from external networks and handle bi-directional streaming via WebSockets, configure Nginx as an SSL reverse proxy.

Install Nginx and Certbot on Ubuntu:

sudo apt install -y nginx certbot python3-certbot-nginx

Create a dedicated Nginx virtual host configuration file for your domain:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/openclaw.conf

Add the following reverse proxy configuration (replace openclaw.domain.com with your actual domain name):

map $http_upgrade $connection_upgrade {
    default upgrade;
    ''      close;
}

server {
    listen 80;
    listen [::]:80;
    server_name openclaw.domain.com;

    # Redirect plain HTTP to HTTPS
    location / {
        return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
    }
}

server {
    listen 443 ssl http2;
    listen [::]:443 ssl http2;
    server_name openclaw.domain.com;

    # SSL configuration managed by Certbot will be inserted here
    ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
    ssl_prefer_server_ciphers on;

    # Security Headers
    add_header X-Frame-Options "SAMEORIGIN" always;
    add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block" always;
    add_header X-Content-Type-Options "nosniff" always;
    add_header Referrer-Policy "strict-origin-when-cross-origin" always;

    # Max upload size for file analysis
    client_max_body_size 64M;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:18789;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;

        # WebSocket Streaming Support
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection $connection_upgrade;

        # Forwarded Client Headers
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;

        # Timeouts for Long-Running AI Agent Chains
        proxy_read_timeout 3600s;
        proxy_send_timeout 3600s;
        proxy_connect_timeout 60s;
        proxy_buffering off;
    }
}

Enable the site configuration and test Nginx for syntax errors:

# Link configuration to sites-enabled
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/openclaw.conf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

# Test Nginx syntax
sudo nginx -t

# Reload Nginx
sudo systemctl reload nginx

Provisioning Free SSL/TLS Certificate via Let’s Encrypt

Obtain and install an automated SSL certificate using Certbot:

# Request and auto-configure Let's Encrypt SSL certificate
sudo certbot --nginx -d openclaw.domain.com --non-interactive --agree-tos -m admin@domain.com

# Verify automatic SSL renewal timer
sudo systemctl status certbot.timer

Step 6: Configure UFW Firewall & Security Hardening

Protecting your Ubuntu server from unauthorized port scanning and brute-force attacks is essential for self-hosted AI applications. Use Ubuntu’s built-in UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) to restrict incoming connections:

# Set default firewall rules
sudo ufw default deny incoming
sudo ufw default allow outgoing

# Allow SSH (ensure your SSH port is permitted before enabling)
sudo ufw allow 22/tcp comment "SSH Management"

# Allow HTTP and HTTPS web traffic for Nginx
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp comment "Nginx HTTP"
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp comment "Nginx HTTPS"

# Enable UFW Firewall
sudo ufw enable

# Verify active firewall status
sudo ufw status verbose

Notice that internal port 18789 is not exposed publicly. All traffic must pass through the encrypted Nginx reverse proxy with SSL validation.

Step 7: Connect Messaging Channels (Telegram, WhatsApp, Slack)

One of OpenClaw’s most powerful capabilities is interacting with you directly through everyday messaging apps. Here is how to configure a Telegram Bot Gateway:

1. Open Telegram and start a chat with @BotFather.
2. Send the command /newbot, choose a friendly name and username, and copy the generated HTTP API Token (e.g., 123456789:ABCdefGhIJKlmNoPQRsTUVwxyZ).
3. Open your OpenClaw environment file /opt/openclaw/.env and append your Telegram credentials:

TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=123456789:ABCdefGhIJKlmNoPQRsTUVwxyZ
TELEGRAM_ALLOWED_USERS=your_telegram_user_id

Restart the OpenClaw daemon to apply the messaging channel:

sudo systemctl restart openclaw

Send a message like “Hello OpenClaw, summarize my server uptime” directly to your Telegram bot. Your self-hosted agent will process the request, run the necessary commands in its isolated environment, and reply within seconds!

Step 8: Monitoring, Maintenance & Upgrades

To keep your production installation fast and dependable, perform regular maintenance:

1. Updating OpenClaw to the Latest Release

# Update OpenClaw global package
sudo npm update -g openclaw

# Restart the daemon service
sudo systemctl restart openclaw

2. Monitoring Server Memory and CPU

Monitor your active memory utilization and model token pipelines using htop or systemd metrics:

# Check OpenClaw systemd process resource usage
systemctl status openclaw

# View real-time server process tree
htop

Troubleshooting Common OpenClaw Production Issues

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion & Next Steps

Deploying OpenClaw on an Ubuntu Server gives you complete ownership over your artificial intelligence assistant. By pairing the robust systemd daemon supervisor with an Nginx reverse proxy, Let’s Encrypt SSL encryption, and UFW firewall hardening, you have built a production-grade infrastructure that operates reliably 24/7 with zero downtime.

From automated server health checks to multi-channel communication across Telegram and Slack, your self-hosted OpenClaw instance is ready to automate complex workflows and boost your daily productivity.

Suggested Reading & Advanced Developer Tutorials:

• How to Deploy Your Website from VS Code Using AI
• How to Deploy a Google AI Studio Web App to Aveshost (Easy Guide)
• How to Use Gemini for SEO (Prompts, Tips & Strategies)
• How to Set Up DNS Records for Your Domain in Cloudflare
• How to Get a Free Domain Name – Here’s How (No Tricks)
• Top 90+ Essential Linux Commands Plus Cheat Sheet

However, once your website is polished and ready for the world, you must move it from your local computer to a live, remote web hosting server. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the entire process of migrating your WordPress site to a remote server powered by the modern DirectAdmin Control Panel on Aveshost.

Pre-Migration Checklist: What You Need Before You Start

Before transferring files and database records, completing a quick audit ensures a seamless migration without unexpected errors:

1. Active Remote Hosting Account: A web hosting package running DirectAdmin (such as high-speed NVMe hosting from Aveshost). If you haven’t logged in before, check How to Login to DirectAdmin Control Panel.
2. Registered Domain Name: Your live domain (e.g., domain.com) pointed to your hosting server’s Nameservers or A Record IP address. Learn how to get a domain name and how to add a domain name in DirectAdmin. If you manage DNS via Cloudflare, check our guide on setting up DNS records in Cloudflare.
3. Database Credentials: Access to your local phpMyAdmin or database manager.
4. Clean Up Your Local Site: Empty your trash bins (deleted posts, pages, and media), delete spam comments, and remove unused themes or deactivated plugins to keep your backup lightweight.
5. Deactivate Caching & Security Plugins: Temporarily turn off plugins like Wordfence, iThemes Security, or WP Fastest Cache on your local site before creating the export archive to avoid file permission lockouts or redirection conflicts.
6. Record Your URLs: Take note of your local website address (e.g., http://localhost/mysite or http://mysite.local) and your target live URL (e.g., https://domain.com).

Overview of the DirectAdmin Environment

DirectAdmin is a lightning-fast, secure, and intuitive web hosting control panel. Unlike resource-heavy legacy panels, DirectAdmin’s Evolution interface provides rapid access to core hosting features including Databases, File Manager, SSL/TLS Certificates, and Softaculous 1-Click Installers.

Method 1: Automated Migration via Plugin (Recommended for Beginners)

The easiest way to migrate small-to-medium WordPress websites (under 512MB to a few gigabytes) without touching server files manually is using a trusted migration plugin like All-in-One WP Migration or Duplicator.

Step 1: Install Migration Plugin on Localhost

1. Log in to your local WordPress dashboard (e.g., http://localhost/mysite/wp-admin).
2. Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
3. Search for All-in-One WP Migration.
4. Click Install Now and then Activate.

Step 2: Export Your Local WordPress Site

1. In your local dashboard menu, navigate to All-in-One WP Migration > Export.
2. Click on Export To and select File from the dropdown list.
3. The plugin will package your database, media library, plugins, and active theme into a single .wpress archive.
4. Once the export process completes, click the pulsing download button to save the file to your computer.

Step 3: Install WordPress on Your Remote DirectAdmin Server

1. Log in to your DirectAdmin control panel.
2. Scroll down to Extra Features or Softaculous Apps Installer and click on WordPress (or follow our step-by-step guide on How to Install WordPress in DirectAdmin).
3. Click Install Now.
4. Choose your domain (e.g., https://domain.com), leave the in-directory field blank, set your admin credentials, and click Install.

Step 4: Import Your Website onto the Remote Server

1. Log in to the newly installed WordPress admin dashboard on your remote server (https://domain.com/wp-admin).
2. Go to Plugins > Add New, install and activate All-in-One WP Migration.
3. Navigate to All-in-One WP Migration > Import.
4. Drag and drop the .wpress file exported from your localhost.
5. Follow the on-screen prompt warning that the import will overwrite your existing database and files, then click Proceed.

Step 5: Save Permalinks Twice

Once the import finishes, your WordPress login credentials will change to match your localhost username and password. Log back in, go to Settings > Permalinks, and click Save Changes twice to regenerate your URL rewrite rules.

Method 2: Manual Migration via DirectAdmin (Best for Full Control & Large Websites)

For large websites, custom development projects, or instances where plugin execution times out, the manual migration method provides complete control over your files and database. (If you prefer using command-line workflows or Git, you can also check our guides on deploying via Git in DirectAdmin and deploying from VS Code using AI).

Step 1: Export Your Local WordPress Files

1. Navigate to your local WordPress installation directory on your computer:
   • XAMPP: C:\xampp\htdocs\mysite
   • WampServer: C:\wamp64\www\mysite
   • LocalWP: ~/Local Sites/mysite/app/public
2. Select all files and folders inside the root directory (including wp-admin, wp-content, wp-includes, wp-config.php, and .htaccess).
3. Right-click and compress them into a single .zip archive (e.g., site-files.zip).

Step 2: Export Your Local MySQL Database

1. Open your local database management tool (typically http://localhost/phpmyadmin).
2. Click on your WordPress database name in the left sidebar.
3. Click on the Export tab at the top.
4. Choose the Quick export method and ensure the format is set to SQL.
5. Click Go (or Export) to download the .sql file to your computer.

Step 3: Create a New MySQL Database and User in DirectAdmin

Now, set up a fresh database on your remote server to receive your local data:

1. Log in to your DirectAdmin control panel.
2. Under the Account Manager section, click on Databases.
3. In the Create Database area, click on Advanced mode to set custom user credentials.
4. Enter your desired Database Name (e.g., wpuser_wp_live) and User name (e.g., wpuser_wp_liveusr).
5. Generate or enter a strong password and save these details securely in a notepad.
6. Click the CREATE button. DirectAdmin will establish the database and automatically grant full administrative privileges to the new user.

Step 4: Upload and Extract Files via DirectAdmin File Manager

1. In DirectAdmin, go to System Info & Files > File Manager.
2. Navigate to your domain’s public root directory: domains/domain.com/public_html.
3. If there is a default placeholder index.html file, delete or rename it.
4. Click the Upload button on the top toolbar.
5. Drag and drop your site-files.zip archive and wait for the upload to reach 100%.
6. Hover over the uploaded zip file, click Extract (or right-click > Extract), and confirm the destination is public_html.

Step 5: Import the Local Database in DirectAdmin via phpMyAdmin

1. Return to Account Manager > Databases in DirectAdmin.
2. Click the PHPMYADMIN button in the top right to access phpMyAdmin.
3. In phpMyAdmin’s left sidebar, select the newly created database (e.g., wpuser_wp_live).
4. Click on the Import tab in the top navigation bar.
5. Click Choose File and select the .sql file you exported from your localhost.
6. Scroll down and click Import (or Go). You will see a success message indicating all database tables have been created.

Step 6: Update wp-config.php with New Database Details

Your WordPress files on the remote server must now be linked to the newly created database:

1. In DirectAdmin File Manager, locate wp-config.php inside public_html.
2. Click Edit to open the built-in code editor.
3. Locate the MySQL settings section and update the database name, username, and password with your DirectAdmin database details:

// ** Database settings - You can get this info from your DirectAdmin panel ** //
/** The name of the database for WordPress */
define( 'DB_NAME', 'wpuser_wp_live' );

/** MySQL database username */
define( 'DB_USER', 'wpuser_wp_liveusr' );

/** MySQL database password */
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'YourSecurePasswordHere' );

/** MySQL hostname (standard DirectAdmin default is localhost) */
define( 'DB_HOST', 'localhost' );

/** Database charset to use in creating database tables. */
define( 'DB_CHARSET', 'utf8mb4' );

/** The database collate type. Don't change this if in doubt. */
define( 'DB_COLLATE', '' );

4. Click Save to commit the changes.

Step 7: Update Site URLs and Domain Names in Database

WordPress stores absolute URLs in multiple database tables. Since your database was exported from localhost (e.g., http://localhost/mysite), you must update all occurrences to your live domain (e.g., https://domain.com).

Option A: Run SQL Queries in phpMyAdmin

Open phpMyAdmin in DirectAdmin, click on your database, navigate to the SQL tab, paste the following queries (replacing the table prefix and domain names), and click Go:

UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = replace(option_value, 'http://localhost/mysite', 'https://domain.com') WHERE option_name = 'home' OR option_name = 'siteurl';

UPDATE wp_posts SET guid = replace(guid, 'http://localhost/mysite', 'https://domain.com');

UPDATE wp_posts SET post_content = replace(post_content, 'http://localhost/mysite', 'https://domain.com');

UPDATE wp_postmeta SET meta_value = replace(meta_value, 'http://localhost/mysite', 'https://domain.com');

Option B: Use the Better Search Replace Plugin

If your theme or page builder (such as Elementor) uses serialized data, running a raw SQL query might corrupt serialized arrays. You can safely replace URLs using the free Better Search Replace plugin:

1. Log in to your WordPress admin (https://domain.com/wp-admin).
2. Install and activate Better Search Replace.
3. Go to Tools > Better Search Replace.
4. In the Search for field, enter: http://localhost/mysite (or your local URL).
5. In the Replace with field, enter: https://domain.com.
6. Select all tables, uncheck “Run as dry run”, and click Run Search/Replace.

Post-Migration Setup: Securing and Fine-Tuning Your Live Site

Congratulations! Your website files and database are now operating on your remote server. Complete these essential final touches:

1. Install Free Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS Certificate in DirectAdmin

An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) Certificate encrypts data between your visitors and your server, displays the secure padlock icon, and improves your search engine rankings. For detailed step-by-step instructions, see the official Aveshost knowledge base guide on How to Install an SSL Certificate in DirectAdmin.

1. In DirectAdmin, navigate to Account Manager > SSL/TLS Certificates.
2. Click on the ACME settings tab to configure automated certificate issuance.
3. Check Enable ACME, select Let’s Encrypt as the provider, and choose ECDSA P-256 (or RSA 2048) for modern, fast cryptographic handshakes.
4. Select your root domain (domain.com), www.domain.com, and any relevant subdomains, then click SAVE. DirectAdmin will automatically issue and install the certificate in 30–60 seconds.
5. Next, force secure browsing: go to Account Manager > Domains, click your domain, and check Force SSL with https redirect. (See How to Force HTTP to HTTPS in DirectAdmin).

2. Flush WordPress Rewrite Rules (Permalinks)

Log in to your live WordPress dashboard, go to Settings > Permalinks, and click Save Changes twice. This forces WordPress to regenerate your .htaccess file, ensuring clean permalinks work properly.

3. Re-enable Security and Caching Plugins

Turn back on your caching plugin (e.g., LiteSpeed Cache, WP Fastest Cache) and security suite (e.g., Wordfence, cPGuard). Purge all cache to ensure visitors receive fresh, optimized pages. You can also configure domain emails by following How to Create an Email Account in DirectAdmin.

Troubleshooting Common Migration Issues

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

Migrating your WordPress website from localhost to a remote server does not have to be intimidating. By leveraging DirectAdmin’s streamlined file manager and database controls alongside modern WordPress tools, you can transition your development projects to a high-performance live server smoothly with zero downtime.

Whether you choose the rapid automated plugin method or the comprehensive manual DirectAdmin approach, following this guide ensures your files, database, and SSL certificates are configured for optimal speed, reliability, and security.

Suggested Reading & Helpful Resources:

• How to Install an SSL Certificate in DirectAdmin (Official KB)
• How to Install WordPress in DirectAdmin (Softaculous Guide)
• How to Deploy Your Website from VS Code Using AI
• How to Deploy a Google AI Studio Web App to Aveshost (Easy Guide)
• How to Use Gemini for SEO (Prompts, Tips & Strategies)
• How to set up DNS records for your domain in Cloudflare
• How to Get a Free Domain Name – Here’s How (No Tricks)
• Top 90+ Essential Linux Commands Plus Cheat Sheet

But after building your app, the next big question is:

How do you deploy your Google AI Studio web app online?

While Google defaults to its cloud services, moving your AI Studio app onto a high-performance hosting platform like Aveshost gives you full control over your files, emails, and database environments—without breaking the bank.

In this easy guide, we will walk step-by-step through syncing your code from Google AI Studio to GitHub and deploying it seamlessly onto your Aveshost server. Let’s bring your AI creation to the real world!

Sync Your Google AI Studio Project with GitHub

Google has removed the direct Export feature from Google AI Studio. To download or access your project files, you now need to sync or push the project to GitHub.

Follow these steps:

1. Click the Settings gear icon in the top-right corner of Google AI Studio.
2. Select the GitHub option.
3. Connect your GitHub account. To avoid permission or authentication errors, it is recommended to use the same email address for both your Google account and GitHub account.
4. Enter a short and simple repository name, such as: mycool-webapp

5. Click Push to sync your project to GitHub.

Once the sync is complete, your project files will be available in your GitHub repository, where you can clone or download.

Step 2: Grab Your Aveshost Server Credentials

To push your files online, you will need the login details to your hosting control panel.

• Check Your Email: When you first purchased your web hosting package from Aveshost, an automated welcome email was sent to you containing your server hostname, username, password, and control panel link.
• Can’t Find It? No sweat! Simply log into your Aveshost Client Area, go to the support section, and open a quick ticket. The customer support team will securely resend your login details right away.

If you don’t already have hosting, you can get started with Aveshost Web Hosting.

For larger or more resource-intensive projects, we recommend choosing a VPS plan for better performance and flexibility: Aveshost Self-Managed VPS Hosting

Deploy Your Web App Using AI

Remember the traditional dance of launching a web application? It usually looked something like this: open a clunky FTP client or SSH terminal, carefully drag and drop hundreds of files, manually log into a control panel to create a MySQL database, map the database user permissions, copy-paste long connection strings into an environment file, and pray that nothing breaks along the way.

And if you ran into a hidden configuration bug or a missing package error? You were stuck scouring Stack Overflow forums for hours just to get your homepage to load.

Not anymore. Welcome to the era of AI-driven deployment.

With modern AI tools like Codex Desktop connected to your project folder, the entire deployment infrastructure becomes completely conversational. Instead of bouncing back and forth between terminal windows and your hosting dashboard, you can stay comfortably right inside your local computer environment.

You simply tell the AI: “Deploy this project for me using my server credentials.”

In the background, the AI acts as your senior DevOps engineer. It securely connects to your Aveshost server, logs into your control panel via secure automated routines, uploads your code, and intelligently parses your project structure. If it notices your application requires a database, it will automatically provision the database, create a secure user, map the connection variables, and run your backend migrations for you simultaneously.

Even better? If there’s a missing dependency or a minor path conflict between your local environment and your production server, the AI doesn’t just error out and throw a cryptic log code at you. It analyzes the deployment error, diagnoses the issue, auto-fixes the bug directly from your local PC, and pushes the working version live—all without you ever having to manually log into your hosting control panel or VPS.

It turns what used to be a stressful, error-prone 30-minute chore into a seamless, hands-free conversation that takes less than two minutes.

Step 3: Secure Your Credentials in Your Project Folder

Because we are using Codex Desktop to handle the heavy lifting, the AI assistant needs the keys to your hosting environment. However, security always comes first. You must lock down your sensitive server details so they remain safely on your local machine and never accidentally leak into a public GitHub repository.

Here is how to set up a secure gateway right inside your code editor:

1. Open your project folder in Visual Studio Code or your preferred code editor.
2. In the root directory, create a brand-new file and name it exactly: .serverCredentials
3. Open your project’s .gitignore file (create one in the root folder if it doesn’t exist yet) and add .serverCredentials on a fresh line.

Security Check: By adding the file name to your .gitignore, Git will completely ignore it. Even if you push updates to GitHub, your passwords will stay completely local and safe.

Option A: For DirectAdmin Control Panels (Shared Hosting)

DirectAdmin_url: https://yourhostname.com:2222 or https://yourdomainname.com:2222
Username: your_username_here
Password: your_password_here

Option B: For Virtual Private Servers (VPS)

If you are deploying your web app directly onto a clean Aveshost Cloud VPS via secure shell, fill out this server block instead:

IP: your_vps_ip_address
User: root
Password: your_root_password_here
Port: 22

Once you have filled out your specific server blocks, hit save in VS Code. Your workspace is now fully prepared for hands-free AI deployment!

Step 4: Let AI Handle the Deployment (The Prompt Blueprints)

Launch the Codex Desktop app, or download and install it if you haven’t already.

Grant Codex Full Access Permissions.

Next, go to the Projects panel, select “Use an Existing Folder”, and choose your project directory from your computer.

Go back to VS Code or your code editor, right-click your .serverCredentials file, select Copy Path, and use the blueprint that matches your application setup:

Special Step for VPS Deployments: Bulletproof Your Server Security First

If you are deploying on a fresh Virtual Private Server (VPS), you are working with a clean slate. Operating directly out of the default root account on standard port 22 leaves your server wide open to automated brute-force attacks.

Before you push a single line of your application code, you can leverage Codex to completely harden and lock down your server infrastructure automatically.

Simply feed your initial root login details into your .serverCredentials file and pass this security blueprint prompt to the AI:

AI Server Hardening Prompt: “Using the root login details provided in my .serverCredentials file, please secure this VPS by completing the following steps:

1. Create a brand-new, isolated system user and grant them full sudo administrative privileges.
2. Switch configuration contexts over to this new user.
3. Install and configure Fail2Ban to automatically detect and block malicious IP addresses trying to brute-force the server.
4. Change the default SSH port from 22 to a unique, non-standard port number [e.g., 2284] to hide the server from automated scanners.”

Going Passwordless: Setting Up SSH Keys with AI

For maximum, enterprise-grade security, you should completely eliminate password logins in favor of cryptographic keys. You don’t have to navigate complex terminal configurations to set this up:

1. Open PuTTYgen (or your terminal’s key generator) on your local computer and click Generate.
2. Save your private key safely on your PC, and copy the long string of text representing your public key.
3. Hand that public key over to the AI with this follow-up prompt:“Take this generated public SSH key: [Paste your public key string here] and configure it for the newly created sudo user on my server. Once successfully injected, disable password authentication entirely so the server only accepts SSH key connections.”

Once Codex completes these automated tasks, remember to update your local .serverCredentials file with your new username, new port, and private key path before proceeding with your application deployment!

Note: The configuration above applies only to VPS hosting users.

1. Deploying a Static Website (No Database)

If your site is built using pure HTML/CSS/JavaScript, or is a static build from a framework (like an Angular or React build output), use this prompt:

AI Prompt: “Use the server login details located here: C:\Users\P C\Documents\Project\.serverCredentials and deploy the website on the server for me.”

Codex will read the credentials, log into your file manager via the control panel API, zip up your static files, upload them, and extract them directly into your public_html directory.

Note: If your hosting plan supports multiple domains, make sure you specify the exact domain where the website should be deployed.

3. Deploying App Engines (Node.js and Python Apps)

Application servers require a runtime environment to be explicitly initialized on the server backend before they can receive traffic. You have two excellent ways to handle this with AI:

• The Hybrid Approach: Log into your Aveshost control panel manually, navigate to “Setup Node.js App” or “Setup Python App”, and click create. Once the shell environment exists, jump back to Codex and prompt:“I have initialized the Node/Python environment in my control panel. Please use the server login details here C:\Users\P C\Documents\Project\.serverCredentials to deploy my application code into that environment, install dependencies, and start the application engine.”
• The Fully Autonomous Approach: If you prefer to stay entirely hands-off, you can command the AI to use browser automation:“Use the server login details here C:\Users\P C\Documents\Project\.serverCredentials and launch a headless Chrome instance to log into my control panel. Create a new Node.js/Python application environment first, and then deploy my local project files directly into it.”

For VPS users, you can simply instruct Codex to automatically set up and configure the required Node.js or Python environment needed for your deployment.

Instead of manually installing runtimes, dependencies, process managers, or configuring your server through SSH, AI can help automate the entire setup process directly on your VPS.

Step 5: Pushing Future Updates Without Breaking the Site

As you continue to use “vibe coding” in Google AI Studio to tweak features, add colors, or add new tools, pushing updates to your live site is incredibly seamless.

When syncing or pushing a new build to GitHub from AI Studio, you want to make sure your live production database environment strings are never accidentally overwritten or deleted on the live server.

Whenever pushing an incremental update via Codex, always use this safeguard prompt structure:

“Please deploy my new changes to production using the server credentials at C:\Users\YourName\Documents\MyAIApp\.serverCredentials. Crucial: Ensure that the existing production .env file (and database configuration details) currently residing on the live Aveshost server are completely preserved and NOT overwritten. Only push the new code changes.”

Final Thoughts

You don’t need a massive, confusing cloud infrastructure bill just to run a prototype you built over the weekend. By combining the unmatched speed of Google AI Studio’s generation engine with the reliable, and affordable power of Aveshost, you get the absolute best of both worlds: hyper-fast AI creation and professional web hosting control.

Are you ready to take your AI app live? Head over to Google AI Studio, grab your code framework, and let’s get it launched on your custom domain today! If you hit any snags configuring your Node.js app environment, just reach out to the Aveshost technical support team—they are always ready to help.

Suggested Reading:

• How to Deploy Your Website from VS Code Using AI
• How to Use Gemini for SEO (Prompts, Tips & Strategies)
• How to set up DNS records for your domain in a Cloudflare
• How to Get a Free Domain Name – Here’s How (No Tricks)
• Top 90+ Essential Linux Commands Plus Cheat Sheet
• 50+ Essential Git Commands (With Downloadable Cheat Sheet)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Traditionally, deploying a website meant wrestling with FTP clients, configuring SSH keys, manually creating databases, and double-checking file paths. If you’re deploying a Node.js or Python app, you might find yourself stuck in a terminal loop trying to figure out why your environment variables aren’t loading.

What if you could just ask your code editor to deploy your website for you?

Thanks to the power of Artificial Intelligence, you can. In this comprehensive guide, we’re going to walk through how to deploy your website directly from VS Code using an AI assistant like Codex Desktop. Whether you’re launching a simple HTML portfolio, a dynamic WordPress/PHP site, or a modern Node.js application, this step-by-step framework will turn a frustrating chore into a two-minute conversation.

Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Secure Your Server Credentials inside VS Code

Before we let AI do the heavy lifting, we need to give it the keys to the kingdom—securely. We want the AI to know how to access our server, but we never want to accidentally leak our passwords to a public GitHub repository.

Here is exactly how to set up a secure credentials file in your project:

1. Open your project folder in Visual Studio Code.
2. In the root directory of your project, create a new file and name it something like: .serverCredentials
3. Crucial Security Step: Open your .gitignore file (create one if you don’t have it) and add .serverCredentials on a new line. This ensures your sensitive login details are completely ignored by Git and never pushed to GitHub or GitLab.

# .gitignore snippet
.serverCredentials
.env
node_modules/

Formatting Your Credentials

Depending on what type of hosting control panel you are using, paste one of the following templates into your newly created .serverCredentials file.

Option A: For DirectAdmin Control Panels (Recommended)

If your hosting provider like Aveshost utilizes modern, high-performance DirectAdmin panels, format your file like this:

DirectAdmin_url: https://yourhostname.com:2222 or https://yourdomainname.com:2222
Username: your_username_here
Password: your_password_here

Option B: For cPanel Control Panels

If your host is still utilizing traditional cPanel infrastructure, format your file this way:

cPanel_url: https://yourhostname.com/cpanel or https://yourdomainname.com/cpanel
Username: your_username_here
Password: your_password_here

Where do you find these details? > If you are hosting with a premium digital service provider like Aveshost, these credentials were automatically sent to your email immediately after purchasing your hosting plan. Check your spam or inbox for your welcome email.

Can’t find them? No worries. Simply log into your Aveshost client area, navigate to the support section, and open a quick ticket requesting your control panel login details. The support team will sort you out in no time.

Step 2: Set Up Your AI Deployment Assistant (Codex Desktop)

Now that your credentials are ready and safely ignored by Git, it’s time to bring in the AI power. For this guide, we are using the Codex Desktop app, a powerful AI tool built to interact seamlessly with your local development environment.

1. Download and install the Codex Desktop application on your computer.
2. Launch Codex Desktop.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to sign in to your Codex account, or create a new account if you don’t already have one.
4. Navigate to the Projects tab.
5. Select “Use an existing folder” and choose the exact project folder you currently have open in VS Code.
   
   
6. Grant Codex Full Access Permissions
   
   
7. Go back to VS Code, right-click your .serverCredentials file, and select Copy Path. It should look something like this depending on your operating system: C:\Users\P C\Documents\Project\.serverCredentials

Keep that absolute file path handy. We are going to feed it directly to the AI.

Step 3: The AI Prompt Blueprints (Choose Your Stack)

This is where the magic happens. Because Codex understands natural language and has access to your local directory, you don’t need to configure complex CI/CD pipelines. You just need to give it the right instructions.

Find your website type below and copy-paste the exact prompt blueprint into Codex.

1. Deploying a Static Website (No Database)

If your site is built using pure HTML/CSS/JavaScript, or is a static build from a framework (like an Angular or React build output), use this prompt:

AI Prompt: “Use the server login details located here: C:\Users\P C\Documents\Project\.serverCredentials and deploy the website on the server for me.”

Codex will read the credentials, log into your file manager via the control panel API, zip up your static files, upload them, and extract them directly into your public_html directory.

Note: If your hosting plan supports multiple domains, make sure you specify the exact domain where the website should be deployed.

2. Deploying a Dynamic Website (With a Database)

If you are deploying a CMS, a PHP application, or any site that requires a MySQL/MariaDB database, the AI needs to do double duty. It has to upload the files and provision the database infrastructure.

If you have an exported .sql database file on your local PC, make sure to grab its file path too.

AI Prompt: “Use the server login details located here: C:\Users\P C\Documents\Project\.serverCredentials and deploy the website on the server for me. Because this site contains a database, please automatically create the database from the control panel and link it to the site configuration. Check and run migrations for the database if required. [If applicable: Use my local database file located here: C:\Users\P C\Documents\Project\database.sql]”

Codex will log into DirectAdmin or cPanel, spin up a brand new database, generate a secure user password, map it to your web application’s configuration file (like wp-config.php or a .env file), and import your schema.

3. Deploying App Engines (Node.js and Python Apps)

Application servers require a runtime environment to be explicitly initialized on the server backend before they can receive traffic. You have two excellent ways to handle this with AI:

• The Hybrid Approach: Log into your hosting control panel manually, navigate to “Setup Node.js App” or “Setup Python App”, and click create. Once the shell environment exists, jump back to Codex and prompt:“I have initialized the Node/Python environment in my control panel. Please use the server login details here C:\Users\P C\Documents\Project\.serverCredentials to deploy my application code into that environment, install dependencies, and start the application engine.”
• The Fully Autonomous Approach: If you prefer to stay entirely hands-off, you can command the AI to use browser automation:“Use the server login details here C:\Users\P C\Documents\Project\.serverCredentials and launch a headless Chrome instance to log into my control panel. Create a new Node.js/Python application environment first, and then deploy my local project files directly into it.”

Step 4: Updating an Existing Production Website Safely

What happens when you make changes to your code a week later and need to push an update? You don’t want the AI to overwrite your live data or break your production database connection strings!

When pushing updates to an already deployed app, use a preservation prompt. This tells the AI to sync your new code features while safeguarding your live environment configurations.

Whenever you want to push an update, use this specific prompt blueprint:

AI Update Prompt: “Please push my latest local changes to production using the server credentials at C:\Users\P C\Documents\Project\.serverCredentials. Crucial: You must completely preserve the existing .env file (or database configuration files) currently residing on the live production server so that production database details are not overwritten or broken. Only sync and update the changed application code files.”

By explicitly instructing the AI to protect production configurations, your live database remains perfectly intact while your new UI features and code patches go live seamlessly.

Conclusion: The Future of Deployment is Conversational

Congratulations! You’ve just bypassed the most tedious parts of web development using artificial intelligence. By combining a secure .serverCredentials strategy inside VS Code with an intelligent desktop agent like Codex, you’ve turned server administration into a simple text message.

This workflow drastically cuts down on deployment friction, giving you more time to focus on what you do best: building incredible things. Have you tried deploying your projects using AI yet? If you run into any hitches with your hosting setup or database migrations, drop a comment below or reach out to Aveshost support line to ensure your control panel API access is fully enabled!

Suggested Reading:

• How to Use Gemini for SEO in 2026 (Prompts, Tips & Strategies)
• How to Make Your WordPress Website Load Under 2 Seconds
• How to Get a Free Domain Name – Here’s How (No Tricks)
• How to set up DNS records for your domain in a Cloudflare
• Why Your Business Needs a Blog: Top Reasons Explained

FAQs About How to Deploy Your Website from VS Code Using AI

There are two simple ways to set up Cloudflare for your domain:

1. Using a CNAME record – This option lets you connect only your subdomain (for example, www.yourdomain.com) to Cloudflare while keeping your main domain hosted elsewhere.
2. Changing your nameservers to Cloudflare’s – This is the most common and recommended option. It gives Cloudflare full control to manage your DNS, security, and performance features. You’ll be able to do this right after creating your Cloudflare account.

Once you’ve signed up, Cloudflare will guide you through adding your first domain. Just type in the domain name you want to use, click Continue, and follow the prompts to begin the setup. Don’t worry—Cloudflare will automatically scan your existing DNS records and show them to you for review before making any changes.

Click on “Continue” to view the next page:

On the next page, you’ll be asked to choose a Cloudflare plan. If you’re just getting started, you can simply select the Free plan — it includes all the essential features you need to boost your website’s performance and security.

Click on the Free plan icon, then hit the Select Plan button to continue with the setup.

You can always upgrade to a paid Cloudflare plan later if you want access to more advanced features like image optimization, enhanced security tools, and priority support. To compare all available plans, visit Cloudflare’s pricing page.

On the next screen, Cloudflare will display a list of your existing DNS records. Take a moment to carefully review them and make sure they match the records listed in your cPanel (or wherever your domain is currently managed). This ensures your website, email, and other services continue to work correctly after the setup.

Note: It’s best not to modify any DNS records at this stage. You’ll have the chance to make changes or updates later once the setup process is complete.

If the DNS records shown in the list look correct, simply scroll down and click “Continue to Activation” to move forward with enabling Cloudflare for your domain.

On the next page, Cloudflare will prompt you to update your domain’s nameservers. This step connects your domain fully to Cloudflare’s network, allowing it to manage your DNS, speed, and security features.

If your domain is registered with another domain registrar, log in to your registrar’s dashboard and update the nameservers for your domain to the ones provided by Cloudflare. Each registrar’s interface is slightly different, but you’ll usually find this option under Domain Settings or DNS Management.

If your domain is registered with Aveshost, follow the step-by-step instructions below to update your nameservers directly from your Aveshost client area.

1. Log in to your Aveshost account in a separate tab if you are not logged in yet :

2. Click on “Domains“

3. Select and click on “Manage“

4. Click on “Nameservers” and replace the custom nameservers with cloudflare nameservers

5. Click on “Change Nameservers” to save your changes.

Note: After you’ve updated your nameservers, it can take up to 24–48 hours (and occasionally longer) for the changes to fully propagate across the internet. This delay happens because local Internet Service Providers (ISPs) need time to update their DNS caches. During this period, some visitors may still see your old settings until the update completes everywhere.

Once your nameservers have been changed, go back to your Cloudflare dashboard and click “Check Nameservers Now.” Cloudflare will automatically verify the update and activate your domain once the new nameservers are detected.

If the nameservers have been successfully updated, you will see the Active status:

Now that your domain is connected to Cloudflare, you can proceed to set up your DNS records from the DNS menu.

On the DNS Records page, you’ll be able to add, edit, or delete DNS entries for your domain.

To add a new record:

1. Click + Add Record.
2. Choose the record type (e.g., A, CNAME, MX, TXT, etc.).
3. Enter the hostname (this could be your main domain or a subdomain).
4. Provide the record value (such as your server’s IP address).
5. The TTL (Time to Live) will be set automatically.
6. Once done, click Save.

You can also control whether Cloudflare’s protection and caching are active for each record by toggling the orange/grey cloud under the Proxy Status column:

• Grey Cloud (DNS Only) → Traffic bypasses Cloudflare and connects directly to your server.
• Orange Cloud (Active) → Traffic is routed through Cloudflare (recommended for your website).

NOTE:
After changing your nameservers to Cloudflare, all the existing DNS records in your cPanel will no longer be active. This means your domain will now use the DNS settings managed inside your Cloudflare account.

Make sure all necessary DNS records (such as A, CNAME, MX, or TXT records) are correctly added in Cloudflare before completing the setup.

For example, if you later decide to switch to a new email service or update your server’s IP address, you’ll need to update the corresponding MX or A records directly within Cloudflare — not in cPanel.

When it comes to websites, speed is everything. Imagine clicking on a site and waiting… and waiting. Chances are, you’d leave before the page even loads. In fact, studies show that if your website takes more than 3 seconds to load, most visitors bounce away. That’s lost traffic, lost sales, and lost trust.

And it’s not just about user impatience. Search engines like Google also factor in site speed when ranking websites. That means a slow site can hurt both your visibility and your credibility. Whether you’re running a blog, an online store, or a business website, every extra second of loading time is costing you opportunities.

But here’s the good news: with WordPress, you can absolutely get your website to load in under 2 seconds — even if you’re not a tech wizard and even if you’ve never optimized a website before. With the right setup and a few smart tweaks, lightning-fast performance is within reach.

In this guide on How to Make Your WordPress Website Load Under 2 Seconds, I’ll walk you through the exact steps you need to take to speed up your WordPress site, cut down those frustrating delays, and give your visitors the smooth browsing experience they expect.

So grab a coffee (or tea), settle in, and let’s dive in step-by-step.

Why Website Speed Matters

Before we jump into the “how,” let’s quickly talk about the “why”:

• Better User Experience: Nobody likes waiting. A slow site frustrates visitors, while a fast one keeps them engaged and encourages them to explore more pages.
• Improved SEO Rankings: Google has confirmed that page speed is a ranking factor. Search engines favor websites that load quickly, meaning faster sites often rank higher and attract more organic traffic.
• More Conversions: Whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, filling out a form, or buying a product, speed plays a huge role. Every extra second of delay increases the chance of losing a potential customer.

In short, website speed directly affects your traffic, visibility, and revenue. Now that we understand what’s at stake, let’s roll up our sleeves and start optimizing!

Step 1: Choose a High-Performance Hosting Provider

At Aveshost, we’ve built our platform with performance features in mind. All our hosting plans run on SSD storage with LiteSpeed technology, and we provide free built-in caching to ensure your WordPress site loads at lightning speed. With data centers strategically located close to your target audience, your visitors get faster response times no matter where they’re browsing from.

Step 2: Use a Lightweight WordPress Theme

Not all WordPress themes are created equal. While some are beautifully designed, they often come bloated with unnecessary code, flashy animations, and features you may never use. The result? A sluggish website that frustrates your visitors and hurts your SEO.

Lightweight themes, on the other hand, are built with speed and performance in mind. They strip away the clutter and give you a clean, fast-loading foundation to build on. You can then add only the features you actually need through plugins, keeping your site lean and efficient.

Some excellent lightweight themes to consider are:

• OceanWP – versatile, lightweight, and great for building professional business sites.
• Astra – very popular, works well with most page builders.
• GeneratePress – highly customizable and performance-focused.
• Neve – modern, lightweight, and optimized for mobile.
• Blocksy – feature-rich yet lightweight, perfect for Gutenberg users.

The key is to choose a theme that’s optimized for speed first, and then tailor it to your brand with customizations. It’s far better to start with a lightweight base and add plugins selectively than to rely on one bulky theme that tries to do everything but slows your site down in the process.

Step 3: Install and Configure WP Fastest Cache

Caching is like taking a snapshot of your site and showing that to visitors instead of building every page from scratch — it’s one of the fastest wins for page speed. Below is a practical, step-by-step guide that uses only WP Fastest Cache (no other caching plugins).

Quick explanation

WP Fastest Cache creates and serves static HTML files to visitors, adds useful server rules (GZIP, browser caching), and can rewrite static asset URLs for CDNs. We’ll install it, enable safe defaults, and walk through the options you should test and why.

Before we begin

Before installing and setting up WP Fastest Cache, let’s make sure a few things are in place.

1. Backup your site (files + database)
   Always make a backup before adding or configuring performance plugins. This way, if something goes wrong, you can roll back quickly without losing work.
2. Deactivate and remove any other caching plugins.
3. Check compatibility with your theme and page builder
   WP Fastest Cache works smoothly with most themes, including the popular Divi Theme. However, if you’re using Elementor, you may run into occasional conflicts because Elementor has its own performance optimization features. To avoid errors and styling issues, adjust these settings: Elementor Performance Tab (step-by-step):
   • Go to your WordPress dashboard and open Elementor → Settings.
   • Click on the Performance tab.
   • Set CSS Print Method to External File.
   • Set Element Cache to Disable.
   These changes ensure Elementor won’t fight against WP Fastest Cache when it comes to CSS and caching.

Once you’ve taken these steps, you’re ready to install and configure WP Fastest Cache without running into unnecessary conflicts.

Step 1 — Install and activate WP Fastest Cache

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Go to Plugins → Add New.
3. In the search bar, type WP Fastest Cache.
4. Click Install Now, then click Activate.

After activation, you’ll see WP Fastest Cache in the left-hand sidebar of your dashboard.

Step 2 — Open the settings panel

Click on WP Fastest Cache in the sidebar. You’ll land on the Settings page, which looks like a checklist of performance options. This makes things easy — you just tick boxes and save.

Step 3 — Configure the basic settings

Here’s the recommended setup (tick these boxes):

• Cache System — This is the core feature. It enables caching and stores static HTML files for your site.
• Preload — Creates cached versions of all your pages in advance, so the first visitor doesn’t experience slow load times. (Choose your preferred preload interval, e.g., once every 10 minutes.)
• Logged-in Users — Keep this unchecked. You don’t want admin/dashboard views cached.
• Mobile — Enable caching for mobile visitors (important if your site gets traffic from phones).
• New Post / Update Post — Check these so the cache clears automatically when you publish or update content.

Click Submit at the bottom to save your changes.

Step 4 — Enable optimization options

Scroll further down in the settings and enable the following (test each one because some themes/plugins can conflict):

• Minify HTML — Strips unnecessary characters from HTML, making it lighter.
• Minify CSS — Makes CSS files smaller, speeding up delivery.
• Combine CSS — Combines multiple CSS files into one, reducing requests.
• Minify JS — Compresses JavaScript files.
• Combine JS — Combines multiple JS files (can break some sites, so test thoroughly).
• Gzip Compression — Compresses site files before sending them to the browser. This is a must.
• Browser Caching — Tells browsers to store static files locally so repeat visitors don’t have to re-download them.

Click Submit to save changes.

Step 5 — Exclude critical pages (especially for eCommerce sites)

If you’re running WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads (EDD), or any other online store, you must exclude dynamic pages like Cart, Checkout, and My Account from caching.

1. Go to WP Fastest Cache → Exclude.
2. Add rules to exclude:
   • /cart/
   • /checkout/
   • /my-account/

This prevents customers from seeing cached versions of their shopping carts or payment pages.

Step 6 — Use the Preload feature wisely

In the Preload tab:

• Set a schedule (e.g., preload the cache every 10 or 20 minutes).
• Choose “All” if you want every page/post cached, or just select homepage and categories for lightweight sites.

Pro tip: If your hosting plan is limited on resources, don’t preload everything too frequently — it can cause CPU spikes.

Step 7 — Clear and test your cache

Now it’s time to check if caching is working.

1. Visit your site in a private/incognito browser.
2. Right-click and view the page source — scroll to the very bottom. If WP Fastest Cache is working, you’ll see a comment like: <!-- WP Fastest Cache file was created in (xx.xx seconds) -->

Step 8 — Extra options (optional)

• CDN Integration: If you use a Content Delivery Network like Cloudflare or BunnyCDN, WP Fastest Cache has a built-in tab for CDN settings. Add your CDN URL to serve static files (images, CSS, JS) faster worldwide.
• Image Optimization (Premium only): If you upgrade to the Pro version, WP Fastest Cache can compress images automatically. For the free version, use an image optimization plugin or compress images before uploading.

Step 9 — Regular maintenance

Caching isn’t “set it and forget it.” Every now and then:

• Clear your cache manually after major theme/plugin updates.
• Check your speed scores again (PageSpeed, GTmetrix).
• Revisit excluded pages if you add new WooCommerce pages or forms.
• If you make style or JS changes and they don’t appear, purge the cache first.
• If you see problems after enabling an option, turn it off and purge cache — that isolates the issue quickly.

Recommended safe settings (copy-paste style)

• Cache System: ON
• GZIP Compression: ON
• Browser Caching: ON
• Preload: ON (frequency: daily or as suits your update schedule)
• Cache Timeout: 24 hours (adjust if needed)
• Minify HTML: ON
• Minify CSS / JS: ON (enable and test)
• Combine CSS / JS: Use with caution — OFF if you see layout/script issues
• Mobile Cache: ON (if responsive)
• Cache for Logged-In Users: OFF
• Exclude: /cart, /checkout, /my-account/, any dynamic pages or AJAX endpoints

Limit Plugins

It’s tempting to install every plugin that looks useful, but each one adds extra code, scripts, and database queries that can slow down your site. In simple terms: too many plugins = too many requests.

To keep your site lean and fast:

• Audit your plugins regularly. Go through your installed plugins and ask yourself if each one is truly necessary.
• Remove what you don’t use. Don’t just deactivate unused plugins — delete them completely to reduce bloat and potential security risks.
• Choose quality over quantity. Look for well-coded plugins with good reviews and regular updates instead of stacking multiple plugins that overlap in functionality.
• Avoid “all-in-one” heavy plugins. Sometimes one lightweight plugin for a single purpose is better than a bulky plugin that tries to do everything.

By limiting plugins to only the essentials, you’ll reduce server load, improve performance, and lower the chances of conflicts that can break your site.

Wrapping It Up

And there you have it — your WordPress site is now running on WP Fastest Cache, optimized for speed without complicated setup.

By combining caching, minification, and browser storage, you’ll shave valuable seconds off your load time. Paired with a solid host and optimized images, you’ll be well on your way to a site that loads in under 2 seconds.

Suggested Reading:

• How to Boost Your Website Speed for SEO and Conversions
• Unlocking Search Engine Secrets: Top SEO Tips for New Websites
• Unveiling the Secrets of Local SEO: Dominate Your Niche Market
• How to Get a Free Domain Name – Here’s How (No Tricks)
• Why Your Business Needs a Blog: Top Reasons Explained
• How to Fix WordPress 404 Not Found Error: Step-by-Step

FAQs About How to Make Your WordPress Website Load Under 2 Seconds

“Can I get a free domain name for my website?”

Short answer? Yes.
Long answer? This guide will walk you through exactly how to get a free domain name, the pros and cons, and the smartest way to do it—without compromising your brand or online presence.

Let’s dive in.

What Is a Domain Name, Anyway?

Before we start handing out freebies, let’s make sure we’re on the same page.

A domain name is your website’s address on the internet. It’s what people type in their browser to visit your site—for example, www.yourbrand.com.

Think of it like your digital street address. Without it, no one can find you online.

Why People Look for a Free Domain Name

Let’s be real—starting a website can get pricey. Between hosting, design, plugins, marketing tools, and other tech stuff, costs can add up quickly.

That’s why many people search for how to get a free domain name, especially when:

• Starting a new blog
• Testing an idea
• Launching a small business
• Building a portfolio
• Learning web development

Good news: you’ve got several legit ways to get a domain name without spending a dime.

Method 1: Get a Free Domain Name with Web Hosting

This is our top recommendation for most users. Many hosting providers including us offer a free domain name when you sign up for their hosting plans.

How It Works:

1. You purchase web hosting (required to make your site live)
2. The hosting company throws in a free domain for 1 year
3. After the first year, you’ll need to pay to renew the domain

Step-by-Step Guide to Claim Your Free Domain:

1. Visit the web hosting plans page
2. Select a hosting plan and click on “Order Now” button to proceed

3. Search for your desired domain name using the availability checker. If available, add it to your cart. Click “Continue” to proceed.

Important Note

If you selected the Deluxe plan, you are only eligible for a .top or .online domain (as shown in the table above).
Please ensure your chosen domain matches the extensions available for your selected plan to avoid confusion.

4. Configure Your Billing Plan
   • Choose Annually or longer billing cycle to qualify for a free domain.
   • Click “Continue” to proceed.
5. Configure Your Domain
   • Click to choose ID Protection at no additional cost (Free for life). This service protects your personal information from being publicly visible in the WHOIS database.
   • Click “Continue” to proceed.
6. Review Your Cart
   • Check the summary of your order to confirm everything is correct.
   • If you’re satisfied, click “Checkout”.
7. Create or Log in to Your Account
   • If you’re a new user, create an account by providing your details.
   • Existing users can simply log in.
   • If you’re satisfied, click “Checkout”.
8. Complete Payment
   • Choose your preferred payment method (e.g., credit card, PayPal, Google Pay, mobile money).
   • Enter your payment details and complete the transaction.
9. Activation
   • Once payment is confirmed, your domain and web hosting will be instantly activated.
   • You can now set up your website, email addresses, or any other services.

Pros of This Method:

Get a real custom domain (yourname.com)
Domain comes with reliable hosting
Professional solution that can grow with your site

Cons to Consider:

Requires paying for hosting (though you need this anyway)
Domain isn’t free forever – renewals cost $10-$20/year

Method 2: Use a Website Builder That Offers a Free Domain

If you’re not ready for web hosting yet, many website builders include free subdomains. These are great for getting started quickly.

Website builders like Wix, Weebly, WordPress.com, Blogger.com, or Google Sites offer free subdomains—meaning your domain will look something like:

yourname.wixsite.com  
yourbrand.wordpress.com  
yourportfolio.weebly.com
yourwebsitename.blogspot.com
sites.google.com/view/yoursitename

How to Set Up Your Free Domain:

1. Sign up for your chosen website builder
2. Choose a subdomain when prompted
3. Start building your site immediately

Pros:

• No cost at all
• Easiest way to get online fast
• Great for testing ideas
• Good for beginners
• Built-in design tools

Cons:

• Doesn’t look professional
• Harder to brand
• Limited customization options
• Most builders show ads on your site

Best for: Personal blogs, school projects, or testing an idea.

Method 3: Register a Free Domain Extension (TLD)

Some domain registrars offer free domains with lesser-known extensions like:

• .tk
• .ml
• .ga
• .cf
• .gq

These are available through sites like Freenom.com.

BUT… A Word of Caution:

While they’re free, these extensions often have low credibility and are commonly used by spammers. They can be flagged by email systems or ignored by serious users.

Not recommended for businesses or long-term projects.

Method 4: Use GitHub Pages Or Cloudflare Pages

If you’re a developer (or learning to be one), GitHub Pages or Cloudflare Pages lets you host a static website for free with a domain like:

yourusername.github.io # for Github Pages
yoursitename.pages.dev # for Cloudflare Pages

This is ideal for developers building portfolios or testing apps.

Pro Tip: You can purchase domain name from Aveshost connect a custom domain later if needed.

Bonus: How to Choose the Perfect Domain Name

Here are a few quick tips for picking a domain name you’ll love:

• Keep it short (under 15 characters if possible)
• Avoid numbers or hyphens
• Make it memorable
• Use keywords if they fit naturally
• Choose the right extension (.com is king)

Example: Instead of best-dog-food-website123.tk, go for something like doglovershub.com

Final Thoughts: Should You Get a Free Domain?

Absolutely—especially if you’re just starting out or testing an idea.

But here’s the real magic: Use the free domain as a stepping stone. Start small, grow your brand, and when you’re ready, invest in a premium domain to take your project to the next level.

If you’re ready to launch and want the best of both worlds (free domain + professional setup), check out Aveshost — where you can get a free domain, affordable hosting, and great customer support tailored to you.

Ready to Claim Your Free Domain?

Don’t wait. Your brand, your blog, your business—it all starts with a domain name.

Click below to get started and claim your free domain name with hosting:

Get My Free Domain Name Now

Suggested Reading:

• What Is a Domain Name? Ultimate Guide for Beginners
• What Is WordPress? Beginner’s Guide Explained
• What is VPS Hosting? Complete Introduction to VPS Hosting
• .uk vs .co.uk Domains: Pros, Cons, and Best Use Cases
• Why Your Business Needs a Blog: Top Reasons Explained
• How to Start a Blog and Make Money: Beginner’s Guide
• How to Deploy Laravel Project
• How to Buy PHP Hosting: Beginner’s Guide
• How to Host a PHP Website: A Beginner’s Guide
• How To Deploy a Node.js App (The Ultimate Guide)
• How to Deploy Django App (The Ultimate Guide)
• How to Deploy Angular App: CSR & SSR Guide

FAQs about how to get a free domain name

If you’ve built a PHP website and are now wondering how to bring it online, you’re in the right place! Hosting a PHP website may seem like a daunting task at first, but with the right guidance, you’ll have your site up and running in no time.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the entire process of hosting a PHP website, from choosing the right hosting plan to setting up a database and deploying your files. Whether you’re a beginner or have some experience with web development, this guide will make the process easy and understandable.

Video Tutorial

For an easier way to host a php website, watch the YouTube video below. If you prefer a detailed, step-by-step written guide, continue reading.

Choosing a Web Hosting Provider

The first step to hosting a PHP website is selecting a suitable web hosting provider. Aveshost is an excellent choice for PHP hosting, offering fast servers, great customer support, and affordable pricing.

Web Hosting

Web hosting is a service that allows individuals or businesses to make their websites accessible on the internet.

In simple terms:

You upload your website files (like images, HTML, code, etc.) to a server
That server is always online and connected to the internet
So when people type your domain (like example.com), the server shows them your site

Web hosting providers (like Aveshost) offer the server space, tools, and support needed to keep websites running smoothly.

Domain Name

A domain name is the address people type into their browser to visit your website — like aveshost.com.

It’s a human-friendly way to access a website instead of using an IP address (like 192.168.1.1). Think of it like:

Domain name = Your website’s street address
Hosting = The actual house where your website lives

You register a domain name through a domain registrar, and then link it to your hosting to make your site live.

PHP Hosting

PHP hosting is a type of web hosting that supports websites built with PHP, a popular scripting language used for creating dynamic websites like blogs, eCommerce stores, and content management systems (like WordPress).

In simple terms:

PHP hosting lets you run websites that rely on PHP code (e.g., contact forms, user logins, databases).

Most modern hosting providers (like Aveshost ) offer PHP hosting with features like:

• PHP version selection
• MySQL database support
• Compatibility with CMS platforms (WordPress, Joomla, etc.)

How to Buy PHP Hosting

Go to the Aveshost Web Hosting Plans page to view the available plans and features. Click on the Order Now button and follow the steps to purchase your PHP web hosting.

If you need a step-by-step guide on how to buy PHP hosting, check out this helpful article: How to Buy PHP Hosting.

Already have a hosting plan that supports PHP? Great! You can now continue with the rest of the tutorial below.

How to Upload Your PHP Files

Once you have your hosting and domain set up, it’s time to upload your PHP website files to the server. There are different methods to do this:

Using Aveshost cPanel File Manager

Aveshost provides cPanel, where you can use the File Manager to upload your files.

1. Log in to Your cPanel Account
   • Open your web browser and go to your cPanel login page (usually yourdomain.com/cpanel).
   • Enter your username and password.
2. Navigate to the File Manager
   • Once inside cPanel, look for the File Manager option under the Files section.
   • Click on File Manager, then open the public_html directory (this is the root directory where your website files should go. Alternatively, you can use a subdirectory if you have created a subdomain).
   • To view hidden files (such as .htaccess, .env), click on Settings in the top-right corner and enable Show Hidden Files (dotfiles).
3. Upload Your Website Files
   1. Click the Upload button at the top of the File Manager.

2. Drag and drop your website files (HTML, CSS, PHP, images, etc.), or click Select File to browse and upload them manually.
3. If you’re uploading a ZIP file, right-click it once uploaded and choose Extract to unpack the contents.
4. Move the Extracted Contents to public_html
   • Double click on the extracted folder and inside the folder click on Select All at the top.

5. Click on Move at the top of the File Manager, now delete the path /PHP_eCom_Project (Your unzip folder name) so it should be /public_html

6. Click on the Move Files button to move it into the public_html folder or the subdirectory folder in case you are using a subdomain.

Note: After extracting the files, delete the zip file. Once the files are moved to the public_html directory, delete the unzip folder as well.

Using FTP/SFTP

Aveshost supports FTP/SFTP connections. You can use tools like:

• FileZilla (Windows, macOS, Linux)
• Cyberduck (macOS, Windows)
• WinSCP (Windows)

Steps:

1. Retrieve your FTP/SFTP credentials from the Aveshost welcome email received upon purchasing your hosting, or alternatively, create a new FTP account directly from your cPanel.
2. Connect using an FTP client.
3. Upload your PHP files to the public_html directory.

Set Up a Database (If Needed)

Many PHP websites use MySQL or MariaDB databases. If your PHP website requires a database, follow these steps:

Follow this step-by-step guide to learn how to create a MySQL database in cPanel: How to Set Up a MySQL Database & User in cPanel (2 Easy Methods)

1. Create a Database in Aveshost cPanel

• Open Aveshost cPanel → MySQL Databases.
• Create a new database and user.
• Assign the user to the database with full privileges.

2. Import Your Database Using phpMyAdmin

• Go back to your cPanel dashboard.
• Locate and click on phpMyAdmin in the Databases section.
• In the left panel, find and click on the database you just created.
• At the top, click the Import tab.
• Click Choose File and select the database file from your local computer.
• Click Go to start the import process.

Ensure the database connection details in your PHP files are correct.

Example config.php file:

$servername = "localhost";
$username = "cpaneluser_dbuser";
$password = "yourpassword";
$database = "cpaneluser_dbname";

$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $database);

if ($conn->connect_error) {
    die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);
}

Test Your Website

Once your files are uploaded and database configured, visit your domain to check if everything is working. If you encounter errors:

• In cPanel, open ‘MultiPHP INI Editor’, select your domain, enable display_errors, and click ‘Apply’.
• Review error logs (error_log ) in your project directory.
• Ensure database credentials are correct.

Conclusion

Hosting a PHP website may seem complex at first, but with Aveshost, the process is simple and beginner-friendly. Whether you’re launching a simple blog or a dynamic web application, following these steps will ensure a smooth deployment.

With Aveshost, you get fast, secure, and affordable PHP hosting with excellent support. Ready to get started?

Host Your PHP Website with Aveshost Now!

Suggested Reading:

• How to Buy PHP Hosting: Beginner’s Guide
• How to Upload Your Website (in 3 Simple Steps)
• How to Buy cPanel Hosting for Your Website: Beginner’s Guide
• How to Deploy Laravel Project on cPanel
• How to Deploy Angular App on cPanel: CSR & SSR Guide
• How To Deploy a Node.js App on cPanel (The Ultimate Guide)
• How to Deploy Django App on cPanel (The Ultimate Guide)
• How to Deploy Flask App on cPanel (The Ultimate Guide)

FAQs About How to Host a PHP Website